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.
Questions? Contact our Education Team at education@gcv.org or (585) 294-8200.
Want to book a program?
Sap, Syrup, and Sugar
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
NY State Standards: MST 1, 4, 6;
NYS Social Studies Standards: 1, 3, 4 Themes ID, MOV, TECH, ECO, EXCH
ELA Learning Standards: SL 1, 2, 3, 6
Objects from History
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. Grades 4-12 and adult groups.
NYS Social Studies Standards: 1, 3, 4 Themes ECO, SOC, TECH
ELA Learning Standards: SL 1, 2, 3, 6
The Little Red Schoolhouse
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. Grades 4-8 and adult groups.
NY State Standards: CDOS 1, 2
NYS Social Studies Standards: 1 Themes ID, SOC
ELA Learning Standards: SL 1, 2, 3, 6
Small Folks
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. Preschool-Grade 3
19th-Century Games
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. Grades 1 – 12 and adults.
The Ox-Cart Man
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. Preschool-Grade 3
NYS Standards: CDOS 1
NY State Social Studies Standard 1, 4 Themes ID, TCC, ECO
ELA Learning Standards: RL 1, 3; SL 1, 2, 3, 6
The Animal Kingdom
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.
NY State Standards: MST 1, 4, 6
ELA Learning Standards: SL 1, 2, 3, 6
The Quilt Story
Grades PreK-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-12 and adult groups
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 3-12 and adult groups; for an additional fee, a tin ornament can be made by each participant.
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.