The Military Women’s Memorial commemorates the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 – a date that lives in infamy – through the story of Anna Urda Busby, a nurse who was stationed there and who experienced the attack firsthand. The Spotlight Series takes a look at stories from both our Register, an interactive online database of military women, and our world class collection.The Military Women’s Memorial, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the only historical repository documenting all military women’s service. It is located at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery and features an education center, interactive exhibitions, a world-class collection of military women’s stories, and engaging programs and events for all generations. Find out more about us at www.womensmemorial.org.Music: https://www.bensound.com

Gianna Fimbres drove fuel tankers in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. She shared her story with the Military Women’s Memorial and preserved it in our register - Hear her story in her own words. You can also preserve your stories by registering your service.The Military Women’s Memorial, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the only historical repository documenting all military women’s service. It is located at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery and features an education center, interactive exhibitions, a world-class collection of military women’s stories, and engaging programs and events for all generations. Find out more about us at www.womensmemorial.org.

Spending time with a work of art can be an opportunity for thoughtful inquiry and ideation. Imagining what lies beyond the frame of an artwork gives students the opportunity to consider contextual clues and think about how artistic decisions are made.

Spending time with a work of art can be an opportunity for thoughtful inquiry and ideation. For students, documenting their ideas as they work to interpret an artwork offers the chance to exercise metacognition. With this interactive exercise featuring an artwork by Congolese artist Sammy Baloji, students are can gain insight into how they process information and formulate ideas.

Students will read excerpts from Erasmus and Machiavelli then highlight three quotes from each passage that they feel summarizes the main ideas. Students will then choose one author's work make a "tweet" to show their understanding of the content.

Students will read excerpts from Erasmus and Machiavelli.
*Remixed to add more student engagement. Students will highlight three quotes from each passage that they feel summarizes the main ideas. Students will then choose one author's work make a "tweet" to show their understanding of the content.

The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the U.S. foreign policy toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It focuses on spying and includes the Rosenbergs, Alger Hiss, and U-2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers.  Students will analyze primary and secondary sources while working in groups and individually.   

In this Thematic Exploration, students will explore the different ways artists represent individuals in portraits. They will learn to gather clues about the time period in which the portrait was created, the lives of the subjects, and the thoughts of the artists.

Using portraits from the VMFA's collection, students will explore the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of portraiture. Guiding questions are woven throughout the activity, alongside a close examination of seven different portraits from a variety of different eras and cultures. Students are encouraged to observe, interpret, analyze, and reflect thoughtfully in each step. This activity also includes summative reflection questions to wrap up the conversation, as well as an optional "Create Your Own Portrait" activity.