I did a program for first graders on "collecting" a couple of weeks ago
where I told them we were going to learn four words that started with
the letter P:

policy (what do you want to include in your collection?);
permission (getting permission to add things to your collection);
provenance (the story that goes with each item);
and preservation (how do you take care of your collection?).

This worked well to organize my talk.  The kids weren't too excited
about learning the vocabulary but they loved looking at and handling my
coin collection from when I was a kid!!  We also cleaned our hands and
then handled a piece of plexiglass, then talked about how our hands
could still make it dirty.  (The plex I used didn't show off the
fingerprints as well as I'd hoped, unfortunately.  I might try a mirror
next time.)

I think for kindergarteners I would focus even harder on the "story"
part, and try to give them more things to handle.

Kim Elmore
Gwinnett History Museum




-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of las834
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 8:40 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Museum-in-a-Box for Kindergarteners

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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