Educator's
Guide - Tours
School Tour Programs
SPECIAL TOURS (info)
Fees
The fee for all school tour programs at the museum is
$2 per person.
Add $25 fee for in-class presentation
Accessibility
While student groups of 25 or less is ideal, the museum
can accommodate up to 40 people per tour. Larger froups
can tour the museum in succession.
Gift Shop
The Julia A. Purnell Museum has a small gift shop, with
many items for children priced under $1.
Pre-packed museum field trip gift bags for school tours are available for $2, $3, and $5 each and with advanced notice.
Additional Opportunities for Students
Summer Heritage Arts Workshop Series for Children
Children’s Discovery Day
Victorian Christmas Celebration
High School and College Level Internships
For more information and dates, check our calendar
of events or call (410) 632-0515.
Back
to Top
School Tour Programs
TOUR 1 - Holding History in Our
Hands: This is our basic school tour program introducing
students to the museum. A museum educator will acquaint
students with the history of the museum and its namesake
and provide definitions of a museum and an artifact. This
presentation introduces numerous artifacts from the museum’s
collection chronologically, beginning with the museum’s
oldest artifacts from the Archaic period and finishing
with objects of the early 20th century, while the museum
educator discusses cultural themes and societal trends
of the respective eras. During the presentation, students
have the opportunity to handle these artifacts, which
are from the ancient and more recent Native American periods,
as well as from the colonial, Victorian, and Edwardian
periods. The presentation is followed by time to view
exhibits, for which the students will form small groups.
Time: 30 minutes
For grades K-12.
Complimentary teacher materials: A Museum activity
sheet, Matching Old & New, will be provided to teachers
at the elementary school level prior to the visit.
Back
to Top
TOUR 2- Museum History Hunt:
This tour includes the Holding History in Our Hands program
described above along with a scavenger hunt worksheet
encouraging students to carefully investigate exhibits.
After having time to complete the scavenger hunt, the
group will reconvene to discuss the answers.
Time: 50 minutes
For grades 4-8.
Back
to Top
TOUR 3 - People of the Pocomoke:
This program explores the history and culture of the Native
Americans of what is now Worcester County. A museum educator
will lead a discussion about the world of the Pocomoke
Native Americans including food sources, architecture,
transportation, family structure and recreation. Artifacts
from the museum’s large Native American collection
will be employed during the presentation and students
are able to handle these objects. Following the presentation,
students will divide into small groups to view exhibits,
including the Native American exhibit, People of the Pocomoke.
Time: 30 minutes
For grades K-12.
Complimentary teacher materials:A copy of the
Julia A. Purnell Museum publication People of the Pocomoke
will be provided to teachers in advance of this tour.
This brief book can be used to introduce students to local
Native American culture and history.
Back
to Top
Special School Tour Programs with In-Class
Component
Two programs (tour 4 and tour 5) with an elective in-class
presentation complementing the museum tour are offered.
The in-class component includes a discussion, led by
a museum educator, enhanced with a digital slide-show
presented via notebook computer and projector. The in-class
presentation will be scheduled prior to the museum visit.
All technological equipment is provided by the museum.
There is a $25 fee per class for the in-class presentation.
TOUR 4 - Focus on African American
History: This program spotlights aspects of African
American history and culture. The in-class presentation
is an introduction to African American art from the colonial
era to the Harlem Renaissance. At the museum students
will participate in a discussion encouraging them to imagine
life as a fugitive slave on the Underground Railroad and,
featuring artifacts that they may handle. There will be
time after for viewing exhibits including Before Emancipation:
Free & Slave on the Eastern Shore.
Time: In class presentation: 30 minutes
Museum field trip: 40 minutes
For grades K-12
Back
to Top
TOUR 5 - Meet the Victorians:
This program introduces students to American life in the
late 19th century. The in-class component presents major
themes of the Victorian Era: technology, social customs,
literature, fashion and more. At the museum a museum educator
will lead a discussion featuring some 19th century artifacts
that students may handle. Afterwards, there is time for
viewing the many exhibits featuring Victorian era artifacts.
Time: In class presentation: 30 minutes
Museum field trip: 30 minutes
For grades 4-12.
Back
to Top
