Education Resources

Discover colorful objects across the Smithsonian with Pinky Jackalope and Nick the Music Man! This video resource follows Pinky and Nick's journey as they discover a new colorful object from eight different museums, research centers, and the National Zoo. From a red airplane at the National Air and Space Museum to a purple amethyst at the National Museum of Natural History, there is so much to explore at the Smithsonian!

In this lesson, students will practice making and sharing observations of different minerals, classify and sort minerals, and create their own rainbow inspired by colors and textures found in nature!

Head Start is turning 60 — and the Smithsonian is celebrating with a special adventure! To mark this milestone, our friend Pinky is heading out on a mission across the Smithsonian to discover amazing objects that are 60 years old. From retro treasures to historic highlights, join Pinky as we explore what 60 years really looks like through the lens of Smithsonian collections.

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is turning 60—and we’re celebrating with the help of trees! In this video, we count tree rings to show just how long 60 years really is. Join us as we explore how trees mark time and how SERC has been learning from and about nature for six amazing decades!

How are family celebrations and traditions alike and different? This course helps parents, teachers, and children explore family celebrations in their own families and communities, across the United States, and around the world. Along the way, learners discover how traditions can be both similar and different.

Learn how to make a human-friendly popsicle modeled after the ice treats that we give our pandas!

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a rectangle and a triangle! The National Air and Space Museum shows us how to find all our favorite shapes within a rocket! Then create your own colorful rocket out of cut-paper shapes.

Join Nick the Music Man, Pinky Jackalope, and other guest stars as they sing and dance about early childhood topics! Your little ones will love moving and grooving to these original songs by Nick Young of Play Motion Music. New songs will be added throughout the school year, so be sure to check back.