Smithsonian “Learning in 3D”: Bringing Museums to Classrooms in Lexington
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Helping Kids With 3D Learning in Lexington, MA
At New Covenant School, we create our exceptional academic programs by incorporating some of the best educational resources into daily learning. Smithsonian Learning with 3D learning in science is a highly effective part of our lessons for students of various ages. These immersive tools and displays mean school museum studies and 3D learning in motion at our Lexington, MA school apply to many grade levels and enhance the students’ understanding and enjoyment of a wide array of topics. The Smithsonian Museum has by far one of the most impressive collections and lessons to teach. We’re ready to help when you’re ready for your child to progress through preschool and elementary school levels with outstanding teachers, a supportive learning environment, and divine love and wisdom.
About the Smithsonian Learning Lab for Students
Introduced in 2016, the Smithsonian Learning Lab is a free online platform developed by the Smithsonian’s Office of Educational Technology. It gives users access to millions of digital materials drawn from the institution’s museums, research centers, libraries, archives, and even the National Zoo. Built around exploration, creation, and sharing, the platform reflects ongoing research into what educators need in real-world classrooms. Learning lab users can design and distribute their own learning collections using interactive tools provided on the site. At the time of writing, the platform offers more than six million resources, including images, videos, audio files, texts, and 3D models. In addition, there are over ten thousand publicly shared collections created by educators and learners worldwide.
Digitized Learning Collections for Various Approaches
Collections on the platform highlight the wide variety of creative ways educators like New Covenant School use digitized museum materials in teaching. From classroom lessons to independent learning activities, platform users design experiences that reach learners across different ages and settings. The tools support flexible curation, allowing educators to tailor content to specific goals and audiences. Contributions come from Smithsonian staff and educators outside the organization, which continually expand the platform’s depth and diversity. By studying how educators interact with these features, ongoing research helps improve the platform’s design and usability. This user-focused approach ensures the tools remain practical, engaging, and responsive to the evolving needs of teachers and learners in diverse educational environments worldwide.
How Are Educators Using Smithsonian Learning?
Teachers report many different reasons for using the Learning Lab in their work. Some educators explore the platform to find digital materials that enhance what they already teach, while others gather information to design new lessons or refine their approach. Many use it as a source of ideas for instructional strategies. The platform supports interdisciplinary and subject-focused planning, helping educators build lessons, activities, and classroom resources. Teachers also curate collections for students, encourage learners to create their own collections, and use the platform for enrichment or extension tasks. Additionally, the Learning Lab helps students gain essential background knowledge before field trips, making those experiences more meaningful and connected to classroom learning.
Mixing Museum Learning With Educational Approaches
New Covenant School and other educators use the Learning Lab alongside a variety of teaching methods. Some method examples include inquiry-driven learning, guided discovery, careful observation of artifacts, hands-on exploration, and cross-disciplinary study. Questioning techniques and structured thinking routines are often incorporated to deepen understanding. The platform supports critical analysis of written and visual materials, helps share Indigenous knowledge and cultural practices, enhances digital storytelling, and highlights diverse perspectives and histories. It also provides detailed context about museum objects and their connections to broader topics. Teachers like ours use these tools in many ways, including group analysis of artifacts, class discussions, end-of-term review activities, and opportunities for students to explore symbolism, compare ideas, and build meaningful connections through visual learning experiences.
Benefits of the Smithsonian Learning Lab in Schools
Integrating 3D models and other museum learning resources from the Smithsonian Learning Lab has enhanced educational practices in many schools throughout the country, including New Covenant School. Below are some compelling benefits of incorporating it into an education program:
Broadens and strengthens existing curriculum materials and overall instructional content.
Gives learners meaningful access to museum artifacts and enables remote exploration of Smithsonian collections.
Organizes materials into reusable sets that teachers and students can revisit at any time.
Introduces fresh ideas while incorporating diverse perspectives into classroom learning experiences.
Encourages connections across subjects to support integrated, cross-disciplinary understanding.
Enroll at New Covenant School for Unbeatable Learning
New Covenant School is ready and willing to expand your child’s understanding of math, science, and many other educational topics, paired with God’s love and wisdom. Our teachers gladly integrate learning in 3D and other Smithsonian Learning Lab resources to ensure our students have access to some of the best materials and succeed academically. Reach out to us today for more information about museum learning in the classroom and to start the process of enrolling your young preschool-to-fifth-grade child.
