Brief Description of the Site:
According to the site, "the Arctic Studies Center specifically studies northern peoples, exploring history, archaeology, social change and human lifeways across the circumpolar world." While part of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the Arctic Studies Center is somewhat difficult to find and therefore deserves its own site description as a resource.
How to use the site:
Learn about the Alutiiq people in southern Alaska or research the Vikings within this site. For those grades whose curriculum involves the Western Hemisphere or the study of indigenous tribes, this is a good resource. To make cross curricular connections as students read about Alaskan Yup'ik masks, explore the "Archeology, Anthropology and other Sciences" in-depth student research, and choose from a number of online exhibitions on native peoples of the north. The "Exhibitions" link serves as a site map of sorts for students who wish to focus on a particular people. Virtual tours using Flash animation provide interactive and engaging information addressing different learning styles. The site's extensive information is easy to access and not overbearing, making it a manageable resource for middle school students wishing to work independently.
Submitted by:
Tiffani Mugurussa
