From: Carola Rupert Enriquez <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Museum-in-a-Box for Kindergarteners
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Friday, October 9, 2009, 7:34 PM

Hi Laurie,

I gave a fun presentation to this age group for years.  My group was more like 20-30 gathered on the floor.  I very actively showed some historic photos of children and then passed around tactile objects related to what was in the photos:  scratchy bathing suit wool fabric, old lace like the little boy in a "dress" is wearing, a reproduction toy. We talked about collecting things which belong to our grandparents in museums and about collecting things like these.  The pace was fast and the kids seemed to relate to the photos of children and the hands-on materials.  They seemed to enjoy me being amongst them with the goods and could not wait to touch everything. I used materials from our education collection including real old photographs.  I think the kids could see these were different than any photos they had seen, and the children looked so strange!  I used about 8 photographs and objects.  Enlarged photograph reproductions, perhaps mounted on cardboard, could work with a bigger group..... The pass around time could be sort of a loud interactive session after they see the photos, then they could be quiet to have an interactive dialog on what they felt about the objects when the photos were held up again.

 

With a little older group I had them make "exhibits" in shoe boxes to tell a story about collections, after we discussed what collections were.  The students worked in groups on one shoe box (on it's side like a diorama).  The collections were things they could paste in the box:  assortments of buttons, office supplies, small toys, candy.  Our labels remained pretty rough, and one was all we could get done in the time allotted, but the discussion of how we might display our collections in our own rooms was pretty cool. 

 

Good luck with your program!

Carola Enriquez

Museum Mentor

Bakersfield, CA

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In a message dated 10/8/2009 2:47:03 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes:

Laurie - there is a really cute children's picture book that might be fun for you to read to the class. Help for Mr. Peale by Barbara Morrow  (http://www.librarything.com/work/4482324)

Have fun with it - this age group is a blast to work with. Just keep everything on a very simple level and remember that their attention span is about 10-15 minutes. As long as you keep them moving from one thing to another every 5-10 minutes you will be fine.

Robin Gabriel

On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 8:39 AM, las834 <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hello Colleagues,

I have been invited to come to speak (present?) to 60 kindergarteners about
what museums do. (!!)  I am a curator at a small history museum and have
done presentations and Museums-In-A-Box / Discovery trunks for school
children before, but not for this young an age group.  The teacher who wants
me to come is so excited...so I am asking for your input, suggestions and
help for what type of presentations you have done and what types of things
you brought with you that would work for this little age group.  Please
advise and thank you!

Best,
Laurie

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Robin H. Gabriel
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