We know firsthand how the hours they clock exceed the ringing of the school bells. We know how their passion for learning and dedication to their students drives their work. We know they inspire, impact and transform…and that they touch more lives than just their students’. We do our work because of the work they do.

So, without further ado, and in honor of teacher appreciation week (which is truly each and every week for us), enjoy this video for and about the teachers who inspire us.

To teachers everywhere, who touch lives in ways that reach far beyond your classrooms, thank you.

by Frank J.

Artwork created by Frank’s students, inspired by their New York City tour

Bridge by Eng Chang

On March 24^th, I took a group of art students to New York for the beginning part of our spring break. For many, this was going to be their first time in a big city; a city that we consider as the center of the art world. A city that makes us feel like ants walking along the streets of Manhattan.

Untitled by Jenna DeBlaey

Just like first-timers all of our attention was on the sea of people, tall skyscrapers, swarm of cabs, and advertisements. As consumers we were bombarded by commerce at it’s finest. We all have seen pictures of New York, might have visited in the past, and you may be wondering how this article is going to tie into our current theme of “enrichment.” Well, this article touches upon two sets of people that are affected by this new experience: the art students and myself.

Highline by Annya Ertel

The group of art students, juniors and seniors, that went on this trip have taken art since their freshman year, have a genuine interest in art, and are interested in how their lives are affected by art. In a school setting we learn to be resourceful and to do research on topics that interests us. We often find ourselves asking questions like, “What if…?” or “What do I want to do with my life?” This curiosity is what makes life interesting. Not knowing the possibilities or outcomes of our actions makes life worth living for.

This trip was not only about visiting New York, but a test of the knowledge and skills these individuals developed through art education. They were challenged to “live” for five days in an environment that is so unlike our community. This group of art students made new memories, were inspired to create new work, and developed meaningful relationships with one another.

Untitled by Jordan Blindauer

Here is a video of our New York experience.

Frank is an art teacher from Wisconsin. This article was written for the Wisconsin Art Education Association and reproduced with the author’s permission. The featured artwork was reproduced with the artists’ permission.

Want to take your students on an artistic adventure? Take a look at our art, theater or dance-focused tours.

Margie’s favorite part of teaching is her students. “I enjoy being with the students because I learn so much from them every day, and they keep me young,” she says.

A promise to travel

In addition to her other responsibilities, Margie travels with her high school Spanish students. Her trips started out as a promise to her daughter and her friends. When they were in 5^th grade, Margie promised the girls she would take them to Spain when they were in high school. Much to her surprise, they walked into her classroom their junior year and asked her when they were going to Spain.

Margie (front row, left) and her students take in the lovely Castillo Serrallés in Ponce, Puerto Rico (courtesy photo)

After traveling to Spain for three years, Margie decided to switch her trip and began taking her students to Puerto Rico. As a native of Puerto Rico, Margie is able to show her students the authentic island that she experienced as a child.

Margie describes why she loves bringing her kids to Puerto Rico, because “it is an opportunity for me to see my kids outside of the classroom and allows kids to see another side of me.”

An educational tour, personal journeys

Margie builds her personal stories into her classroom lesson plans. Her students listen to Puerto Rican music and get to see her photographs from personal events, such as her Quinceañera. These stories, however, truly come alive for the students who travel to Puerto Rico with Margie. They get to visit some of her favorite places, and hear many of her personal stories. Many of Margie’s family members and friends still reside in Puerto Rico. Her students are able to spend time with them, and become deeply immersed in the Puerto Rican culture.

Margie and her students outside El Morro in Old San Juan. (courtesy photo)

Each of Margie’s trips is “something unique. There is always something different with each group I travel with.” Margie is always surprised when her students get excited to do things and are impressed by things that she never thought they would be interested in, such as trying new local foods or visiting historic forts.

Margie believes that travel is extremely beneficial for her students because “they realize that there’s more to the world than just what is here in our rural area; it opens up the world for them.”

Her best advice for travelers: Just relax, sit back and enjoy. For some it’ll be a once in a life time experience and for others it’s just the beginning.

Her best advice for teachers traveling with their students: Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’ll all work out and everybody will have fun.

On this day, 223 years ago, George Washington took the Oath of Office on the balcony of Federal Hall to become our nation’s first president.

Here’s how historian Ron Chernow described the day: “Washington rose early, sprinkled powder in his hair, and prepared for his great day. At noon, accompanied by a legislative escort, he rode to Federal Hall in a fancy yellow carriage to take the oath of office…From the outset, the fifty-seven-year-old Washington was determined to strike a happy medium between regal dignity and republican austerity. Resplendent with ceremonial sword at his side, he also wore a plain brown suit of American broadcloth woven at a mill in Hartford.” (From Chernow’s biography Alexander Hamilton.)

And this is the cinematic take on the Inauguration from the HBO series “John Adams.”

Fast facts about the First Inauguration

That's me at Federal Hall! I was in NYC in February with several new group leaders and Smithsonian Student Travel staff for our new group leader orientation. I was jazzed that Federal Hall was on our walking tour.

Nearly 10,000 people gathered to watch Washington’s Inauguration at Federal Hall.

Robert Livingston, Chancellor of State of New York, administered the oath.

Washington added the phrase “So help me God,” to the end of the Oath, which is set out in the Constitution. He also ended the Oath by kissing the Bible. These two precedents have been carried out by several presidents since, but not all.

Washington also said a few words after his Inauguration, leading the way for subsequent presidents to follow suit and make Inaugural Addresses.

Washington’s Inaugural address was 1,419 words. Read the text and view it written in Washington’s own hand.

The Bible on which Washington swore his oath was loaned to Livingston by the St. John’s Masonic Lodge. Four other presidents took their oaths with this Bible: Warren G. Harding, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush

John Adams had already taken office as Vice President on April 21.

The official inauguration ball was celebrated a week later, on May 7.

Want to be part of the 2013 Presidential Inauguration?

The Presidential Inauguration is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just imagine the energy in the air as history unfolds and getting to say, “I was there.” As the low price leader in domestic student travel with 45 years of experience, Smithsonian Student Travel can make you part of this historic event. Find out more about our all-inclusive 2013 Presidential Inauguration trips. And watch our Inauguration tour trailer:

April is National Poetry Month, and as part of the month-long poetry celebration today is Poem in Your Pocket Day!

What’s Poem in Your Pocket Day?
Here’s how the originator of National Poetry Month (the Academy of American Poets) describes the day, “The idea is simple: select a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you on Poem In Your Pocket Day, sharing it with co-workers, family, and friends.” Watch how one community got involved from its schools and the public library to the local businesses and institutions.

Today marks the 10^th annual Poem in Your Pocket Day. The tradition began in New York City and then went national with the help of the Academy of American Poets in 2008. Listen to this story from NPR and hear how people are celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day around the country.

So, are you ready to celebrate? Check out Easy Ways to Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day from the New York Times. You’ll find tools to help you select the perfect poem and fun ways to share it!

Poetry lesson plans

Looking for ways to bring poetry into your lessons? From math and science to P.E. and social students, poems aren’t just for English class!

From the Academy of American Poets, these poetry lesson plans were developed by secondary school teachers, but can be adapted for several age groups. And their poetry tips for teachers might be helpful, too.

Scholastic offers lessons for the youngest poets to more sophisticated writers. Or you can give their interactive poetry engine a spin to create haiku, limericks, cinquains and free verse.

And from readwritethink.org these poetry lesson plans offer lessons about turning prose into poetry, using vibrant color words, bilingual poetry and more.

The Library of Congress’ Poetry 180 project helps teachers introduce a poem to students everyday of the school year.

Poetry goes digital

Whether you need an app to help you create poetry on the go, or want a tool to help you find just the right poem to suit your mood, mashable’s top 7 Poetry Apps have poetry lovers of every ilk covered.

With Figment, young writers find a place to publish, share, collaborate and communicate with other budding poets (as well as essayists, storytellers and writers of every type).

The Writer’s Digest Launched a Poem-A-Day Challenge on April 1, urging writers to write a poem every day with the a little inspiration from their daily writing prompts.

JAM was created to express the tradition and history of jazz as well as its importance in the American cultural music scene. Furthermore JAM looks to promote the current jazz scene and motivate people of all ages to come enjoy jazz in all forms – studying music, attending concerts or supporting institutional jazz programs.

Find a JAM event in your area.

The need for JAM is not to simply promote songs but to provide those who may not be familiar with it the chance to become captivated by its history and understand the importance of it in regards to an American tradition.

Check out 112 ways to celebrate jazz.

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History has been running JAM since its creation in 2001 due to its comprehensive jazz programming, which includes artifacts, documents, oral histories, exhibits and operating its own big band: the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. In honor of Jazz Appreciation Month, the Smithsonian has continued to collaborate with other national institutions to develop educational activities.

In order to assist schools in celebrating JAM, the Museum has also created a series of brochures and posters that are freely distributed to schools, libraries, radio stations, and jazz and music educators to show their appreciation of Jazz. JAM also provides teachers with a lessons on How to Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month.

Frank Sinatra is at the center of this year’s JAM as the theme this April is “Jazz Crossing Borders & Cultures.” This highlights why jazz men and women are seen as cultural ambassadors for roles in advancing innovation, unity, and freedom through civic action and jazz.

Learn more about JAM 2012 theme, and watch the video to learn about the 2012 “theme” song “The House I Live In,” which was composed in 9143 by a NYC school teacher Abel Meeropol. With Sinatra singing this song became a nationwide plea to unite America following World War II.

This post was written by guest blogger David Appel. Thanks, David!

Judy and her students on the Capitol steps. (Courtesy photo)

Judy’s lessons are peppered with first hand experiences and stories of the places she’s been to. She frequently uses souvenirs and photos brought back from her travels in her lessons.  In fact, Judy has recently been given the opportunity to teach an elective class about travel called “Discovering Your World.”

Bringing the passion for travel to students

Despite her personal travel experience, Judy did not think it would be possible to travel with her middle school students, until one day she heard of a neighboring teacher taking his students on a trip to Washington, D.C. Three years later, Judy started leading her own trips and now takes her middle school students around the country, while also traveling internationally with high school students.

“When I switched to Smithsonian Student Travel seven years ago, I quickly realized that the informative and personable staff made my duties easier and less stressful. As the years have passed, I continue to find a growing “family” connection to the company and its people.”

Judy and her travelers pose for a White House photo op. (Courtesy photo)

Judy loves traveling with her students because “they get to see the world from a new aspect, not just from a book but from reality, and they realize that they can go out there and it can be done.”

Judy’s students are always amazed at how large or small things are. From their travels they learn that pictures can be misleading and that everything is not always as it seems in a book.

Exploring America

In addition to traveling with her own students, Judy works with EF to support international students who are visiting the United States. She has spent several summers at EF’s Language and Culture Camps as an English teacher and English Department Head. She has also traveled on several EF Discovery Tours, which allow international students to travel the United States learning culture and history. Judy has also been a host mother for international exchange students, graciously welcoming them into her Kansas home.

The end of one journey is just the beginning of the next

Judy says that travel “opens up avenues that go beyond imagination” and allows students to “learn things that cannot be learned in a book.” She emphasizes that the end of one journey is just the beginning of the next.

Her best advice for travelers: Always travel in numbers. Play by the rules but open yourself up to experience within the realm.

Her best advice for teachers when traveling with their students: Just do it. Have faith in yourself that you can handle things and if you can’t you have people you can turn to.

Educational Travel Advisors

Judy is part of Smithsonian Student Travel’s Educational Travel Advisor (ETA) program. ETAs are dedicated teachers and travelers who volunteer their time to help fellow teachers and their students have successful, rewarding travel experiences. Our ETAs are experienced Smithsonian Student Travel Group Leaders from communities across the country, who teach a variety of subjects, and have a wealth of experiences to share.

Have questions about traveling with your students or working with Smithsonian Student Travel? Want to talk to an Educational Travel Advisor?

Meet a few of our other ETAs.

Thanks to Stephanie Efrosman, Smithsonian Student Travel ETA Coordinator, for writing the profile of Judy H.!

Shuttle Atlantis returning to Kennedy Space Center after 10 month refurbishment Photo credit: NASA/Carla Thomas

Between 10 and 11 am, the shuttle will fly over Washington, D.C., at 1,500 feet, making a route over the National Mall, Reagan National Airport, the National Harbor, and its future home, the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

For those of you who won’t be able to see this feat in person, you can view it online.  NASA will be streaming live coverage of the flight.

See how NASA makes the ‘World’s Greatest Piggyback Ride’ possible.

As you may have heard, NASA has shut down its shuttle program and is moving the space shuttle Discovery to the Udvar-Hazy Center, near Dulles Airport in Chantilly, Virginia. Currently, Space Shuttle Enterprise rests here, but will be moved to the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum in New York City on April 23. The Udvar-Hazy Center will have Discovery on display in one of the massive storage hangers beginning on April 19.

The Smithsonian Institution has a four-day public festival planned, kicking off with the Welcome Discovery Celebration from 8:00am-6:30pm on the 19th. National Air and Space Museum Director Gen. J.R. “Jack” Dailey and former Senator and Astronaut John Glenn are among the speakers.

Shuttle Discovery's Final Launch into Space Image credit: NASA/ Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell

Space Shuttle Discovery has been active in NASA’s fleet for longer than you might think.  Commissioned in 1979, it took scientists and engineers over three years to complete construction on the shuttle.  Discovery made its first flight on August 30, 1984, charged with deploying three communications satellites. Since that first mission, Discovery flew 38 more times in space totaling 365 days above the Earth.  Discovery has orbited the Earth 5,380 times traveling 148,221,675 miles in its lifetime! Read about all of NASA’s shuttle missions.

The first slogan

William Henry Harrison can be credited with coining the first presidential campaign slogan in the Election of 1840. Harrison, the Whig nominee, used the lore of the Battle of Tippecanoe in which he led American forces against Tecumseh and a confederacy of Native Americans  in November of 1811.  With John Tyler as his running mate, the Whig party came up with the first presidential slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!”

The band They Might Be Giants even recorded a cover of the song for a 2004 album. Have a listen and watch a slide show of some “Tip and Ty” campaign materials. They worked — Harrison and Tyler would go on to win the election of 1840.

A piercing slogan

Franklin Pierce. Painting by G.P.A. Healy, Corcoran Gallery, Washington, D.C.

In the Election of 1852, Franklin Pierce, a New Hampshire resident, received the Democratic nomination for president. His campaign slogan paid homage to fellow Democrat James K. Polk who served as president from 1845-1849.  Pierce cleverly told voters with “We Polked you in 44, We shall Pierce you in ’52.”

Pierce won the election against the Whig candidate, General Winfield Scott, who, oddly enough had been Pierce’s commander during the Mexican-American War.

A slogan, a promise

Political Button for Herbert Hoover's 1928 campaign. Made by Whitehead & Hoag, Newark, NJ, 1928.

In 1928, Herbert Hoover wanted Americans to know they would thrive if he was to become president.  After World War I, his campaign was based on the Republican record of prosperity.  He told voters that when he was president, they would have “A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.”  Hoover won the 1928 election, however ironically enough, less than a year into his term, the stock market would crash and America would enter The Great Depression.

Campaign slogans capture the state of the country at the time of elections and so much can be learned about history based on simple one-liners. Stay tuned for more posts on famous presidential slogans.

The Art Project, which offers the general public the ability to view famous paintings from around the world as well as virtually tour major museums, is adding the White House as one of its newest online exhibits.

As presidents have opened the door to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, this project will be opening the virtual doors to “The People’s House,” as the home is often called.

In a video explaining the project, Mrs. Obama says, “The White House isn’t simply a home to First Families or meeting space for world leaders, it’s also known as ‘The People’s House,’ a place that should be open to everyone.”

In addition to adding the White House and other new museums to the Google Art Project portfolio, Google also announced several upgrades to the online experience including:

• New tools—Explore and Discover—allow you to find artworks by period, artist or type of artwork, displaying works from different museums around the world
• 46 artworks available with “gigapixel” photo capturing technology, letting viewers see details impossible to see with the naked eye
• An enhanced My Gallery feature lets you select any artwork to build a personalized gallery, add comments and share the your collection

The Google Art project will provide the public with the same virtual tour capability being used in over 150 museums across the world to tour the public halls and rooms of the White House. Watch the video to learn more about how Google created this virtual tour and captured the White House with technology.

The White House is home to many historical pieces of artwork, and these will also be available to examine along with the tour of the public rooms. “Thousands of people have walked these halls and gazed at the artwork,” said Mrs. Obama. “They’ve examined the portraits of Washington, Lincoln and Kennedy. They’ve imagined the history that’s unfolded here.”

So, are you ready to explore the White House?

Or would you rather leave the computer screen behind and really experience our nation’s capital? Check out our tours to Washington, D.C.

Thanks to guest blogger David Appel for contributing to this post.