What You Can Ask, What You Can See, and Activity Suggestions; or return to Tips.
If you are on a self-guided tour, there are a number of different techniques you can use to engage your students in the content of the halls. Some general suggestions for encouraging active learning are:
Ask questions with more than one correct answer. “What do you notice about the habitat?” and “Describe the deer’s antlers” are excellent ways to get students involved in the action of the diorama.
Use the label to help answer student questions. It’s impossible to know everything about everything. In addition, you can always enlist student help by asking them to come up with possible answers.
Encourage students to touch the objects provided for hands-on exploration. As they feel the covering of a sheep horn, they will have a better understanding of how it is different from an antler.
Let students guide your time frame. All of the museum’s exhibits are educational. Allow students to make small decisions as to which displays they would like to spend more time with. This “authority” will help to make their visit more meaningful and relevant.