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 complement the stories.
Program Length: 45-90 minutes
A Tapestry of Stories
Description:
From Rumpelstiltzkin to The Spider Weaver, folktales are filled with stories of
spinning, weaving, and the wonders of cloth. Students hear a selection of stories
related to objects on display or made available from the Museum’s Teaching
Collection. Groups can end their tour with a 30-minute craft session. We
encourage teachers who schedule this tour to borrow the Resource Center’s A
Tapestry of Stories Building Block, which includes Teaching Collection artifacts and
pre- and post-visit activities.
Program Length: 45-75 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. Groups may end their tour with a 30-minute
craft session in the learning center. As an outreach program, Greek and Roman
Mythology includes storytelling, dressing in the Greek style, performing a short play,
and handling teaching artifacts.
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.
Program Length: 105 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. Groups may end their tour with a 30-minute
craft session in the learning center. As an outreach program, Greek and Roman
Mythology includes storytelling, dressing in the Greek style, performing a short play,
and handling teaching artifacts.
Program Length: 60-90 minutes
Raiders of the Lost Art
Description:
In the multi-session program, students explore issues relating to stolen art. Current
units focus on the looting of the Iraq Museum or the ownership of the Rosetta
Stone, but the format can be adapted to any controversial situation involving
cultural property. Students will have access to replica artifacts, adopt a persona
(e.g. looter, archaeologist, 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, if the schedule permits, may be held in the Museum’s knight
Auditorium). This program emphasizes group work, independent research, reading,
persuasive writing, and authentic assessment. Materials are provided, but student
access to the internet, and approximately 10–15 classroom beyond outreach
presentation hours are necessary for completion.
Grades: 6-12
Program Length: varies
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.
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.
Program Length: 105 minutes
Special Programs
Visiting Artists in the Schools
Description:
Each year, the Spurlock Museum brings visiting ethnic and folk artists to
the Champaign-Urbana area for outreach appearances in the schools and
performances in special school programs held at the Museum, as well as public
concerts, demonstrations, and workshops. During the 2011–12 school year, we
will be offering performances by our spring Winter Tales American Indian storyteller
and possibly other performers. Outreach performances in past years include
Balinese Shadow puppet Theater, Northern cheyenne drumming, dance and
song, and kora music from the Gambia, West Africa. Please contact Kim Sheahan for further information about these unique program opportunities.
E-mail: ksheahan@illinois.edu [email link]
Phone: (217) 244-3355