Museums as a Teaching Tool

How to plan your best self-guided visit ever!

Museums as a Teaching Tool

Why Self-Guided?

Let’s take a journey… Imagine you are a

third grader. Your teacher tells you that you will be taking a class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You have been studying communities around the world and have recently been focusing on countries in Europe.

Let’s take a journey…

Write 3 things you might see at the museum.

Easy or Hard?

Pre-visit your museum.Go on a low-crowd day, if possible.Take a notebook and a camera. Look for pamphlets and children’s maps.Take note of DON’Ts.Map the path you will travel.

Step 1 for planning your best self-guided visit ever!

And the journey continues…

Now, take on the role of the teacher. You found this set of artifacts in the room entitled “Art of Southern Italy” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

And the journey continues…

Turn and talk with the person sitting next to you:

What are 3 questions you might ask students as they view the artifacts?

Prepare students for thinking.QuestionsInformation “sound bites”Bring maps, timelines, or other

materials.

Step 2for planning your best self-guided visit ever!

And on we go…

Continue to be the teacher. You enter the room entitled “European Paintings.” You see this painting. You want to create an activity for students to do.

And on we go…

Turn and talk with the person sitting on the other side of you:

Design a quick activity for students to do while they view this painting.

Create a Think-SheetNote-takingQuick activitiesExplorations

Step 3for planning your best self-guided visit ever!

Finally…You are a third grader again. You’ve been at the museum since 10:00. You are saying:

Pacing!Over-planBe ready to cut

Step 4for planning your best self-guided visit ever!

•Step 1: Pre-visit your museum.•Step 2: Prepare students for thinking.•Step 3: Create a Think-Sheet.•Step 4: Pacing!

Sum Up the Steps