KS2 Mini Museum Session Plan

A 2 hour session for one class of KS2 pupils (maximum number 35) to introduce pupils to the skills needed to set up a museum of their own.

Organisation

During the session, children will work in groups doing activities. Please split them into 4 groups, with at least one adult helper accompanying each group.

Session objectives

• To explore the skills required to select and care for objects for display
• To discover how to write labels for museum objects
• To learn and try-out how to display objects

Introduction

Handling guidelines and Health & Safety issues. Purpose of visit explained.  (5 mins)

Short introductory activity around the museum, matching pictures of object parts to the actual artefacts on display and looking at label styles, as focussed exploration around the museum site (15 mins)

Class reconvene in Resource Room for short activity.

In small groups pupils have to discuss and sort cards with typical curators ‘jobs’ into order of ‘importance’, and discuss their top three choices and why with the whole class (15 mins).

Activities

Pupils rotate in groups around 4 activities (18 minutes each) based on the session objectives, using real museum collections:

Care for Me

Pupils learn how to handle objects, as well as how to store them. This includes looking at some of the things which might damage a collection.

Display Me

After close observation and investigation of display cases at the museum or some examples of display cases at other museums, the group must use the materials available to put on their own small museum display.

Learn About Me!

In pairs, children try out some different activities to give them ideas for museum-linked activities.

Label Me

Using a handling object, pupils compare and contrast different label styles, investigate the best types of labels, and then design their own for a selected object.

Plenary

Questions/ what pupils have discovered (10 mins max)