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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

 

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
 

Close Looking at Edward Reep's "Italian Shrine," and the Nazi Occupation of Bologna, Italy, during WWII

<p>This teaching collection guides  viewers through a close looking exercise to explore American artist Edward Reep's painting of a shrine in Bologna, Italy, based on photographs and notes from his time as a combat artist in Italy during World War II. The collection is set up for students to look closely at the painting using Harvard's Project Zero Thinking Routine "See, Think, Wonder," and then to consider the historical and political context of the time, as well as the artist's personal experiences in Italy during WWII, in order to better understand Reep's homage in painting to the thousands of Italian Resistance fighters and citizens who lost their lives fighting against the Nazi occupation during World War II. The activity concludes with another Project Zero Routine from the Global Thinking series, "The 3 Y's."</p> <p><br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
5
 

The William Steinway Diary, 1861-1896: A Unique Perspective on post-Civil War New York

<p>This teaching collection asks students to explore William Steinway’s Diary—which includes diary passages, Steinway family photographs, maps, and advertisements that bring alive the fear and chaos of the 1863 Civil War Draft Riots and his hands-on role in the creation of the New York City subway and the company town of Steinway in modern-day Astoria, Queens - as a jumping off point to understand the second half of the 19th century. Included are two Project Zero Thinking Routines and an Analysis Sheet to help students analyse these primary documents. Students can also expand the activity by researching other historical writings (newspapers, journals, city maps, etc.) from the time period, to gain a deeper understanding of this dynamic period in American history. </p><p>The online exhibition describes: "Over 36 years, nine volumes, and more than 2,500 pages, entries record a newlywed’s exuberance, his observations of a country at war, and his emergence as a leader in the cultural, political, financial, and physical development of New York City. In near-daily entries until his death in 1896, William details the period’s financial panics and labor turmoil, rise of the German immigrant class, growing sophistication of transportation, and fierce piano manufacturing wars in which his family firm, Steinway &amp; Sons, was a major player. A proud member of New York’s German American community, William was at once an immigrant success story and an ambitious industrialist whose development of the company town of Steinway left a lasting imprint on modern-day Queens."</p><p><br /><br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
14
 

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
 

Using Global Thinking Strategies with Latino Content

<p>Teachers looking to foster in their students a broader understanding and appreciation of today’s complex world can use these Learning Lab collections that pair Harvard’s Project Zero Global Thinking Routines with new bilingual Latino-content videos of National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum curators discussing works in the collection. <br /></p> <p>Each Learning Lab teaching collection includes additional supporting materials to add dimension, expand the activity, and deepen students' learning. <br /></p> <p>These four videos were created with federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.<br /></p><p>#LatinoHAC<br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
5
 

From One Artist to Another: "Rudolfo Anaya" by Gaspar Enríquez

<p>Students use a Global Thinking Routine to explore both a portrait and a work of literature that together offer a  rich view of the Chicano experience in the American southwest in the middle of the 20th century. </p> <p>This teaching collection features Gaspar Enríquez's portrait of Rudolfo Anaya. It is the first commissioned portrait by the National Portrait Gallery of a Latino sitter by a Latino artist. Both artists address the Chicano experience and confluence of cultures in the American southwest.</p> <p>Included here are the portrait, a bilingual video with National Portrait Gallery curator Taína Caragol, the "Step In - Step Out - Step Back" Thinking Routine from Harvard's Project Zero Global Thinking Strategies, two other works by Gaspar Enríquez, and some links to National Portrait Gallery supporting materials. </p> <p>Teachers and students can pair the portrait and read Rudolfo Anaya's coming of age novel "Bless Me Ultima," first published in 1972 and reflecting Chicano culture in rural New Mexico in the 1940s, to gain a deeper understanding of the Chicano experience in the American southwest.</p> <p>#LatinoHAC #EthnicStudies<br /></p>
Philippa Rappoport
11
 

The Native American Struggle for Treaty Rights and Tribal Sovereignty

<p>This collection serves as a preview for the sixth (final) of six seminar sessions in the 2018 Smithsonian-Montgomery College Faculty Fellowship Program. This year's theme is “We the People: America’s Grand and Radical Experiment with Democracy.”<br /></p> <p>National Museum of American Indian colleagues Mark Hirsch, David Penney, and Colleen Call Smith will explore the past, present, and future of treaties between the United States and Native nations, and show how American Indians have drawn on these 18th- and 19th -century agreements to defend tribal rights and exercise political sovereignty in the 20th and 21st centuries.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  They will also discuss their efforts to integrate the exhibition's main themes and messages into the</span> museum’s “Native Knowledge 360°” initiative, a national educational program designed to change the way American Indian histories, cultures, and contemporary lives are taught in K-12 classrooms.</p> <p>Resources included in this collection have been chosen by the presenters for participants to explore before the seminar itself.</p> <p>#MCteach</p>
Philippa Rappoport
8
 

Using Technology to Explore Our Nation’s Difficult Past

<p>This collection serves as a preview for the fifth of six seminar sessions in the 2018 Smithsonian-Montgomery College Faculty Fellowship Program. This year's theme is “We the People: America’s Grand and Radical Experiment with Democracy.”</p> <p>Kinshasha Holman Conwill, Rex Ellis, Helsynia Brown, Adam Martin, and Jessica Johnson will engage participants in an exploration of the National Museum of African American History and Culture's efforts to use technology to make the museum a participatory environment. A fuller description and presenter bios are included inside the collection.</p> <p>#MCteach</p>
Philippa Rappoport
9
 

The Social Power of Music

<p>This collection serves as a preview for the fourth of six seminar sessions in the 2018 Smithsonian-Montgomery College Faculty Fellowship Program. This year's theme is “We the People: America’s Grand and Radical Experiment with Democracy.” </p> <p>James Deutsch and Atesh Sonneborn of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH) will explore with Fellows the social relevance of music, and how music conveys meaning in our lives. They will also take Fellows on a guided tour of the CFCH collections.</p> <p>#MCteach</p>
Philippa Rappoport
9
 

"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
 

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
 

Student Activity: Looking at the Holocaust through Art

<p>This student activity explores the Holocaust through art - three sculptures and one photograph of an artwork, with additional references to give historical context . Using two of Harvard's Project Zero Thinking Routines, students take a deeper dive into the material through guided looking and by considering the significance of the Holocaust personally, to the country and to the world.</p>
Philippa Rappoport
10