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Philippa Rappoport

Lead, Education and Engagement
Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology
Smithsonian Staff

I work in education and engagement, teacher professional development, and outreach at the Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology (OET), and have a particular interest in developing and producing trainings, programs, teaching techniques, and platforms that foster deep learning and contribute knowledge to improve practices in museum and preK-16 education and engagement. At OET over the last decade+, I created digital assets for schools, families, and new immigrant English Language learners to complement teacher professional development and pan-Smithsonian programming, including Learning Lab teaching collections, YouTube videos with tradition bearers, a handmade family stories book-making website, and online heritage tours.

Philippa Rappoport's collections

 

Zozobra in Santa Fe: A Contemporary Reckoning of a Local Tradition

<p>This teaching collection encourages students to think about all sides of an issue - in this case a cultural event - and then make connections to related issues of identity and nationalism locally, nationally, and internationally. The collection uses an article by Eduardo Díaz, director of the Smithsonian Latino Center, and Kevin Gover (Pawnee), director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, as a jumping off point to explore changes to Santa Fe's annual Fiesta de Santa Fe, described by organizers as “the oldest, most colorful community celebration in the nation,” as part of an ongoing conversation across the country about how we choose to honor our "history, multicultural legacies and unique blend of traditions."</p> <p>The exercise is scaffolded with global competence strategies to help students explore the Fiesta in successive detail, consider the various perspectives of the communities involved, and make connections to similar conversations happening across the US today. Students can share ideas in groups or through writing assignments, adding in outside research  if desired. </p> <p>Keywords: American Indian, Native American, Pueblo Indians, Hispanic, Latino, Entrada<br /></p> <p>#LatinoHAC, #EthnicStudies </p> <p>This collection supports Unit 3: Critical Geography and Current Issues, of the Austin ISD Ethnic Studies Part A course. "How do diverse groups of people become interconnected and aligned with different places and communities? What is the relationship between geographic space and different communities, and how does this interaction shape our society How does regional politics, economics, culture, and geography influence issues and events?"</p> <p><em>This Smithsonian Learning Lab collection received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. </em></p> <p><br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
6
 

Learning Lab Teaching Collection for Frost Art Museum Workshop using Luis Cruz Azaceta's "Shifting States: Iraq"

<p>This teaching collection is designed to be used in the Frost Art Museum's "Exploring Latinx Artists from the Frost Art Museum Collection" workshop on November 6, 2018, to guide participants in a looking activity and to demonstrate the range of tools available in the Learning Lab. </p><p>It is adapted from a teaching collection on the same theme (Luis Cruz Azaceta's "Shifting States: Iraq" <a href="http://learninglab.si.edu/q/ll-c/mBWHa8fHUy9vJsE5">http://learninglab.si.edu/q/ll...</a>) , which aims to help students think critically and globally using two Thinking Routines to explore the painting. The work is a metaphorical representation of the unrest taking place in Iraq, and more broadly, an exploration of the human condition during times of crisis.</p> <p>Included here are an image of the work from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, an explanatory video with curator E. Carmen Ramos, a contextual video featuring the artist himself, three suggested Thinking Routines - "Colors, Shapes, Lines," "The 3 Y's," and "Headlines" - from Harvard's Project Zero Artful Thinking and Global Thinking materials, three other works by Azaceta in the Smithsonian collections, and an array of prompts and Learning Lab tools.</p> <p>For use in Social Studies, Spanish, English, American History, Art History classes</p> <p><em>This program received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center</em>.<br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p>#LatinoHAC</p>
Philippa Rappoport
15
 

Learning Lab Training Collection on the Theme "The Search for an American Identity"

<p>This collection is designed to help educators bridge the classroom experience to a museum visit. It is intended to demonstrate various ways to use the Learning Lab and its tools, while offering specific, replicable, pre-engagement activities that can simply be copied to a new collection and used to help students engage with museum resources. </p> <p>Included here: </p><ul><li>Section 1: a set of flashcards, a template document so that teachers can create and print their own specific sets, and strategies for their use in their classrooms. </li><li>Section 2: a variety of student activities and resources to explore artist Luis Cruz Azaceta's "Shifting States: Iraq," a metaphorical representation of the unrest taking place in Iraq, and more broadly, an exploration of the human condition during times of crisis.  This section includes an image of the work from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, an explanatory video with curator E. Carmen Ramos, two  Thinking Routines - "See, Think, Wonder" and "The 3 Y's" - from Harvard's Project Zero Visible Thinking and Global Thinking materials, and  an array of prompts and Learning Lab tools to help students think critically and globally.  </li><li>Section 3: a short assignment to get participants started using the Learning Lab.</li><li>Section 4: spacer tile template to serve as chapter headings in longer collections.</li></ul><p>This collection is adapted from a teaching collection on the same theme (Luis Cruz Azaceta's "Shifting States: Iraq" ( <a href="http://learninglab.si.edu/q/ll-c/mBWHa8fHUy9vJsE5" style="background-color:rgb(63,63,63);">http://learninglab.si.edu/q/ll...</a>), that includes extension activities. It was created for the 2019 cohort of the Smithsonian-Montgomery College Faculty Fellowship Program on the theme, "The Search for American Identity: Building a Nation Together," - the subject of the Montgomery College - Smithsonian 2019 Fellowship program. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Keywords: #MCteach</p> <p><br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
29
 

Addressing 21st-Century Challenges: The National Museum of American History and the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

<p>This collection serves as a preview for the fourth of six seminar sessions in the 2021 Smithsonian-Montgomery College Faculty Fellowship Program. This year's theme is “Facing the Complex, Multiple Challenges of the 21st Century."<br></p> <p><br>Three Smithsonian curators, Jim Deutsch and Sojin Kim from the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and Margaret Salazar-Porzio from the National Museum of American History, will discuss ways in which their units seek to address 21st-century challenges, through programming, outreach efforts, and resources. </p> <p>Resources included in this collection have been recommended by the presenters for participants to explore before the seminar itself.</p> <p>#MCteach</p> <p></p>
Philippa Rappoport
23
 

Irish Music

<p>This collection includes a wide range of Irish contemporary and traditional music in the Smithsonian collections, with two lesson plans for grades 3-5 from the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.</p><p>#SmithsonianMusic<br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
15
 

"We the People": Flash Card Activity and Template

<p>This collection includes a variety of resources on the theme, "We the People," a template document  for teachers to create their own  flashcard activity with Learning Lab images, and strategies to use them.</p> <p>This collection was created for the 2018 cohort of the Smithsonian-Montgomery College Faculty Fellowship Program on the theme, "We the People: America's Grand and Radical Experiment with Democracy." But anyone can use it.</p> <p>Strategies: Begin by selecting your own set of images. (Feel free to copy this collection and then adapt as you like.) When creating your flashcards, use the template from the last learning tile, and add relevant text diagonally below the object. Print double-sided flipping on the SHORT side.</p> <p>After distributing the cards, have students select one or two that speak to them. Then have them discuss the following questions in groups and share out.</p> <p>Supporting Questions:<br />What themes do you see?<br />Do you see these themes across the objects and over time?</p> <p>Essential Questions:<br />Using these images, define American Democracy.<br />What other resources might you use to tell a fuller story?</p><p><br /></p><p>Keywords: #MCteach</p> <p><br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
50
 

Dolores Huerta: Images, Videos, and "One Life" Exhibition

<p>This topical collection explores the contributions to American history and society of Civil Rights activist Dolores Huerta, the "co-architect" with Cesar Chavez of the American Farm Workers Movement. The images and resources can be used as discussion or writing prompts in a variety of courses, including history, culture, language, and literature. Included in this collection are images from the exhibition, "One Life: Dolores Huerta," a bilingual video with National Portrait Gallery curator Taína Caragol, footage of an interview program with Dolores Huerta at the museum, and an NPR interview with Dolores Huerta in January 2017.</p> <p>#LatinoHAC #BecauseOfHerStory<br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
19
 

The Smithsonian's Caribbean Indigenous Legacies Project: Celebrating Taíno Culture

<p>This topical collection contains information about the Smithsonian's Caribbean Indigenous Legacies Project: Celebrating Taíno Culture, with links to the Heye Center exhibition, "Taíno : Native Heritage and Identity in the Caribbean," and to a related public program/webcast, "Taíno: A Symposium in Conversation with the Movement," from the National Museum of the American Indian. </p> <p><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook at300b" title="Facebook"></a><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter at300b" title="Twitter"><span class="at-icon-wrapper"></span></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit at300b" target="_blank" title="Reddit"><span class="at-icon-wrapper"></span></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_google_plusone_share at300b" target="_blank" title="Google+"><span class="at-icon-wrapper"></span></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_google_classroom at300b" target="_blank" title="Google Classroom"><span class="at-icon-wrapper"></span></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest at300b"></a><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_tumblr at300b" target="_blank" title="Tumblr"><span class="at-icon-wrapper"></span></a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email at300b" target="_blank" title="Email"><span class="at-icon-wrapper"></span></a></p>
Philippa Rappoport
6
 

Origami Cranes: Activity and Background Information

<p>People from all over the world have enjoyed doing traditional paper crafts for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. In this set, you'll explore the tradition of the origami Japanese paper crane, a symbol of hope. A demonstration video is included for those who want to make their own crane. Appropriate for classroom, home, or informal education settings.</p> <p>The Japanese word "origami" comes from two smaller words: "ori" which means "to fold," and "kami" meaning "paper." Although this is the most common word in the United States for the craft of paper folding, the tradition is known to have existed in China and Japan for more than a millennium, and from there it spread to other countries around the world. Japanese patterns tend to focus on animals and flowers, while Chinese designs are usually for things like boats and hats. Paper folding's earlier use was ceremonial, but with time the tradition became popular as a children's activity. <br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
8
 

Close Looking at Three Portraits of Poet Frank O'Hara

<p>This teaching collection uses Project Zero thinking and other portrait reading strategies to look critically at and compare  three portraits of <strong>Francis Russell</strong> "<strong>Frank</strong>" <strong>O'Hara</strong> (March 27, 1926 – July 25, 1966), an American writer, poet, art critic, and curator at the Museum of Modern Art. O'Hara, who was considered to be one of the most important poets of mid-twentieth-century America, died an untimely death at age 40, and is memorialized in these three portraits in the Smithsonian collections - by Grace Hartigan, Alice Neel, and Don Bachardy.</p> <p>This collection is set up to first look carefully at Grace Hartigan's portrait, using one or all of three suggested looking strategies. Then viewers can look at the other two portraits, considering additional information about sitter Frank O'Hara and the artists, in order to have a better sense of the three portraits, the sitter, the artists, and the times in which they created.</p> <p>Keywords: Portraiture, Abstract Expressionism, Expressionist, Avant-Garde, Irish</p>
Philippa Rappoport
15
 

Native American Beading: Examples, Artist Interview, Demonstration and Printable Instructions for Hands-on Activity

<p>This collection looks at examples of bead work among Native American women, in particular Kiowa artist Teri Greeves, and helps students to consider these works as both expressions of the individual artist and expressions of a cultural tradition.</p> <p>The collection includes work samples and resources, an interview with Ms. Greeves, demonstration video of how to make a Daisy Chain bracelet, and printable instructions.</p>
Philippa Rappoport
6
 

Student Activity: An Exploration of Immigration/Migration Experiences

<p>With this collection, students can explore people's stories of moving to a new country or culture (both forced and voluntarily), and then walk, fly, or sail "a mile in their shoes" to imagine some of the challenges they encountered in moving to their new home.</p> <p>Then, they can write up their own family stories, using a variety of resources including a "Today I Am Here" homemade book, or PBS Learning Media's resources, "Digging at the Roots of Your Family Tree."</p> <p>#EthnicStudies <br></p> <p>This collection supports Unit 1: Precious Knowledge - Exploring notions of identity and community, Personal history / identity / membership / agency, of the Austin ISD Ethnic Studies Part A course.</p> <p><em>This Smithsonian Learning Lab collection received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. </em></p>
Philippa Rappoport
11