Expand the walls of your classroom and make cross-curricular connections with the Museum’s FREE webinar series. Students have the opportunity to interact with authors, historians, and Museum experts to explore a broad of array of topics that bring WWII history to life. No special technology needed, thousands of students can connect to the Museum at once simply via their classroom computer to view live, interactive programs that immerse students in history. Over 50,000 students from across the country to date have tuned in, examined Museum oral histories and artifacts, and asked questions of guest speakers and Museum experts.
Past Programs—Watch on Demand Now!
The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 pulled the United States into WWII—a war it was not completely prepared for. But less than 4 years later we and our allies had won, with the US forces contributing to victory. American industry championed STEM innovation and production, making equipment and materials that helped win the war, in spite of huge challenges. As we face today's quandaries, what can we learn about problem solving from World War II?
In this webinar, students will answer this question and learn how WWII problem-solvers modified existing innovations for the war effort by exploring some of the Museum’s coolest and biggest macro artifacts. STEM Specialist Rob Wallace and Distance Learning Specialist Shelbie Johnson guide students through an inquiry-based Museum tour to uncover how WWII innovators used the "adopt, adapt, and apply" technique to modify technologies for use during the war.
January 25, 2018
On the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2018, French Jewish Spy Marthe Cohn shared her amazing story of courage and persistence. When the Nazis crossed the border and invaded France in 1940, Marthe and her family fled to the south of the country. Marthe joined the French Army as part of the intelligence service and set out on missions behind enemy lines. Posing as a young German nurse desperate to find her fiancé, Marthe successfully retrieved critical information about German troop movements and reported it to the Allies.
October 20, 2017
Distance Learning Specialist Shelbie Johnson and Newbery Honor-winning author Kirby Larson explore the history behind her new novel Liberty, which chronicles the story of two friends who rescue a stray dog in WWII-era New Orleans. Fish, a young aspiring inventor with a dad fighting overseas, develops a friendship across racial lines with his neighbor Olympia. They name their new rescue Liberty, and along the way Fish encounters important lessons about race and war from friends, neighbors, and even famed boat builder Andrew Higgins. Uncover the history that inspired these compelling passages so your students can understand wartime experiences of not just young Louisianans, but all Americans.
Perfect for grades 3 – 7.
Online Teacher Professional Development
Explore the history and lessons of World War II virtually with no special technology needed! Teachers can gain access to live and interactive programs and share with students right in their own classrooms.
"My students were moved, engaged with, and intrigued by this presentation. To hear stories about a teenager during the Nazi occupation of France resonated deeply with my high school students."
