Can't make it to the Museum? We'll bring the Museum to you!
These in-classroom experiences with details below are led by a museum educator who guide your students though curriculum-based programs using hands-on objects. These experiences are excellent on their own or used as a pre-visit or post-visit activity to enhance the lessons of your field trip.
Programs last 45-60 minutes and are designed for classrooms, libraries, or scout groups. Programs are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – other days of the week are possible with advanced notice.
Sap, Syrup, and Sugar
Grades K - Adult
We bring the museum to you! Students will explore the sweet history and science behind maple sugar and syrup production from early America to present-day commercial production. They will learn how to identify a maple tree and try their hand at “tapping” a tree. Students discover how sap is turned into sugar and syrup and taste the finished product. Preschool-Grade 12 and adults
Objects from History
Grades 4 - Adult
We bring the museum to you! 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.
The Little Red Schoolhouse
Grades 4 - 8
We bring the museum to you! We turn your classroom into a 19th-century one-room schoolhouse. Our costumed 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.
Small Folks
Grades K - 3
We bring the museum to you! Students discover what pioneer life was like for the settlers of Western New York. Using 19th-century objects and clothing, they explore what a typical day was like for children in the early 1800s. This moveable museum program happens in the classroom and is guided by a costumed museum educator.
19th-Century Games
Grades 1 - Adult
We bring the museum to you! Guided by a costumed museum educator, students play with jackstraws, cup-and-ball, the whimmy-diddle, buzz saw, and much more. Those who like a challenge can try to identify the strategies involved in each game and the physics principles that underlie each toy. The program also provides topics for discussion about resource use, the purpose of play, and comparisons between past and present life.
The Ox-Cart Man
Grades K - 3
We bring the museum to you! The story of a 19th-century family comes alive as our museum educator brings a cart full of objects for students to see and touch. Based on The Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall.
The Animal Kingdom
Grades K - 5
A museum naturalist brings with them a collection of pelts and bones for students to touch, as well as a living turtle friend, Mr. Box, for your students to meet. This program focuses on animal diversity and biological adaptations.
The Quilt Story
Grades K - 3
Through “The Quilt Story,” by Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaola, students will delve into the world of 19th-century quilting, exploring its history and artistic techniques. Our museum educator will lead students through creating their own paper quilt squares, enabling them to express their creativity while learning about the past.
Victorian Yuletide
Grades K - Adult
We bring the museum to you! Understand how the many cultures that migrated to Upstate New York influenced the traditions of Yuletide in the 19th century. Compare 19th century celebrations to the holiday traditions of today as we decorate a Yuletide tree!
The Tinsmith
Grades 3 - Adult
Grant Funding
Several generous donors allow GCV&M to offer limited grant funding to schools that meet certain qualifications.
Visit this page to see more details about the grant funds we have available.