Oral Traditions
Stories around the World
Description:
Students learn about specific Museum objects and the oral traditions that add context and meaning to their places in culture. Teachers choose the stories presented from a descriptive list of prepared tales. Groups may end their tour with a 30-minute craft session related to one of the stories. Suggested topics for Stories around the World outreach programs include Cinderella around the World, Greek and Roman Mythology, Trickster Tales, and Boy and Girl Heroes. Teaching collection artifacts are brought into the classroom to complement the stories. Stories Around the World outreach programs can be tailored for single classrooms, multiple classrooms, or all-school assemblies. A craft is also available with this outreach program for a $20 surcharge and a limit of 50 participants. Call for details.
Cost: $50 + $20 if craft is added
Program Length: 45-90 minutes
Greek and Roman Mythology
Description:
Students listen to the stories of gods and heroes as they relate to the objects
in the Museum’s Ancient Mediterranean Cultures Gallery. Some students are
dressed as characters in the stories. As an outreach program, Greek and Roman Mythology includes storytelling, dressing in the Greek style, performing a short play, and handling teaching artifacts.
Cost: $50
Program Length: 60-90 minutes
Ancient Connections
In the Shadow of the Pyramids
Description:
Based in the Museum’s Ancient Egypt exhibit, this tour covers popular highlights
of this long-lived civilization: the importance of the Nile, scribes and writing, the
Rosetta Stone, tombs and the afterlife, and mummification. Students also hear an
ancient folktale and create their own scroll to take home. The outreach program is
similar to the in-house version but omits the craft and lasts 75 minutes.
Cost: $50
Program Length: 75 minutes
Greek and Roman Mythology
Description:
Students listen to the stories of gods and heroes as they relate to the objects
in the Museum’s Ancient Mediterranean Cultures Gallery. Some students are
dressed as characters in the stories. As an outreach program, Greek and Roman Mythology includes storytelling, dressing in the Greek style, performing a short play, and handling teaching artifacts.
Cost: $50
Program Length: 60-90 minutes
Raiders of the Lost Art
Description:
In April 2003, the National Museum of Iraq was looted when Baghdad fell to
American military forces. Today, the museum remains closed, and looting of Iraqi
historical sites is rampant. In this three-part outreach program, students explore
questions about the cultural heritage of all humans as they handle Mesopotamian
replica artifacts, adopt a persona (e.g., archaeologist, looter, journalist), conduct
research to support their personas’ positions, read contemporary news articles and
write letters to the editor, and appear in a talk show to defend their points of view.
Museum staff introduce the project, assist students with identifying and evaluating
internet resources, and host the talk show (which can be held in the Museum’s
Knight Auditorium). This project emphasizes group work, independent research,
reading, persuasive writing, and authentic assessment. Materials are provided,
but student access to the internet and approximately 10 classroom hours are
necessary for this program. Visit the "Stolen and Looted!" news story for more information.
Cost: $50 per session
Maximum Group Size: 60
Chaperones: 1 per 10
Medieval European Life
A Day as a Knight
Description:
As knights-to-be, students discuss suits of armor in the European Gallery, design
their own shields, hear a story, and play the medieval Game of the Goose. Except
for the gallery visit, the outreach program activities are identical to those of the
in-house program, and teaching artifacts the students may handle are brought into
the classroom.
Cost: $50
Program Length: 90 minutes
The Blacksmith's Apprentice
Description:
As apprentice blacksmiths, the students create chain mail designs, play a game,
hear a tale, and learn about medieval European living conditions. Time is also
spent exploring armor in the European Gallery. This program (formerly called
Medieval European Craftspeople) can be combined with a general tour; total time
in the Museum for this combined program is three hours. Except for the gallery
visit, the outreach program activities are identical to those of the in-house program,
and teaching artifacts the students may handle are brought into the classroom.
Cost: $50
Program Length: 105 minutes