Lesson MINI

LESSON MINI

Museum Discovery and Exploration

Grade:

6-8

Topic:

Arts and Literature

Unit:

Museums

Overview

In this lesson mini, students learn to explain the purpose of museums, describe different types of museums, understand the roles of museum professionals such as directors and historical interpreters, and illustrate how museums enhance human knowledge and understanding. Students also explore potential careers in museums and practice interpreting historical events.

Ideas for Implementation

Arts and Humanities

Science or Social Studies

Literacy

Library media

Learning centers

Intervention or enrichment

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Key Vocabulary & Definitions

conservation (noun): the process of protecting and preserving museum collections from damage caused by environmental factors, chemical reactions, or human handling

curator (noun): a person who manages and organizes museum exhibits, selects artworks or artifacts, and cares for the collection

gallery (noun): a place where art is shown for people to look at and enjoy

museum (noun): a place that collects, preserves, and displays important objects to help people learn about history, art, science, and culture

museology (noun): the study of how museums work, including how to organize exhibits, manage collections, and engage visitors

restoration (noun): the process of repairing or cleaning objects to bring them closer to their original condition

Authentic Learning Extensions

Authentic learning opportunities for studying jobs and careers in museology involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help students understand their roles meaningfully. Here are some examples:

Guest Speakers: Invite historians, museums directors, historical interpreters, or curators to give a talk to the class and share their professional experiences. This interaction allows students to engage with professionals in this field and exchange meaningful thoughts and ideas.

Museum Visits: Visit local museums to broaden students’ global perspective and expand their worldviews. Consider going to art, history, science, and specialized museums to give students the opportunity to visit different museum types. Consider reaching out to museum staff before the field trip to arrange guided tours or talks.

Virtual Visits: Travel the world from your classroom and explore the wide range of digital education resources that museums around the world offer to students and teachers. Consider taking students on virtual museum visits to support units of study.

Choose Activity

LESSON MINI

Museum Discovery and Exploration

Activity

1:

Museum and Gallery Visit

By the end of the activity, students will be able to explain the purpose and types of museums, analyze their role in preserving and sharing knowledge, and demonstrate understanding by designing their own museum concept.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Images of museums

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will explore museums by reading an article, watching a video, and answering discussion questions. They will then design their own museum collections.

Begin the activity by showing different images of famous museums found on Britannica Library, ImageQuest, or another royalty-free source. Ask students to describe what they see. Consider showing students images of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Florence’s Galileo Museum, Paris’s Louvre and d’Orsay Museums, and Chicago’s Field Museum and Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. Encourage students to share any personal experiences they have had visiting museums.

Invite students to discuss the purpose of museums and brainstorm the different types of museums that exist, such as art, science, history, and children’s museums. Consider creating a class list of museum types on the board.

Explain that museums are places that typically collect and preserve the results of human achievement for the purpose of enhancing human knowledge and understanding. Children’s museums are places that offer young visitors a chance to explore different concepts in a hands-on and immersive manner. Ask students to compare and contrast traditional museums with children’s museums.

Provide each student with copies of the Museum and Gallery article and the Museum and Gallery Discussion Questions handout. Instruct them to read the “Introduction” and “Program” sections of the article with a partner and then work together to answer the discussion questions.

Reassemble the class and check for understanding by asking for volunteers to share their answers to the discussion questions. Encourage other students to respectfully agree, disagree, or further develop their classmates’ responses.

Draw a bubble web on the whiteboard and write the word collection in the middle. Brainstorm as a class the different items or artifacts that museums and individuals collect and reflect why collections are special. Ask students to share any personal collections they might have and why they find them meaningful.

Share with students that Isabella Stewart Gardner was a famous art collector from Boston who opened her museum more than a hundred years ago to share her passion for Venetian art and culture with the world. Explain to students that Gardner collected items such as paintings from the Renaissance and Impressionist eras, furniture, and sculptures. Briefly discuss the impact of individual collectors on preserving and sharing cultural heritage.

Show the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum video, and ask students to take notes as they watch. Afterward, ask them what makes this museum unique. Prompt students to compare this museum to others they’ve seen or learned about.

Ask students to work independently in their notebooks on designing their own museum collection. Write the following questions on the board for reflection:

What would you collect and exhibit? Why?

Where would you showcase your collection?

What would you call your collection?

How would you organize your exhibits?

As part of the brainstorming process, consider reading and discussing the mission statements of a few different museums, and then ask students to draft a mission statement for their museum.

Give students time to create a simple sketch or diagram of their museum layout. Encourage student volunteers to share their ideas, and conclude the activity by asking students something they learned about how museums help people gain a better understanding of human civilizations. Culminate with a brief discussion of the importance of museums in preserving history and culture for future generations.

Differentiation and Variations

Vocabulary Support: To reinforce new vocabulary words, ask students to refer to the Museum and Gallery article’s “Introduction” and “Program” sections and highlight or circle key vocabulary words for review. Then ask students to practice word usage using these vocabulary words in context. This gives students the opportunity to engage with the text in a more in-depth way.

Personal Reflection: Ask students to write about a past museum visit, encouraging them to use descriptive language in their writing and share what they enjoyed about the experience. For students who do not have personal experience visiting a museum, ask them to describe the type of museum they would like to visit and explain why. This gives students the opportunity to draw on personal connections to help them nurture new learnings.

Digital Tools: To support digital literacy, provide students the option of working with digital tools to design and create their museum collections. This gives students the opportunity to engage with different design programs.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Observing: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Observing strategy. In this model, one teacher provides direct instruction to the entire class while the other observes student behavior and engagement to gather evidence of learning. This approach allows for detailed observation and timely assessment, helping identify students who need additional support or intervention. By focusing on student responses and participation, the observing teacher can ensure that the learning needs of all students are addressed and met in the activity. Research shows that targeted observation can lead to more effective intervention strategies to improve student performance.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces the activity topics by showing images of famous museums and asks students to reflect on what they see. Teacher B observes student responses, records their thoughts and ideas, and notes any personal experiences shared about museum visits.

Museum Types Discussion: Teacher A facilitates a discussion of the purpose of museums and different types that exist. Teacher B creates a list of museum types on the board and observes student participation and understanding.

Partner Reading and Exercise: Teacher A assigns partners for the reading activity and provides each student with copies of the Museum and Gallery article and the Museum and Gallery Discussion Questions handout. Teacher B observes how each specific student completes this task, noting collaboration skills and comprehension levels.

Class Discussion: Teacher A leads the class discussion of the handout questions. Teacher B observes student participation, noting the quality of responses and identifies any misconceptions or areas of confusion.

Collections Brainstorming: Teacher A draws a bubble web, writes the word collection in the middle, and leads the class brainstorm. Teacher B observes students’ responses and ideas, particularly noting any personal collections shared.

Video Viewing: Teacher A displays the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum video and instructs students to take notes as they watch. Teacher B observes how students engage with the video content and considers the quality of student notes, identifying any students who may need support with note-taking skills.

My Museum Collection: Teacher A explains the individual museum design activity and writes reflection questions on the board. Teacher B circulates the room, observing students’ creative processes, noting interesting ideas, and identifying students who may need additional support or encouragement.

Activity Wrap-Up: Teacher A facilitates the sharing of student museum designs and leads a final discussion of the importance of museums. Teacher B observes student presentations, noting the depth of understanding demonstrated and assessing students’ mastery of key concepts covered in the activity.

Museum Discovery and Exploration

Activity

2:

Meet a Museum Director

By the end of the activity, students will be able to explain the role and significance of museum directors, describe the importance of museums in society, and identify potential pathways for exploring careers in the museum field.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Poster boards (one per exhibit)

Sticky notes (a few per student)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: Familiarize yourself with the Gallery Walk instructional strategy that will be used in this activity. Set up for the gallery walk by creating five to eight different stations (depending on your time and preference) called “exhibits.” At each exhibit, pose a different reflection question about the video on a poster board; use the number of questions that best fit your class size and period length. Consider adding visual aids to each exhibit poster. Use the following questions:

Exhibit 1: Why do you think Ashley Rogers chose to work at museums? What childhood experiences influenced her career path?

Exhibit 2: How do museums offer experiential and immersive learning experiences? Provide specific examples.

Exhibit 3: What are plantation museums? Where can they be found, and why are they important?

Exhibit 4: What is the Whitney Plantation? Explain its mission. How is it different from other plantation museums?

Exhibit 5: What preparation and opportunities exist for young people who may be interested in working at a museum?

Exhibit 6: Would you like working at a museum? If yes, what type of museum would you prefer, and what role would you have? If not, share your reasoning.

Exhibit 7: Why do you think Ashley Rogers wants young people to be excited about history? According to her, what is history and how can you become curious about it?

Exhibit 8: Which museums are the most renowned in the world? Why do you think they attract so many visitors?

Tell students that during today’s activity they will watch a video interview about a museum director, reflect on the video content, and participate in a gallery walk to consider the role of museum director.

Ask students to share whether they have ever been to a museum. If so, invite them to share their personal experiences. Have them think about why museums are important and how they help societies understand the past, present, and future.

Inform students that they will watch a video interview with Ashley Rogers, the executive director of the Whitney Plantation in Louisiana. Ask them to predict what they think a museum director does on a typical day.

Display the Meet a Museum Director! video. Instruct students to take detailed notes as they watch the video.

After the video, provide each student with a Meet a Museum Director! Video Transcript handout to use to complete the next task.

Explain to students that they will participate in a gallery walk activity to further explore and analyze the information presented in the video interview.

Tell students that during the gallery walk they will rotate around the classroom to different stations, or “exhibits,” in small groups. At each exhibit, they will reflect, discuss, and answer the questions provided.

Assign students to work in small groups of two to four.

Introduce the different exhibits, and inform each group where they will start.

Provide each student with sticky notes to use to write their ideas and place them on the poster boards. Encourage students to build on each other’s ideas but avoid repetition.

Tell students they will have five minutes at each exhibit to answer the question before being directed to the next one.

Consider providing a signal or timer to indicate when it’s time to rotate to the next exhibit.

After students have rotated through all the exhibits, reassemble the class to debrief on the activity.

Assign each group an exhibit, and ask them to review and summarize the responses on the poster board. Give them a few minutes to prepare their summaries.

Have each group present its summary to the class, highlighting key findings and any interesting or unique responses.

Wrap up the activity by facilitating a whole-class discussion of the most important insights gained about museum directors and the role of museums in society.

Differentiation and Variations

Guided Discussion: Before students begin the gallery walk, lead a guided discussion of the main ideas presented in the video interview to activate students’ thinking process. This will ensure that students make the most of their time by engaging in rich discussions.

Written Reflection: After the gallery walk debrief and presentation, instruct students to independently complete a written reflection describing the role of museum directors and Ashley Rogers’s life. This gives students the opportunity to reflect and internalize the activity content at their own pace.

Video Handout: Rather than having students complete the gallery walk activity, prepare a handout with video comprehension questions that students can complete independently or in pairs. This variation gives students a chance to complete this activity in a timely manner.

Collaborative Teaching

Station Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Station Teaching strategy. In this model, students rotate to different stations, each station managed by a teacher who teaches a specific part of the content. This keeps students engaged through varied activities and teaching methods. It also allows teachers to focus on their strengths and teach content in a more in-depth and specialized way. This approach ensures that students receive a comprehensive and dynamic educational experience by catering to different learning styles. Research supports the idea that multifaceted teaching strategies cater to diverse learning styles and enhance students’ comprehension and retention.

Activity Introduction: Both teachers introduce the topic and facilitate a brief discussion about museum experiences and the importance of museums. They then divide the class into two groups.

Video Viewing and Note-Taking: Both teachers show the Meet a Museum Director! video to their respective groups, guiding students in note-taking. They then distribute the Meet a Museum Director! Video Transcript handout.

Gallery Walk: Teacher A explains the gallery walk activity to both groups, while Teacher B sets up the stations and materials. Both teachers circulate during the gallery walk, each focusing on half the stations to provide support, answer questions, and ensure productive discussions.

Debrief and Presentation: Teacher A facilitates the group summaries and presentations for half the stations while Teacher B manages the other half.

Activity Wrap-Up: Both teachers collaboratively lead the final whole-class discussion of insights gained about museum directors and the role of museums in society.

Museum Discovery and Exploration

Activity

3:

Museum Types

By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify, describe, and compare different types of museums, their purposes, and key characteristics, as well as research and present information about a specific museum of their choice.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Images of museums

Large note cards (one per student)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will learn about different museum types through image exploration, reading, class discussion, and a research task.

Begin with a quick Think-Pair-Share instructional strategy. Prompt students to name different types of museums found around the world such as art, history, science, and children’s museums. Challenge students to name all the museum types they know.

Show images of various types of museums found on Britannica Library, ImageQuest, or another royalty-free source. Guide students in a brief discussion to observe similarities and differences among these museums.

Invite students to reflect on the purpose of each museum type and the kinds of exhibit items each museum might showcase. Scribe students’ responses on the board. Create a simple classification system or mind map to visually organize their ideas.

Give each student a copy of the Museum and Gallery article and the Museum Types handout.

Instruct them to read the “Museum Types” section of the article and then work independently to complete the handout.

As students work independently, draw five squares on the whiteboard and label each square “Art Museums,” “Historical Museums,” “Science Museums,” “Specialized Museums,” and “Other.” Note that the “Other” label may accommodate any unique museum types students identify.

Reassemble the class and ask for student volunteers to share the key characteristics of each museum type. Encourage students to provide specific examples from their reading or personal experiences to support their points.

Introduce the research component by inviting students to further explore a museum of their choice. Showcase different articles found on Britannica Library to guide students’ research: for example, Museum of Fine Arts, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Uffizi Gallery, British Museum, Louvre, Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Field Museum, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. You may also consider providing a list of museums, including some from different countries.

Provide each student with a large note card and ask them to list the name, location, museum type, and general description of their museum of choice. In addition, ask students to include one unique or interesting fact they learned about their chosen museums.

Wrap up with a gallery walk. Refer to the Gallery Walk instructional strategy for additional information and procedures on leading a gallery walk. Invite students to display their note cards around the room. Have students circulate to read each other’s research, encouraging them to note any museums they’d like to visit or learn more about. Finish with a class discussion that considers these questions:

What new things did we learn about museums?

How do museums contribute to society and education?

Differentiation and Variations

Pair Work: To foster teamwork and build a classroom community, provide students the option of working on the Museum Types handout with a partner. This gives students the opportunity to exchange ideas and work collaboratively.

Research Project: Invite students to further explore their museum of choice by writing a five-paragraph essay outlining the museum’s history. This gives students an opportunity to practice essay writing and develop their writing skills.

Museum Exploration: Instead of having students explore a museum of their choosing, select one to research together as a class. This allows students to build on their knowledge of museum types in a more guided and time-efficient setting.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Observing: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Observing strategy. In this model, one teacher provides direct instruction to the entire class while the other observes student behavior and engagement to gather evidence of learning. This approach allows for detailed observation and assessment, helping identify students who need additional support or intervention. By focusing on student responses and participation, the observing teacher can ensure that the learning needs of all students are addressed and met in the activity. Research shows that targeted observation can lead to more effective intervention strategies, improving student performance.

Activity Introduction and Think-Pair-Share: One teacher introduces the activity and facilitates the think-pair-share activity on museum types. The observing teacher notes individual student participation, pair dynamics, and the variety of museum types suggested.

Image Exploration and Discussion: One teacher guides the class through the image exploration and discussion of different museum types. The observing teacher tracks student engagement, noting which students are actively participating and which might need encouragement.

Independent Work: One teacher explains the independent task, distributes materials, and sets the time limit. The observing teacher monitors students’ progress and supports students as needed.

Class Discussion of Museum Types: One teacher leads the class discussion of museum characteristics, encouraging students to share examples. The observing teacher notes the depth of student understanding and identifies any misconceptions that may need to be addressed.

Research Task Introduction: One teacher introduces the research component and explains the note card task. The observing teacher pays attention to students’ reactions and readiness for independent research.

Independent Research Time: Both teachers circulate during this phase: the primary teacher answers questions and offers guidance, while the observing teacher notes how students approach the task, their choice of museums, and any difficulties they encounter.

Gallery Walk and Wrap-Up: One teacher facilitates the gallery walk and final class discussion. The observing teacher notes student interactions during the gallery walk and the depth of reflections in the final discussion, identifying key learning outcomes and areas for future focus.

Museum Discovery and Exploration

Activity

4:

Meet a Historical Interpreter

By the end of the activity, students will be able to explain the purpose of historical museums, describe the role of historical interpreters, and demonstrate historical interpretation skills by researching and presenting a chosen historical event.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will read about historical museums, watch a video about a historical interpreter, and then work in small groups to research and present on a historical event of their choice.

Begin with a quick brainstorming session: ask students to share everything they know about historical museums, and whether they have ever been to one. Create a mind map on the board to visually represent their responses.

Give each student a copy of the Museum and Gallery article and a Meet a Historical Interpreter! Discussion Questions handout.

Read the “History Museums” section together, and lead a class discussion using the following questions:

How do museum collections tell a story?

What specific museums tell the history of events, people, or places?

What are cultural history museums, and can you provide some examples?

Encourage students to provide specific examples from the text or their own experiences.

Display the Meet a Historical Interpreter! video. While watching the video, students should answer the discussion questions in the handout. Before playing the video, consider reviewing the questions with the class to focus their attention.

After the video, have students participate in a Think-Pair-Share activity to discuss their answers to the questions. First, students think about the answers independently. Then, they discuss their answers with a peer. Finally, call on different students to share their answers with the class.

Lead a class discussion about different historical events and prompt students to share what they know. Example historical events include the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the civil rights movement, and the space race. Consider using a timeline to visually represent these events. Scribe students’ responses on the board.

Assign students to work in small groups to research a historical event of their choice. Consider showing students Britannica Library articles that cover the historical events discussed. Consider developing and providing a clear rubric for the project, outlining expectations and grading criteria.

Encourage students to choose the medium through which they want to interpret their historical event. They can choose to write a mini play or essay, design a museum collection or exhibit, or create a digital presentation. As appropriate, consider providing models or templates for each medium to guide students.

Allot time during the activity for students to complete their work. Then set a class date and time for students to present.

Conclude the activity by asking students to share, either aloud or through written reflection, their experiences as historical interpreters. Consider asking these questions:

What was challenging about interpreting your piece of history?

What did you enjoy?

Would you ever consider a career interpreting or teaching at a museum? Why or why not?

Differentiation and Variations

Video Viewing: Provide students the opportunity to watch the video interview twice in order to improve comprehension and engagement with the content presented. Consider asking students to first watch the video without taking notes and then watch the video a second time and answer the discussion questions.

Essay Writing: Assign students to write an essay on James Lafayette to learn more about this influential figure who is mentioned in the video interview. This gives students an opportunity to further explore key information displayed in the video.

Further Research: Consider connecting the research project to current classwork and units of study, and assign students specific historical events to research and present. This gives students the opportunity to work collaboratively and strengthen their research skills, while solidifying their understanding of historical intepreters.

Collaborative Teaching

Alternative Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to an Alternative Teaching strategy. In this model, one teacher instructs most of the class while the other works with a small group of students that needs specialized attention or remediation. This provides targeted instruction for students who need extra help, ensuring they can keep up with their peers. It also allows for enrichment opportunities for advanced students, addressing diverse learning needs and ensuring that all students receive the appropriate level of challenge and support. Studies have shown that differentiated instruction significantly benefits students who have varied learning needs, leading to more equitable educational outcomes.

Activity Introduction: Both teachers introduce activity content. One teacher leads the brainstorming session and mind mapping about historical museums while the other supports students who may need help articulating their ideas or engaging in the discussion.

Exploring Historical Museums and Interpreters: One teacher instructs most of the class by guiding the reading of the “History Museums” section and leading the class discussion. The other teacher works with a small group of students who may need additional support to comprehend the text or formulate responses to the discussion questions.

Video Analysis: One teacher manages the video viewing and think-pair-share activity for the majority of the class. The other teacher works closely with a small group, providing more scaffolding for the video content and discussion questions, ensuring students working in the small group can participate fully in the subsequent discussion.

Research Project Introduction: One teacher leads a class discussion of historical events and explains the research task. The other teacher supports a small group of students in brainstorming historical events, helping them choose an appropriate event and medium for their project. This teacher also provides additional guidance on research strategies and project planning.

Project Work Time: During the allotted time for project work, one teacher circulates among the majority of the class, offering support and guidance. The other teacher works more intensively with small groups or individual students who need extra help with research skills, content understanding, or project organization.

Activity Wrap-Up: Both teachers reassemble the class. One teacher facilitates the reflection discussion while the other ensures that all students, especially those who received additional support, have an opportunity to share their experiences and insights.

Museum Discovery and Exploration

Activity

5:

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

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Resources

Implementation

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Differentiation and Variations

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Collaborative Teaching

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