Genesee Country Village & Museum

Self-Guided Tours

Museum Educator-Guided Tours of the Historic Village

Focused Field Study

Outdoor Science Programs at Genesee Country Nature Center

Nature Walk (Grades 1-12)
After a brief introduction, students will walk through various habitats to observe and learn about natural communities, plant and animal populations and geology of the Genesee Country. Walks may be either general or focused on a particular theme at your request.

Insects and Their Relatives (Grades 3-12)
This program provides an opportunity to study insects and related invertebrates up close. Topics include characteristics of insect and arthropod biology, insect life cycles, and beneficial and harmful insects. Live specimens are available for study, and your students have the opportunity to observe, collect and safely release insects in the wild.

Introduction to Flowering Plants (Grades 3-12)
Students learn about different kinds of angiosperms (flowering plants), their anatomy, reproduction and role in the world’s ecosystems. On this naturalist-led hike, you and your students will take a seasonal look at the typical Genesee Country flowering plants, including wildflowers, trees, shrubs, vines and grasses. In the fall, the walk emphasizes fruits, nuts, seeds and seed-dispersal mechanisms. In the spring, the focus is on flowers and pollination and, in winter, the emphasis is on cold-weather survival adaptations of plants.

Finding Your Way (Grades 4-12)
Through the use of compass, simple math, problem-solving skills, trail signs and basic plant and animal knowledge, your students will travel around the nature center trails discovering the diverse ecosystems found on Flint Hill. The program begins with an introduction to compass use and a practice session. Then each group is given a set of clues and riddles leading them to a specific area, geared to their grade level. As the group follows their clues, they will answer questions by the guiding naturalists to continue on their journey. After solving the clues and finding their way, the class will divide into smaller groups and write their own clues for their classmates. The students will then undertake a second journey created by their fellow students.

Focused Field Studies at Genesee Country Nature Center

Seasonal Programs

Home for the Holidays (Grades K-12)
This one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary program traces the evolution of winter holiday celebrations in America through the 19th century, with special emphases on the contributions of various cultural groups. Historic buildings decorated to period are staffed by museum educators who help students understand the cumulative and changing nature of holiday observances. Students are invited to join in holiday activities during their visit. You may opt to have students make a tin ornament of their own by working alongside the village tinsmith for an extra charge.

Wild Winter Quest (Grades K-12)
Students will explore the winter woods to look for animal tracks and signs, discover animal and plant winter survival adaptations, and the mysteries of hibernation. Program fee includes snack with hot beverage and choice of live animal show, snowshoeing trek, or outdoor winter games.

Movable Museum

Can't make it to the museum? Let us bring our “Moveable Museum” programs to you. These in-classroom learning experiences are excellent on their own or as a pre- or post-visit experience to enhance the lessons of your field trip.

Museum educators bring touchable, usable objects to your classroom in connection with standards-relevant themed programs specially designed to fit with your curriculum. Programs are designed for small class-sized groups and last 45-60 minutes.
 

The Animal Kingdom (Preschool-Grade 3)
A museum naturalist visits your classroom and brings a group of small animal friends for your students to meet. This program focuses on animal diversity and biological adaptations.

Quilt Story (Preschool-Grade 3)
Our museum educator uses quilts to bring to life the touching story of a 19th-century girl and her quilt. Based on The Quilt Story written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Tomie dePaola.

Small Folks (Preschool-Grade 3)
Your students can learn what a typical day was like for children more than a century ago through hands-on activities using 19th-century objects and clothing.

19th-Century Music (Grades 2-12)
All music in the 19th century was live and unplugged. With the guidance of a museum educator, your students will learn about musical instruments available in the 19th century, including the American reed organ, autoharp and pennywhistle, and they will discover the social and historical contexts of familiar patriotic songs and folk songs from America and abroad.

19th-Century Dance (Grades 3-12)
In the 19th century, dancing was a great form of physical exercise as well as a good opportunity for social interaction. Your students will learn some dance steps and then try them out to 19th-century music.

Play Ball! (Grades 3-12)
Using America’s national pastime as a tool for teaching, a museum base ball player in 19th-century uniform engages your students in the history, culture, and strategies of stick-and-ball games. Specific activities are tailored to grade level and to whether the program is conducted indoors or outside.

The Tinsmith (Grades 3-12)
In this inquiry-based program, our Genesee Country tinsmith brings some of his shiny wares as well as the tools he uses to make them so your students can see both process and result. Students are challenged to figure out how this technology was employed to solve specific problems and meet particular needs. The tinsmith also shares insights into his role in early American economies and compares it to that of his 21st-century counterpart – the hardware store.

The Little Red Schoolhouse (Grades 4-8)
Let us turn your classroom into a 19th-century oneroom schoolhouse. Our museum educator reminds students of the rules of discipline while guiding them through their lessons. They are asked to engage in cooperative learning, practice their penmanship, use a slate and read stories from a McGuffey reader.

Objects from History (Grades 4-12)
Our museum educator brings unusual and everyday objects from the 19th century to your classroom. Students have the opportunity to examine the objects and discover on their own how people devised technological solutions to meet their specific needs. This program provides ample opportunities to compare the tools and constructs of the past with those of today, and is an excellent starting point for further research.

Wildlife of the Genesee Country (Grades 4-12)
A visit from our museum naturalist helps your students learn about the animals native to the Genesee Country and how and why wildlife populations changed with the advent of Euro-American settlement. This history-based nature program provides students with plenty of opportunities to examine animal skulls, bones and skins as well as live specimens.