Local and Community Resources for Global Learning
As a school in New York City, we have an incredible variety of resources at our fingertips to support global learning. Many cultural and historical sites lend themselves to connection with global themes, and many sites have educators on hand to support off-site learning. The following list is just the beginning; the resources in NYC are basically endless!
American Museum of Natural History
www.amnh.org/
The AMNH is one of the most engaging field trip sites in the whole city, and its exhibits are well-supported by resources on the museum's website. Self-guided class visits are also free; only a reservation is required! It's definitely best to choose just one or two exhibits to focus on for your visit; some suggestions for supporting global learning include the Human Origins and Cultural Halls, where you'll find exhibits about populations from across the globe; a current exhibit entitled Countdown to Zero traces the path of global health epidemics, and there are countless ways that museum exhibits could be used to support global environmental units.
As a school in New York City, we have an incredible variety of resources at our fingertips to support global learning. Many cultural and historical sites lend themselves to connection with global themes, and many sites have educators on hand to support off-site learning. The following list is just the beginning; the resources in NYC are basically endless!
American Museum of Natural History
www.amnh.org/
The AMNH is one of the most engaging field trip sites in the whole city, and its exhibits are well-supported by resources on the museum's website. Self-guided class visits are also free; only a reservation is required! It's definitely best to choose just one or two exhibits to focus on for your visit; some suggestions for supporting global learning include the Human Origins and Cultural Halls, where you'll find exhibits about populations from across the globe; a current exhibit entitled Countdown to Zero traces the path of global health epidemics, and there are countless ways that museum exhibits could be used to support global environmental units.
Museum of Tolerance
New York City, NY
We visit this center as part of our 8th grade "Perception" unit, which I worked to globalize during my TGC course. The unit plan is posted elsewhere in the guide. Even though I am a native New Yorker, I wasn't familiar with this site until a few years ago. It offers a range of thought-provoking exhibits that address issues of bias and its historical consequences around the world.
In my opinion the mature nature of topics surrounding the Holocaust and hate crimes, among others, make this museum best for 8th grade and older students.
National Museum of the American Indian
Bowling Green, Manhattan, NY
The New York branch of this Smithsonian Museum makes for a great field trip. It is housed in a beautiful historic building, and admission is free! On display are all kinds of artifacts and exhibitions related to Native Americans. The materials lend themselves to a range of units, not just ones focused on native culture. My class visited as part of our 7th grade "Innovations" unit, and we considered the innovative contributions that Native Americans have made to our daily lives. I think this museum is an underused resource in NYC!
New York City, NY
We visit this center as part of our 8th grade "Perception" unit, which I worked to globalize during my TGC course. The unit plan is posted elsewhere in the guide. Even though I am a native New Yorker, I wasn't familiar with this site until a few years ago. It offers a range of thought-provoking exhibits that address issues of bias and its historical consequences around the world.
In my opinion the mature nature of topics surrounding the Holocaust and hate crimes, among others, make this museum best for 8th grade and older students.
National Museum of the American Indian
Bowling Green, Manhattan, NY
The New York branch of this Smithsonian Museum makes for a great field trip. It is housed in a beautiful historic building, and admission is free! On display are all kinds of artifacts and exhibitions related to Native Americans. The materials lend themselves to a range of units, not just ones focused on native culture. My class visited as part of our 7th grade "Innovations" unit, and we considered the innovative contributions that Native Americans have made to our daily lives. I think this museum is an underused resource in NYC!
New York Historical Society
The NYHS regularly curates exhibits that place the history of New York City within a global context. Past exhibits include the role of immigrants in the United States, the impact of European modern art in American culture, NY's role in the Atlantic Slave Trade, and the contributions of Chinese Americans in the US. The NYHS website includes a plethora of resources that can be used to supplement lessons in the classroom and to complement self-guided visits to the museum.
The NYHS regularly curates exhibits that place the history of New York City within a global context. Past exhibits include the role of immigrants in the United States, the impact of European modern art in American culture, NY's role in the Atlantic Slave Trade, and the contributions of Chinese Americans in the US. The NYHS website includes a plethora of resources that can be used to supplement lessons in the classroom and to complement self-guided visits to the museum.