Meet the Museum: A World without Cars

What is the World Without Cars program?

This one-hour program will expose students to the world of the carriages in the 19th century.

Using the museum’s carriage collection students will learn about parts of a carriage, transportation and life without cars.

How does this program fit into my curriculum?

  1. This program will discuss the different uses of carriages as transportation (ie. work,pleasure, daily use).
  2. Students will learn about community helpers’ vehicles of the 1800s.
  3. Students will explore how people managed to live, work and have fun in the time before cars.
  4. The program will examine the importance of invention.
  5. The program gives the students an opportunity to listen actively for a short period of time and then apply learned information to an activity.

Prepare your class for your visit.

  1. Each student should wear a nametag with his or her first name.
  2. Ask your students, what is a museum?
  3. Ask more specific questions such as: What is a carriage? What is a sleigh? How do they move?
  4. Explain to students that they will be visiting a museum that will have many original carriages that were used before cars were invented. Show a picture of a carriage.
  5. Remind students and chaperones that there is no flash photography, food or drink allowed in the museum.

Related Reading

  • Away We Go! By Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Pre-K)
  • Mowing by Jessie Haas (K – 1)
  • Dance at Grandpa’s by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Grades 1 and 2)

 

Post Visit Suggestions

  1. Choose a modern day transportation vehicle and have students compare and contrast it to carriages viewed at the museum.
  2. Ask each student to create a carriage and write (if possible) a short story about it using some of the facts they remember from the museum.
  3. Discuss which carriage they would have liked to ride in and why.

Meet the Museum: Through an Artist’s Eyes

What is the Through an Artist’s Eyes program?

This one-hour program allows students an opportunity to view original artwork in a museum setting and then experiment with colors and create their own color wheel.

How does “Through an Artist’s Eyes” fit into my curriculum?

  1. Students will compare and contrast artists’ styles.
  2. Student will learn to use text labels to retrieve information (Grade 2).
  3. The program gives the students an opportunity to listen actively for a short period of time and then apply learned information to an activity.
  4. This program helps students to understand the importance of creativity and individuality.

Prepare your class for your visit.

  1. Each student should wear a nametag with his or her first name.
  2. Ask your students, “What is a Museum?”
  3. Explain to students that they will be visiting an art museum that houses a collection of original artwork. Ask students what they think art is.
  4. Students will be sitting on the floor when not engaged in activities; please ask them to dress appropriately.
  5. Remind students and chaperones that there is no flash photography, food or drink in the museum.

Post Visit Suggestions

  1. Ask students to revisit their trip and create a piece of artwork related to the artist they learned about.
  2. Read a story full of details and then ask students to create a piece of artwork retelling a part of the story.

Related Reading

  • No One Saw Bob Raczka (Grades K-3)
  • Look! Look! Look! Nancy Elizabeth Wallace (Grades 1-3)
  • Willy’s Pictures Anthony Browne (Grades pre-K-3)