We offered a similar type camp for middle school students many years ago 
(1988). It was called something like Planetarium Staff for a Day. We had 
the kids in the class each take one of the staff roles in the 
planetarium. Their goal was to learn what we did on a daily basis to 
provide programming for the planetarium and to produce a short 
planetarium program. Each student took a separate role in the 
production: script writer, producer, researcher (fact checker), PR, 
media selection (slides and video clips), audio technician (record and 
edit soundtrack), voice talent, programmer (install program in theater 
using automation system), etc. Of course the museum didn't have that 
many staff, one actual staff member might do many of these roles. But it 
helped break it down for the students.

Each student was then tasked with doing all of these tasks 
simultaneously. The PR students would have to write press releases, 
create an advertising plan and then advertise the new show. They needed 
to get information from the scriptwriter, producer and media staff on 
what the new show was about and get some images that could be used to 
advertise the show. The scriptwriter may not have decided what the topic 
of the show was yet, images may not have been picked out. And they all 
had deadlines that were imposed as part of the structure of the camp. 
Plus the students had to work around the public show schedule and could 
only install the new show in the theater in the breaks between shows. 
(Just like real life.)

As you can see it got a bit hectic with everyone trying to do their 
jobs. They learned how to coordinate with each other and that other 
museum staff were depending on them to provide materials.

It was great fun. The students actually produced a nice program. They 
presented their program to family members and the general public at the 
end of the camp just as if it were an actual museum offering on the 
schedule.

I'm sure you could do something analogous where the students create an 
exhibit on some topic.

Patrick

-- 
Patrick McQuillan
Education & Outreach Specialist
IRIS
1200 New York Ave., NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-682-2220
Fax: 202-682-2444
www.iris.edu

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).