Outreach Education

Bring the Museum’s exhibitions and collections to your students with activities designed for the classroom. This is a program designed for groups unable to visit the Museum. Depending upon the program, staff will visit your school and conduct a program on-site.

Programs

Fonville Gallery
30 minutes, recommended for 6-8th grades

How does one “read” photographs? What clues do they give about the past? Information hidden in photographs can specify dates, events and even fashion styles. This activity will show students the types of details to pick out in photographs to detect “clues” about the people and subjects represented.

A Visual Hertiage
30 minutes to 1 hour, recommended for 9-12th grades

What can photographs teach us about the past? Even photographs have a narrative relating past events. This activity is designed to show photographs within a historical context. In viewing historical photographs, students are asked to critically think about each photograph and the stories they have to tell. Students are welcome to bring old family photographs.

Creative Writing
45 minutes to an hour, recommended for 2nd-6th grades

Journals were used to record people’s lives. They documented daily events. They noted feelings and emotions. This activity will show students how a primary resource can provide a wealth of information. Students will make their own journals and participate in writing some of their own stories.

It’s All in the Bag
30 to 45 minutes, recommended for 4-8th grades

Artifacts have different functions and meanings. This activity illustrates the different types of information that can be obtained using sources such as three-dimensional objects, photographs, period magazines, period newspapers, etc. Students will be given bags to determine what the items are and how they were used. This is a very open-ended activity that may vary according to the teacher’s lesson plans.

Newspaper Wars
30 to 45 minutes, recommended for 9-12th grades

In the early years of the town, there were often two, three or more newspapers “warring” with each other. Newspaper rivalries were common as papers competed to increase circulation to become the only paper in town. In viewing period newspapers, students will see content and context varied between different newspapers and see how historical events were covered and handled in contrast with today’s newspapers.

A Day in the Life
30 minutes to 1 hour, recommended for 1st-12th grades

Ever wonder what it would be like to live like a pioneer? What did a pioneer need to get done in one day to survive? Was it all work or was there time for fun? This activity will introduce students to daily living for early settlers. Students can explore a reproduced 1908 Sears Roebuck catalog to see many of the items used during the period. Learn the food they cooked, how they dressed and many other interesting facts.

Pioneer Bingo
10 to 15 minutes, recommended for 1st-4th grades

In this activity the students will learn what items were used by the pioneers. Also they will be able to identify these objects by name. This will be accomplished by the students playing a version of bingo, where each square is a different picture of a pioneer item. Before starting the game, the caller will review with the students what each picture is so that the student will be able to identify each call faster and easier.

Pioneer Jeopardy
1 hour, recommended for 6th-12th grades

Here is the chance for students to test there knowledge of the frontier and pioneer life in the game show format. Students will be asked a variety of questions on all aspects for pioneer life. Have fun while learning in the name of the game.

Want to Play
30 minutes to 1 hour, recommended for 1st-4th grades

Games played by the pioneer children at school or at home were very different from those played by schoolchildren today. Or are they? Marbles, Skipping Rope, Blindman’s Bluff, Leapfrog – these are all familiar to children. Come discover how many games that children play today got their start. This program allows students not only the opportunity to play old-time games, but to learn the history behind some very beloved games.

Pioneer Crafts
Varies upon craft, recommended for 1st-6th grades, $1 per student

Pioneer children did not have the luxury as children do today when they want a new toy. Pioneer kids could not just go to the local store and pick out the newest toy and then go home to play with it right away. Most toys or crafts were made out of items that you could commonly find around the homestead. In the activity, the students will have the opportunity to make a craft or toy from the pioneer period.