One of the most fascinating discussions I ever had about museum labels was at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. A few years ago I was lucky enough to take a group of educators to DC for a week of learning in museums. We had the chance to meet with interpretative staff to learn … Continue reading Museum Monday- Writing Museum Labels in the Classroom #BLOG365 Day 148 #sschat
Object-based learning
Museum Monday: Object-Based Engagement #BLOG365 Day 145 #sschat
Tonight I had a flashback to my social studies teaching days, to the nights when I sat up in bed searching for the perfect object to hook my students for the next day's lesson. Before I got the hang of it, it took me a lot of hunting online to find an object that would … Continue reading Museum Monday: Object-Based Engagement #BLOG365 Day 145 #sschat
Museum Monday: The Things They Carry-#BLOG365 Day 140 #sschat #museumed
I will never forget my first experience at Ellis Island many years ago. I struggled to connect. I was confused. My great-grandfather had passed through Ellis Island when he immigrated from Hungary. How could I not connect? This was my family's story. As much as I tried to put myself in his shoes, I just couldn't … Continue reading Museum Monday: The Things They Carry-#BLOG365 Day 140 #sschat #museumed
Museum Monday: Protest Objects-#BLOG365 Day 135 #sschat
I still have protest on my mind after this weekend. I also participated in a #sschat this evening. It got my gears turning again around the idea of teaching protest, this time on the object-based learning wheel. It also reminded me of one of my favorite museum blogs, O Say Can You See? Stories From … Continue reading Museum Monday: Protest Objects-#BLOG365 Day 135 #sschat
Teaching Protest -#BLOG365 Day 134 #sschat #edchat
This weekend I have been thinking a lot about how we as educators are teaching the history of protest in the United States, from the Boston Tea Party to the Women's March yesterday. Teaching in elementary schools for so long has taught me the value of visuals. Written primary sources are great, but they are … Continue reading Teaching Protest -#BLOG365 Day 134 #sschat #edchat
The “joyous task” of being an American citizen – #BLOG365 Day 132 #sschat
"It falls to each of us to be those those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we've been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we, in fact, all share the same proud title, the most important office in a … Continue reading The “joyous task” of being an American citizen – #BLOG365 Day 132 #sschat
Museum Monday: Bottle Digging and Using Collections in the Classroom #sschat #museumed-#BLOG365 Day 130
This weekend I finally decided on a place for my grandmother's bottle collection. For two years the bottles have been packed away and I have been waiting to finish remodeling or find the perfect piece of furniture to display them (having my 3 cats in the back of my mind too!). Saturday we picked up … Continue reading Museum Monday: Bottle Digging and Using Collections in the Classroom #sschat #museumed-#BLOG365 Day 130
Museum Monday: Salesman Samples- #BLOG365 Day 122 #sschat #objectbasedlearning
One of my favorite units at the museum school was a unit called "Everything Changes." The interdisciplinary unit covered changes over time. During this unit we often had the students create object timelines: a telephone through time, children's games over time, etc. Years and objects were combined to create visual timelines of how everyday objects … Continue reading Museum Monday: Salesman Samples- #BLOG365 Day 122 #sschat #objectbasedlearning
Museum Monday: Ephemera in the Classroom -#BLOG365 Day 117 #sschat #objectbasedlearning
I have been on an ephemera kick lately. I guess that happens when you are a teacher at heart and always on the lookout for teaching tools. Or maybe it is because my house is filling up with furniture and I have to start looking for smaller items to satisfy my antiquing addiction. Truthfully, I … Continue reading Museum Monday: Ephemera in the Classroom -#BLOG365 Day 117 #sschat #objectbasedlearning
When Objects Tell the Full Story Together-#BLOG365 Day 112
When I read this article the other day, For the First Time, All 5,000 Objects Found Inside King Tut's Tomb Will Be Displayed Together, it made me wish I was back in the classroom with my sixth graders teaching world history. My students loved our unit on Ancient Egypt and they loved investigating Egyptian objects. A … Continue reading When Objects Tell the Full Story Together-#BLOG365 Day 112
Jill Cross 