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Meredith Osborne

Meredith Osborne has been with the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center since 2014. She began working as a lead infant teacher and then worked as a lead toddler teacher before becoming the Infant and Toddler Specialist. Meredith is originally from Cleveland Heights, Ohio and came to Washington, DC to study Museum Education at the George Washington University where she received a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT). She has worked with a wide variety of audiences and believes children are never too young to learn while in a museum.

Meredith Osborne's collections

 

Bisa Butler: A Classroom Exploration

<p>How can you create art using fabric? This classroom exploration is on Bisa Butler an artist who creates portraits using quilting techniques. Look closely at "<em>I Go To Prepare A Place For You</em>" a quilted portrait of Harriet Tubman. Compare and contrast the quilted portrait to the photograph which inspired it. To learn more about quilting techniques, you will look at the patterns, textures, colors, and fabrics in a variety of quilts. </p> <p>Create your own fabric inspired art. Start by choosing fabric. Consider how the fabric feels. Practice new skill sets of sewing and stitching. Learn to thread a needle and make zig-zags like Bisa Butler. This project was inspired by a Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center's <a href="https://seecstories.com/tag/bisa-butler-project/">Teacher Feature on Bisa Butler.</a>  </p>
Meredith Osborne
35
 

Batiks: A Classroom Exploration

<p>What lines and shapes might represent you? This classroom exploration is on batiks - a fabric that this made by applying wax and then dyeing to create lines, shapes, and patterns. Explore the history of batiks and learn about how different batiks appeal to different people and cultures. Create a batik inspired project using fabric, glue, and paint. </p> <p>This project was inspired by a Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center's <a href="https://seecstories.com/tag/bisa-butler-project/">Teacher Feature on Bisa Butler.</a> To learn more about the batik process, read the blog <a href="https://seecstories.com/2022/11/14/making-batiks-bisa-butler-project/">Making Batiks: Bisa Butler Project</a>.</p>
Meredith Osborne
32
 

Wind

Meredith Osborne
6
 

Robots that Help

<p>OBJECTIVES:<br /></p> <ul><li>Learn that people make robots to do things to help people </li><li>Look closely at a robot that some people have in their house</li><li>Learn about other types of helping robots </li><li>Talk about why robots are made</li><li>Learn that robots are designed with a purpose </li><li>Think about times when it might be helpful to have a robot </li><li>Use creativity to design robots </li></ul>
Meredith Osborne
22
 

Fire Engine vs Fire Pumper

<p>Objectives: </p> <ul><li> Learn that firefighters are people who help keep you safe</li><li> Discover that firefighters use fire trucks to help them get to the fire quickly</li><li> Compare familiar firetrucks to the less familiar hand pump fire truck in the museum</li></ul><p></p>
Meredith Osborne
30
 

Stanley - The Driverless Car

<p>Objectives </p> <ul><li>Learn that robots need special sensors to help them understand the world around them</li><li>Discover that we use our senses to help learn more about the world around us</li><li>Explore our senses</li><li>Compare our senses to the senses of Stanley the driverless car </li></ul>
Meredith Osborne
14
 

Fire Safety

<p>Objectives </p><ul><li>Identify objects that help to prevent fires </li><li>Learn what to do if they hear an alarm </li><li>Identify objects that are fire hazards</li><li>Learn to stay 3 feet (two big steps) away from fire hazards</li></ul>
Meredith Osborne
32
 

Sink Float

<p>OBJECTIVES:</p> <ul><li>Experiment with objects to see if they sink or float</li><li>Learn that boats float</li><li>Discuss how sometimes boats sink and learn the word shipwreck </li><li>Look closely at the 3D model of the Philadelphia Gunboat (a boat which sunk and was then later brought to the surface and into the Natural History Museum)</li><li>Make ships out of aluminum foil and experiment to see how many pennies can go on the boat before it sinks</li></ul>
Meredith Osborne
22
 

Car Design

<p>Objectives: </p><ul><li>Discover that cars come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors  </li><li>Learn that some design elements improve functions of cars and some are purely aesthetic  </li><li>Have the opportunity to design own car  </li></ul><p><br /></p>
Meredith Osborne
13
 

Monkeys Grasp

<p></p> <ul><li>Compare movements of the flying trapeze artist to the movements of monkeys swinging from the trees  </li><li>Imagine what it would feel like to swing (like a trapeze artist and like a monkey)</li><li>Learn about how monkeys move  </li></ul>
Meredith Osborne
12
 

Volcano Eruptions

<p>Objectives - </p><p><br /></p><ul><li>Learn that active volcanoes erupt </li><li>Discover that volcanoes erupt when pressure builds up </li><li>Experiment with eruptions </li><li>Learn that some mountains are volcanoes </li></ul><p><br /></p>
Meredith Osborne
22