Developing School Visits Through Museum-School Collaboration

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The major goals of the project are to: 1) improve the effectiveness of school visits to museums, and 2) improve the quality of instruction in schools by integrating the school visit to museums with the science curriculum. The project provides a model which changes the structure of museum departments. Classroom teachers will be included to assist with school visits to the museum, the development of pre/post materials, workshops in the museum, and on-floor museum interpretation. The project targets grades 4-6, and will use the existing mandated science curriculum in preparing content selection for school visit activities. The New York Hall of Science will assemble three teams of five "Distinguished Teachers" each who will work with museum staff over a two-year period to develop all aspects of the school visit. Museum and school staff will then evaluate and refine the materials. Participants will train their peers in the use of the museum as a curriculum resource. The involvement of teachers in the development of school visits to museums should greatly enhance the value of such visits. This type of collaborative effort can serve as a model for other museums.