EXPLORING MAMMALS | ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS
What You Can Do, What You Can Ask, and What You Can See; or return to Tips.

Some of the most memorable learning in museums can occur when students take control of their experience and make decisions about what exhibits they view and the concepts they focus on. This activity suggestion is one way to encourage independent exploration while still allowing educators to choose a general content focus.

Gather students together in front of a diorama and ask a Launch Question or an open-ended question that will encourage student discussion about a particular aspect of the diorama. For example, you might ask students to identify the habitat illustrated in the diorama and why they think the animal is suited for that habitat. Encourage multiple responses.

Next, ask students to form small groups and spend 5 minutes visiting other dioramas in the hall looking for Further Discoveries that relate to your Launch Question. One example of Further Discoveries that would match with the Launch Question above is asking students to locate a different type of habitat from the one they just discussed and identify how that display animal is well adapted for that habitat. Look under the “What You Can Ask” section to get more ideas for possible Launch Questions.

Give students a signal to listen for, such as a special hand-clap, and set a meeting place. After the five minutes have passed, use your clap to gather the group together and share what the students discovered. Encourage a variety of students to speak and make references to the original Launch Question whenever possible. This can be repeated as often as time allows.