Common Sense Media Review
By Dana Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kid-friendly access to a wide range of museum resources.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
SMITHSONIAN EDUCATION STUDENTS poses important art, science, and history questions and then gives kids the tools to explore them. If the solar system is the size of a fried egg, how big is our galaxy? Activities like Sizing up the Universe help kids make predictions about scale and checking them using math. How has the role of government during a national crisis changed since World War II? The Rationing During WWII activity lets kids use primary source materials to examine this and other big questions.
Is It Any Good?
In addition to information about an incredibly diverse base of topics -- from African-American pioneering aviators to botany, Viking culture to mystery inventions -- this site also has sections for teachers and families. The images are bright, and activities can be engaging. Some of the vocabulary and ideas may be too advanced for younger school-age kids without the help of a parent or teacher, but older kids can definitely navigate this site on their own.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how to appropriately use the research you read online in school reports. Does your child understand the difference between using information from someone else without citation (plagiarizing) and appropriately citing a reliable online source like the Smithsonian?
Ask your kids which subjects they find most interesting on this site and try a related activity suggested here with them.
Website Details
- Subjects : Math : algebra , arithmetic , geometry , Science : astronomy , biology , ecosystems and the environment , Social Studies : cultural understanding , exploration , history
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence , applying information , investigation , Creativity : developing novel solutions , innovation
- Genre : Educational
- Pricing structure : Free
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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