Parents: Download free inspiration-themed activity guide from USA TODAY, Smithsonian

USA TODAY and the Smithsonian Institution have partnered to create a free learning guide packed full of games, quizzes and activities alongside features about the national museum's collection.

Thousands of copies have been distributed to students ages 6-14 who may have limited access to online learning tools, but an electronic version is downloadable and available for all on the Smithsonian's website.

Around the country, copies were distributed to Boys & Girls Clubs, public libraries and other nonprofits that promote literacy and learning skills for young students, many in rural areas with limited connectivity.

Some examples of the inspiration-themed interactive and educational features:

• Alongside the story of artist Chiura Obata, interned along with thousands of other Japanese Americans during World War II, students are asked to talk about how art gives them hope.

• Learners examine how nature's patterns in plants are mimicked by human engineering – and then collect and document the plants in their own backyards.

• Read about and be inspired by typical teenagers doing extraordinary things. For instance, did you know a North Carolina teen holds a patent for a piece of equipment that firefighters around the country use for rescues?

Habla español? About 25 percent of the features are in Spanish. English readers who want to speak Spanish can learn from those pages, as well.

Download a copy of the section from the Smithsonian at s.si.edu/InspirationNation.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY, Smithsonian publish Inspiration Nation guide for students