History+Musuem-Hannah

Part I I really enjoyed the exhibit as a whole. I thought the flow was wonderful and as I moved from exhibit to exhibit, it really did play out like a story. I think my favorite part was all of the hands on activities the museum had to offer. For example, in the section about slave life, people could lift a bucket of water to see just how heavy it was, and in thinking about how far it had to be carried, it forces you to realize just one of the many hardships that enslaved people had to endure. The thing I was most surprised about was how large the exhibit on Native American culture was. In my experience, Native Americans are not a huge focus of North Carolina history curriculums. I learned a lot about the various tribes living in North Carolina prior to European arrival. After my visit to the museum, I did some research and found out that Native Americans are supposed to be a large portion of the 8th grade curriculum.

Part II 1. I would prep my students by giving them a brief overview of what to expect at the museum and interesting things they should look out for. I would be careful not to give too much away because I don’t want them to think they know everything about the exhibit and then not pay attention on our visit. I would also go over any specific rules I have for the museum and make sure the students understand that they are expected to be on their best behavior.

2. On my ideal field trip I would have all of the 8th grade teachers and/or parent chaperones. I have been to museums where teachers have brought a large group of students and tried to keep them together to go through the museum as one unit. Not only is that disrespectful to other people trying to enjoy the museum, but the kids do not pay attention very well and are easily distracted by all their peers. I would hope that I had the resources to divide my students into small groups of 5 or 6 along with one adult guide. I think a scavenger hunt would be a great way to keep students engaged at the exhibit, but I would want to be careful in making my scavenger hunt so students did not only focus on the things they were supposed to find.

3. I would focus the most on the parts of the exhibits that we had covered in class. By doing this students could compare the knowledge they gained in class to how that knowledge is displayed in exhibits. For me personally, I got excited when I read facts that I already knew and I know that would provide a lot of self-confidence to students as well.

4. I would want to create activities that required my students to really think about the information they are taking in, rather than just finding it and recording it on a sheet of paper. At the same time, I would not want to make it so difficult that students were not able to enjoy the museum in a leisurely manner. I actually really like the questions provided on the NC History Museum website under The Story of North Carolina exhibit guide. I think the questions are perfect for an 8th grade class and they require critical thinking skills that go beyond simply regurgitating information. The questions also make information from history relevant to students’ lives while they are critically examining primary sources.

For example, the exhibit guide focuses on a stick that is displayed at the museum. It was found in the walls of an old slave house where someone who was trying to remain faithful to his African roots had placed it. The guide asks students to think about particular items that hold such significance to their family. It also asks students about what other traditions that slaves tried to keep alive in their community. While there are additional questions that I would add, I think the exhibit guide is a great start for a trip activity.

5. After the students have answered the questions on their own at and after the museum, I would discuss all the questions as a class, especially the ones that relate history to their own lives. Depending on when we visit the museum, as we progress in our lessons, I will be able to help students reflect back on specific displays once we reach that point in history.

6. My biggest concern about taking students to the museum is their behavior and how it would affect other people trying to enjoy the museum. I know that kids can get rowdy, but I just want to ensure that they are respectful to those around them, as well as museum property. I would also be concerned that students would not take the trip seriously; however, this concern is alleviated by the fact that I know I would come to the museum with plenty of activities that require the students to stay on task.

Part III The historians that designed and created this exhibit had a large task. They took thousands of years of history and summed it up into one great exhibit. As you explore the various sections of the exhibit, take notes about the different kinds of displays you see. What kind of information is presented? How is it displayed? What parts of history seem to be most important?

Your job is to design your own exhibit about North Carolina using present-day information. In other words, when your great-great-great grandchildren come to the North Carolina Museum of History, what do you think the exhibits that display this time period will look like? What kind of food do we eat? How do we get our food? What kinds of jobs do we have? What is the government like? What major events have shaped us? Use the displays in the current exhibit as models. You can choose one topic (food, jobs, politics, clothing, hobbies, wars, etc) and focus on it, but you must have your topic approved. Once your topic is approved and we conference to discuss your ideas, be as creative as you wish. You can draw pictures or take real ones, provide hands-on aspects to your exhibit, or add other technological elements.