Steven,
The Centre County Historical Society has developed a traveling trunk
program that has worked very well (it's only a year old).  We are expanding
it this year in a slightly different format.

The first one we did was developed in conjunction with a teachers' advisory
council (four former teachers), which was very important.  It is full of
hands-on materials for kids on a particular theme (in this case, the county's
iron industry).  In addition, we put together an Educational Packet that
contains
pre-visit and post-visit activities if the students come to our museum,
learning objectives, and a whole host of suggested activites to go with
the things in the trunk and other textual appendices in the Educational Packet.
The activities and the other materials can all be adapted by teachers to just
about any grade level and just about any subject. We have history, math,
science, and art activites, for example.

We have one trunk in each of the county's four main school districts; each
school district is responsible for checking it out to teachers.  We also have
an educational packet in every single school library in the county.  The kids
that have come here for tours since using the trunk are so much better
prepared, and we have much better tours.

We are taking a slightly different tack next year with our Civil War trunks.
We are only going to have one made, which will stay here, and it will go
out with a trained reenactor to the schools for a presentation.  The teachers
won't have to do a lot of specific work before and after, and they won't be
using the trunk.  We'll see how that goes.

Our"trunks" are large wheeled Rubbermaid containers -- they are great!
And the things inside are all either reproductions or non-accessioned
educational
collections.

We got some funding help from two local foundations, both of which really
liked the educational outreach.  We've also done teacher inservice in two
different districts, which has really helped.

If you have more detailed questions, feel free to contact me off-list at
[log in to unmask]
Sara Kelley

>Dear list,
>
>    I am trying to develop more educational programs and incorporate
>volunteers to support the new programs.  I would like to develop a series of
>traveling trunks on the history of the US Cavalry and different areas US
>military history.  The trunks would be developed for 5th and 6th graders.
>
>    My problem is how do I get started?  If your museum has worked with
>travel trunks could you send information on your program.
>Preserving the Legend!
>
>Steven C. Draper
>Director
>1st Cavalry Division Museum

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