Essential information
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Key Stage |
Early Years Foundation Stage
Key Stage 1
|
| Curriculum links |
Art
History
Science
|
| Session length | 90 minutes |
| Session times | Wednesdays, 10.30-12.00 13.00-14.30 |
| Capacity | 30 learners per group |
| Price | £90 per session, free for Greenwich and Lewisham state schools |
Session overview
Introduction
Learners put on a lab coat and find out what a conservator at the museum does. The class is subdivided into two groups for the next two activities, which both groups do.
Learning Space activity
Learners sort objects based on the material they're made from and discuss properties of the material. They then investigate what causes damage to different materials and how they can be looked after by taking part in simple practical experiments.
Uniform store activity
Learners visit the stores and meet a very special toy. Through hearing the toy’s story, learners make connections with historical objects and what they can tell us about people who owned them and historic events.
Learning objectives
Learners will:
- Use practical scientific methods, processes and skills
- Perform simple tests
- Observe and use observations to answer questions
- Discover threats to objects and how to look after them
Curriculum links
KS1 Science
- Perform simple tests
- Using observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
- Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made
- Identify, name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock
- Describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials
KS1/KS2 History
- How people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
Key words
Materials, textiles, paper, metal, wood, light, fire, heat, movement, pests, damage, threats
Suggested pre-visit knowledge and activities
Have learners discuss/describe something they consider special (e.g. a teddy, family photo, book, medal). Why is this object special to them? How do they take care of it?
Suggested post-visit knowledge and activities
Learners could design a poster for a museum/school/shared bedroom explaining how to look after old or delicate objects and/or favourite toys, including ideas such as no direct sunlight, no food near artefacts, clean hands/gloves, keep pests away.
Encourage learners to keep a diary of materials they encounter (plastic, metal, glass, etc.) and their properties. Why was this material used/chosen to be used?