Did you know the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum has a thriving School Field Trip Program? Each year the museum welcomes over 5,000 students who participate in both guided and selfguided programs. For visiting Kindergarten and 1st graders, the Children’s History Hour program is offered. In small groups, these students enjoy thematic story time, craft, and age-appropriate tours. They also learn through play in our “Beads, Blankets and Buffalo: Trade at Bent’s Fort” children’s interactive exhibit. The museum’s primary audience is 2nd through 4th graders who participate in CSPM’s Colorado Academic Standards aligned program called Hands on History. In this program, a team of 15 dedicated volunteers have been trained to lead 25-minute interactive stations. In the Trailblazers station, students work together to build a timeline of regional history with photographs and artifacts. In the Cultural Crossroads exhibit, they participate in a silent bead trade activity to explore how trade and interactions between different tribes and nations influenced the region. CSPM’s Amazing Race program, High School students use inquiry skills to draw connections between concepts and themes to get clues for challenges throughout the museum. With all CSPM program offerings, the goal is fun and engagement, and to build on the content and skills regional educators focus on in the classroom. Consistent, positive feedback is received from visiting groups, “The museum brings history to life!” Teachers frequently comment that the program content supports their work in school, “Every single topic and standard from third-grade social studies gets discussed. EVERYTHING! It was wonderful.” Perhaps the greatest outcome of school visits is the stewardship and love of history instilled in young people. On any given day at the front desk, a visiting family will share that they only came because their 3rd grader had such a wonderful time on a field trip and wanted to bring the whole family! In addition to CSPM’s thriving exhibits and program offerings, much of the increased visitation is due the excitement of local school children. They cannot wait to come back and take their families on a tour. Do you know an educator? Please share CSPM’s School Programs website where they can learn more about the FREE Field Trip offerings. The museum also offers a bus transportation fund that schools can apply for when scheduling their field trips. Learn more >> www.cspm.org/school-groups MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2018 | PG 6
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