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|  | A True Collaboration
The project to develop Artifact & Analysis: A Teacher's Guide to Interpreting Objects and Writing History and its sister Web site was a true collaboration between the College Board's AP Program, the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, the National Museum of American History, and a dedicated set of high school and college faculty.
Like many great collaborations, the project got started over dinner. Stephanie Norby, director of the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, was seated near Mike Johanek, the executive director of K-12 professional development at the College Board, at a teaching conference held at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Ms. Norby mentioned that it would be wonderful if the museum could support professional development for AP teachers. After some lively discussion and subsequent meetings, they decided to jointly develop a project to support the use of historical artifacts in U.S. history classrooms, both at AP and Pre-AP levels. Artifacts from the National Museum of American History, as well as from regional affiliates, would be included.
The Museum As Resource
The goal of the team was to make available the resources that museums already have -- a virtual and too-little tapped "AV heaven" for teachers. Museum resources include not only the actual physical historical artifacts, which are difficult to get to and reference from classrooms, but also the scholarship about the items and the network of scholars involved with the museums. The collaborative team wanted to figure out how to connect and organize these resources for classroom use so that teachers could more easily use the analysis of historical artifacts as one means of teaching historical thinking. And, although the materials would be developed to support the teaching of the AP U.S. History course, the skills taught would need to support the teaching of U.S. history and other social studies courses from middle school forward. This approach would introduce the use of museum collections by students as a primary source for historical investigation and analysis.
Scholarly Research
In seeking a focus for the project, the museum was able to contribute a body of research that had already been done by Steven Lubar and Kathleen Kendrick (both of the National Museum of American History) about the use of artifacts in teaching. Their book, Legacies: Collecting America's History at the Smithsonian, is available through the Smithsonian Institution Press (2001). Using this work as a springboard, the project team decided to correlate the skills that students needed to learn to answer the document-based question on the AP U.S. History Exam with the kind of analysis needed in the examination of physical artifacts as historical evidence.
The team asked themselves what kinds of materials should be provided and focused on those items that would most likely engage students as well as richly embody historical tensions and complexity. They also decided to build teaching resources in print, on the Internet, and for use in workshops. Each object would include a brief summary description as well as supporting historical documents.
Although the first group of objects was selected to illustrate the time period from 1920 to 1970, the intention and strategy of the project is to support the exploration of any time period using museum artifacts as primary sources. Using a step-by-step study plan included in the Teacher's Guide and the six objects chosen for this time period (available on the Web site), students can explore the theme of consumerism by exploring the growth of this movement in the United States. Artifacts like the Barbie® doll are used to engage students and evoke a visceral reaction. Teachers using project materials then guide students through an exploration of the object in terms of its connections to the society, events, and culture of the times. Half a dozen more objects were posted this year for the time period from 1810 to 1860, under the theme of "A Nation Expanding." With the 50-year time period no longer being announced for AP U.S. History, the site will now seek to expand its resources across the chronological and thematic breadth of U.S. history.
Formative Research
Approximately 50 local AP teachers were recruited to participate in the development and pilot phases of the project. As part of their professional development, they were allowed to go behind the exhibitions and work with historians to better understand how to work with the artifacts as historical resources. For their training, they examined a collection of clothing irons, including pieces from over a century ago. Working with the guidance of a historian from the Smithsonian, they then thought about what these common household items could tell us about the times in which they were used -- about changing technology, domestic roles, roles in the economy, notions of style and design, and so on. The teachers learned to think about how to make connections for themselves and their students -- to the museum, to the artifact, to the scholars and historians who work with the museums, and to the scholarship required around the object itself. The training was very well received and considered a successful pilot effort.
In the winter of 2002, the team also offered training for two workshop consultants from each College Board region, so as to begin integrating these resources into AP workshops and conferences across the country. The veteran teachers learned how to help colleagues integrate the use of the project materials into their courses and provided valuable feedback about future project materials.
The team supported this initial effort by including a flyer about the materials in the workshop packets for AP U.S. History. Future plans include expanded professional development opportunities such as collaborative efforts with local museums and regional conferences. The College Board and Smithsonian plan to seek the resources needed to develop a broader set of materials across U.S. history.
Print Publication
For the print version of the Teacher's Guide, the team developed a booklet with photos and transparencies of a small collection of objects, a step-by-step method for their exploration, and supporting materials and assignments. Also available is an essay by project historians discussing what collections can tell us about history, along with essays by Christopher Lasch and Miriam Forman-Brunell. Using these materials, teachers help their students explore the similarities and differences among artifacts, for example, and their uses in developing historical narrative. They do this by posing questions that are answered in essay form after students analyze the objects and accompanying documents. Included in the teaching guide are reproducible handouts for students that were developed with AP teachers.
The Web Site
Since its initial launch, the Web site (available below in "See also") has already undergone a visual makeover and, as mentioned above, added a second DBQ time period, 1810 to 1860. Teachers and students use the Web site to view the artifacts and to read surrounding scholarship.
The presentation of each artifact includes a thumbnail and a large image of each object, a description of the object, and secondary literature relating to the object. For example, the presentation of Barbie includes a TV ad from the times, several childhood memories of Barbie, a piece from the doll's originator, and an excerpt from The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. These diverse materials help students understand the historical tensions surrounding the artifacts.
Plans for the Future
Although the collaboration continues to focus on how to expand the set of artifacts for U.S. history, the team also plans to expand the project to include other disciplines such as art history, world history, and the sciences. The Smithsonian and the College Board look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration in support of classroom teachers.
Acknowledgements
The Artifact & Analysis project team first assembled in the summer of 2000 to develop an educational program based on the research of Steven Lubar and Kathleen Kendrick, who wrote the essay that is the centerpiece of this publication.
At the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, Steve Binns, Gregor Kalas, Stephanie Norby, and Michelle Smith researched and wrote significant portions of the text. Troy Whitbread created a companion Web site. At the College Board, Michael Johanek and Mary-Alice McCullough made extremely valuable contributions to the project. Uma Venkateswaran of the Educational Testing Service reviewed materials and offered important guidance. Michael Henry of Prince George's College contributed his subject mastery and teaching expertise and also wrote portions of the content.
Individuals outside of the Smithsonian and the College Board also made valuable contributions. Sue Ikenberry and her students at Georgetown Day School reviewed a draft and tried out the strategies. Miriam Forman-Brunell of the University of Missouri at Kansas City contributed her thoughts on Barbie. Regina Lee Blaszczyk of Boston University provided guidance on the bibliography.
We owe sincere thanks to a highly professional group of teachers who considered the materials and offered their advice: Paul Armstrong (North East High School, North East, Maryland), Rita Brill (Rockville High School, Rockville, Maryland), William Broggy (Fox Lane High School, Bedford, New York), James Campbell (Maurice J. McDonough High School, Pomfret, Maryland), John K. Domville (Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood, New Jersey), Carol Eisenberg (Elizabeth High School, Elizabeth, New Jersey), Dennis Jutras (Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore, Maryland), Bruce Kline (Bohemia Manor High School, Chesapeake City, Maryland), Lorinda Krause (Lewisburg Area High School, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania), and Emma Melgarejo (Paint Branch High School, Burtonsville, Maryland).
Finally, we wish to thank Brother International Corporation, Inc., whose financial support has made possible this and many other publications of the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies.
How to Order
Artifact & Analysis: A Teacher's Guide to Interpreting Objects and Writing History is available to AP teachers for $10.00 per copy.
To order a copy, send a check and your address to:
Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies
P.O. Box 37012
A&I Bldg., MRC 402
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
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