The Smithsonian Learning Lab is about discovery, creation, and sharing.
Discover
The thrill of discovery awaits you in the Smithsonian Learning Lab. From the Discovery space shuttle to the Star Spangled Banner to dinosaur fossils, the Learning Lab gives everyone with a desire to learn the opportunity to explore the Smithsonian's rich resources anytime, anywhere.
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Create
Free your imagination – create personal collections using the Smithsonian's vast resources and add your own resources or those from other sources. Add notes, develop quizzes or create complete lessons or artistic collections, and build upon each for more personal and memorable learning.
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Share
Quiz your students on the U.S. presidents; awe your friends with handpicked photographic art and share your personalized collections. Become part of a collaborative, global community of learners who are passionate about bringing to light new knowledge, ideas, and insight.
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Smithsonian Staff Picks
Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Aubrey Gennari 
Mummy Science - Natural and Cultural Preserved Remains
This Smithsonian Science How learning collection, from Q?rius at the National Museum of Natural History, is part of a distance learning program at http://qrius.si.edu/explore-science/webcast This collection focuses on the science of mummies. Targeted at middle schoolers, the collection invites students into an authentic understanding of how mummies form, both naturally and culturally. Physical and forensic anthropologist Dr. David Hunt is featured as an expert explainer. The collection includes an interactive webcast video with discussion questions, cross-cutting activities, an independent project, and other resources for teachers and students.
This collection was created to support the 2016 CCSSO Teachers of the Year Day at the Smithsonian.
Key Terms: physical anthropology, archaeology, skeletal remains, mummification, burial practices, decomposition, culture
Key Concepts:
Skeletal analysis for age, sex, ancestry, and health
Cultural burial practices over time
Chemical process of mummification
Scientific benefits of studying mummies
Technology used by physical anthropologists
Communication
How do you communicate? Through words? Body language? A facial expression? Explore the different ways people and animals communicate.
