Resources for Students (and Parents) While Learning at Home

Resources for Students (and Parents) While Learning at Home

by Alexis Price

March 24, 2020

 

The Presidential Site may be closed right now, along with our nation’s schools, but that doesn’t mean the learning stops. Many of you may be adjusting to e-learning or homeschooling for the first time.

Whether you’re learning remotely or looking for ways to enliven your social distancing, here is our one-stop resource list for learning (and teaching) at home.

 

Browse our virtual collection

We are the only museum dedicated to the memory of the 23rd president of the United States. Since such a high percentage of items in the collection are original, they provide learners with a unique, accurate and authentic look into the life of the Harrison family.

Many of our items can be experienced and downloaded in 3D—including Caroline Scott Harrison’s piano and a 1892 Harrison campaign rattler!

The collection also includes artifacts from 21 other U.S. presidents, including George Washington, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

 

Take a deep dive into the “Learn” tab on our website

Did you know Benjamin’s great-grandfather, Benjamin Harrison V, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and his grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was Indiana’s first territorial governor and 9th president of the United States? This section on our website is filled with rich information about Benjamin Harrison, his family tree and more.

 

Watch the documentary, “A President at the Crossroads”

This Emmy-award winning documentary on Benjamin Harrison has aired more than 1,200 times on over 200 public media stations. It’s an action-packed perspective on why our 23rd president deserves a second look by Hoosiers and historians. View the documentary here.

 

Don’t have time for a full documentary?

Learn about Benjamin Harrison in 23 seconds in this lightning-quick video.

 

Try a new sport

P.E. class never looked so Victorian. Watch this video, and try your hand at croquet! Who knows—you might discover it’s your hidden talent.

 

Looking for a crafty learning activity?

Make your own campaign lantern! Suppose you are a Harrison supporter and wish to show your support. You will need:

• A flashlight
• Empty paper towel tube
• A balloon

1. You can use a balloon or make a paper-mâché balloon. The balloon will be the top of your lantern. To make a paper-mâché balloon, place a thin layer of papier-mâché tissue over a balloon. 

2. When the tissue is dry, decorate it with pictures. 

3. Puncture the balloon. The resulting opening will slide over the tube (after you have decorated it and inserted the flashlight).

4. Decorate the outside of the tube any way you like. You might try crepe paper, streamers, or just color the tube red, white and blue. 

5. After you have decorated your tube, insert the flashlight.

6. Ta-da! That’s it.

 

Color inside the lines

Not all of us are craft masters. But art class is important. Click here to download our Old Whiskers coloring page. Incorporate primary and secondary colors. Learn how to create a warm- or cool-toned look, or explore the world of monochromatic art. 

Make it a complete lesson by reading Old Whiskers Escapes! This children’s book tells the true story of the time Benjamin Harrison’s pet goat escaped from the White House lawn.

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What resources on this list are most useful to you? What else would you like to see? Email us at blog@bhpsite.org to let us know.

Be sure to share your creations and experiences with us on social media by tagging us or using #potus23!