Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Home ] Up ] Arts ] Intellectual ] Social ] Adults ] Questions ]Hit Counter

Above advertising/sponsorship is provided by "Angelfire.com" and may not represent my views.

Creating a Classroom Museum

Where to start?

  1. the goal
  2. research
  3. the plan
  4. the props
  5. the "Grand Opening"

The Goal

  • to assist the children in making their own museum (with contents, information, staffing, and advertising)
  • and to 'open it to the public' for display (to relatives, friends, neighbours)
  • to involve everyone: the analyzer, the organizer, the doer, the people-person

Research

Prior to Class
  • make arrangements for a tour and meeting at a museum
  • discuss the project with the staff
  • get a 'feel' for the layout of the museum
  • ask for suggestions and background information
With The Class [problem solving]
  • take the children on a tour of the museum
  • discuss with them what they saw, how it was laid out, how the exhibits were interrelated 
  • find out what types of advertising the museum uses
  • do the exhibits remain the same?

The Plan

Create a plan 
with the children 
to create
the museum

  • what is the name of the museum?
  • what will be the theme of the exhibit?
  • what type of artifacts will be on display?
  • will there be interactive displays?
  • determine what needs to be done 
  • who will have which roles?
  • advertising
  • creating the exhibits
  • researching the display information
  • building exhibit displays
  • staffing the museum

The Props

Not only do the exhibits need to be created, but the information needs to be written up for each article.
  • Articles can be drawn, sculpted, carved, sewn, gathered, borrowed, photographed [art, math, science, etc.]
  • They can be set on stands, in boxes, hung from ceilings, attached to walls, stood on floors [problem solving]
  • Information can be on posters, recipe cards, bulletin boards, display stands [literacy, art]
  • Staff uniforms can include white shirts and ties, jackets, hats [problem solving, art]
  • Advertising can be pamphlets, posters, postcards, business cards [art, literacy]

The Grand Opening

Host a Grand Opening of the museum, once it is finished
  • advertise the date and time 
  • determine the layout of the exhibits
  • set up the museum with all the props
  • assign tasks -- tour guides, ticket sales, etc.
Added touches: 
Serve tea and cookies in the museum restaurant

Back to "Today's Child" 

copyright 1999, Debbie Roswell