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Ashley Naranjo

Education and Outreach Strategist
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Staff

Ashley Naranjo, M.Ed. is a museum educator, specializing in the use of digital resources for teaching and learning. She currently manages distance learning initiatives and education partnerships for the Smithsonian. Portfolio highlights have included: the Smithsonian Quests digital badging program, Smithsonian Online Education Conferences, Smithsonian Learning Lab nationwide teacher professional development, Teachers of the Year programming at the Smithsonian, “Explore with Smithsonian Experts” video series, and Smithsonian print publication guides.

Before coming to the Smithsonian, she has had experiences in education in both formal and informal learning spaces: as an ESOL instructor for adults, a middle school teacher in the humanities and a summer programs administrator. She holds a B.A. in Human Development (Developmental Psychology) from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, where she was a research assistant and independent study student in the Laboratory of Thinking, Learning & Cognition in the Arts. She completed a M.Ed. in Learning Design and Technology from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California, with a thesis entitled, “Using Digital Museum Resources in the Classroom”. She is a 2019 graduate of the Getty Leadership Institute’s NextGen of Museum Leaders program.

Ashley Naranjo's collections

 

Creative Writing Exercise: Photograph Analysis for Descriptive Writing

This collection is adapted from a teacher's original collection of seven photographs of a single person, spanning several decades of the 20th century. In this activity, students can express their unique responses to the photographs in the collection by writing stories inspired by the people in them. Before they put their imaginations to work, students will have a chance to get to know the photographs by observing them closely, making a list of details, and writing a description of each. Such an exercise will help them understand the value of careful observation as a precursor to descriptive and creative writing.
Ashley Naranjo
12
 

"Water Matters" Online Conference Series: Archive and Illustration Summaries

<p>This online conference series invites educators and students to take an active role in global environmental issues around water. Learn from experts in the field, share ideas, and collaborate with people around the world who, like you, are committed to solving environmental challenges. Includes illustration summaries and the archive of each session, with interdisciplinary connections to water issues . Original Airdates: Spring 2012</p>
Ashley Naranjo
42
 

Climate Change Online Conference Series: Archive and Related Teaching Resources

This online conference series invites educators and students to explore Smithsonian research and collections related to the evidence, impact, and response to climate change. Smithsonian curators and researchers explore the evidence of climate change, as well as the impact of climate change on the environment, wildlife, biodiversity, and human populations. Smithsonian experts also lead discussions on how people are responding to the threats posed by climate change. Includes the archive of each session, with teacher-created suggested lessons that utilize Visual Thinking Strategies. Original Airdates: Fall 2009 <br /><br />
Ashley Naranjo
25
 

Proud Publisher: Heritage Bookmaking Activity

The Smithsonian has joined with book artist Sushmita Mazumdar to create a series of easy-to-do book projects designed to get families talking and creating together. In the "Today I am Here" storybook, students explore their heritage by identifying a person, place, and object to tell the story of their own personal history. Included here is a video demonstration and accompanying downloadable instructions to make your own “Today I am Here” storybook!
Ashley Naranjo
13
 

Investigating a Place: Texas, a U.S. State Collection

This state collection utilizes stamps, artworks, photographs, and videos in the Smithsonian's collection to highlight 65 iconic people, places, events and symbols of Texas' history and culture. Students might explore one resource in depth, or conduct a comparison of multiple resources. Follow-up questions might include: What sub-themes can you identify within this collection? What do these resources as a collection tell you about Texas? What marks someone as a "Texan"--is it birthplace alone? What other resources would you want to include to tell a more complete story of Texas history and culture?
Ashley Naranjo
64
 

Learning to Look: Letter from Artist Yasuo Kuniyoshi, after the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor

<p>This collection includes student activities and learning to look questions, as well as additional teacher resources for extending the lesson. Students will use the primary sources to understand the changing perspectives and perceptions of Japanese Americans in the World War II era.</p> <p>Keywords: Japanese Incarceration, George Biddle, Franklin D. Roosevelt, WW2, WWII, analysis, written response, essay, text, Max Yavno, Pearl Harbor, Works Progress Administration (WPA)</p> <p>#APA2018 #EthnicStudies</p> <p><em>#historicalthinking</em></p> <p><br /></p>
Ashley Naranjo
12
 

Astrophotography: Student Activity in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)

In this student activity, you’ll use specialized image processing software to bring out visual details from images of objects like the Moon, Sun, star clusters, nebulas, and galaxies. After you analyze your own image(s), you’ll have an opportunity to research related astronomy information and to share your scientific and artistic interpretations of your telescope data.
Ashley Naranjo
15
 

Water-Related Hazards: Hurricanes

This topical collection includes resources about water-related hazards and natural disasters, namely hurricanes. Includes examples from around the world and over time, including Hurricane Ike in Texas and the Greater Antilles, Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast, and Hurricane Sandy in the Northeastern region of the United States. Finally, a lesson plan asking students to design a post-hurricane revitalization plan is included.
Ashley Naranjo
11
 

Water-Related Hazards: Flooding

This topical collection includes resources about a water-related hazard, namely flooding. Includes global examples in images and video, including Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Al Uqsur, Egypt; Herkimer, NY; Manila; and Venice, Italy. The effects of the Great Flood of 1927 and the US Army Corps of Engineers' response with the Mississippi River are also included.
Ashley Naranjo
11
 

Presidential Portraiture: Looking and Analyzing Questions

A topical collection of United States presidential portraits. This collection might be best shortened to introduce a specific historical era and the leader(s) of the time, or adapted to show how American leaders wanted to be perceived during their tenure and legacy and how artists depicted them. It includes the National Portrait Gallery's "Reading" Portraiture at a Glance sheet, which offers suggested looking and analyzing questions. It is also includes associated curator and educator talks on the portraits of the presidents, where possible.
Ashley Naranjo
55
 

Introduction to Pollinators

Topical collection introducing students to bees, butterflies, birds, and bats as pollinators. Plants depend on animals for pollination or to move their seeds around. Students will learn about the parts of a flower and identify many different types of pollinators and their unique characteristics through investigating images, videos with Smithsonian experts and a Smithsonian magazine article, which highlights the relationships between plants and their pollinators.
Ashley Naranjo
15
 

National Letter Writing Day- December 7

Learning resource collection introducing some letters in the Smithsonian's collections to provide inspiration for celebrating National Letter Writing Day! Letters can be written for a number of purposes. Here, a few examples are explored including a professional inquiry, a condolence letter, opinion sharing and a love letter. You’ll have access to the transcript of the text, as well as the primary source. Highlight some key facts about each letter to determine its main idea and purpose, by answering some guiding questions.
Ashley Naranjo
8