Lesson Title: Heritage Village Field Trip

Let’s go back in time: This lesson plan is designed for teachers and students heading to their local Heritage Village Museum!

Whether you’re focusing on pioneer times or another historical time period, this lesson is for you! Take part in a hands-on and immersive experience, where students can explore historical artifacts, participate in interactive workshops, and see firsthand how settlers lived and worked. This field trip will help to reinforce classroom learning, promote teamwork, and ignite curiosity about history. Students will demonstrate their learning with an interactive scavenger hunt and by the end of the day, will have a deeper understanding of this historical period and a memorable experience that brings history to life. 

Grade: 2 - 6

Subject: Social Studies/History

Objective:

• By the end of this lesson, students will:
  • observe and learn about the daily lives of settlers.
  • engage in interactive and hands-on activities to deepen their understanding of settler life.
  • engage in an interactive and fun way to apply their learning and teamwork skills.

Materials:

• Permission slips
• Snacks and lunches
• Smartphones or tablets with the Goosechase app installed (one per team)
• Clipboards, pencils, and worksheets

In-Class Preparation:

• Review of Settler Life:
  • Discuss the key aspects of settler life covered in previous lessons, such as housing, clothing, food, and daily chores.
  • Show pictures or videos of settler housing and artifacts
• Pioneer Village Research 
  • Assign each student or group a key aspect of settler life
  • Ask them to brainstorm questions they have and will attempt to answer during their visit.
• Create an Experience on the Goosechase app with a series of settler-related missions. Ideas include:
  • Find and take a photo of the blacksmith shop. Describe what tools you see and what the blacksmith might use them for.
  • Locate an example of pioneer clothing and take a picture. Describe what materials the clothing is made from and how it differs from what we wear today.
  • Take a picture of a settler home. List three items you see inside the home and explain how each was used in daily settler life.
  • Watch a butter churning demonstration or participate if possible. Take a video and write a brief description of the steps involved in making butter.

• App Set-Up 
  • Dedicate time to ensuring all students have the Goosechase app downloaded and joined to the Experience to avoid any tech issues.

Historical Village Visit and Scavenger Hunt:

• Arrival and Orientation
  • Arrive at the Heritage Village Museum.
  • Gather students for a brief orientation by the museum staff.
• Guided Tour
  • Students will take a guided tour of the village, visiting different stations such as the blacksmith shop, schoolhouse, general store, and farmhouses.
  • Encourage students to ask questions and take notes.
• Interactive Workshops 
  • Participate in hands-on workshops where students can try out pioneer activities such as churning butter, making candles, or practicing old-fashioned crafts
• Goosechase Scavenger Hunt 
  • Explain the rules and objectives of the interactive scavenger hunt.
  • Provide an overview of the types of tasks they will encounter (e.g., finding specific artifacts, answering questions about settler life, taking photos of certain activities).
  • Distribute devices and start the Goosechase Experience.
  • Monitor the groups as they complete tasks, ensuring they are engaging with the exhibits and learning.
• Wrap-Up and Reflection 
  • Gather students to discuss their experiences.
  • Ask students to share what they learned and their favorite parts of the day.

Optional Activities Upon Return to the Classroom:

• Classroom Discussion:
  • Hold a class discussion to review key learnings from the field trip.
  • Encourage students to share their scavenger hunt findings and any interesting facts they discovered.
• Creative Writing Assignment:
  • Have students write a diary entry from the perspective of a pioneer child, describing a day in their life based on what they learned during the field trip.
• Art Project:
  • Students can create drawings or dioramas of settler life, highlighting different aspects they observed at the museum.

Assessment

• Evaluate the students' scavenger hunt submissions based on creativity, accuracy, and overall engagement.
• Assess the Discussions, Writing Assignments and/or Art Project to understand their grasp of settler life.

Want a copy of this lesson plan to use with your class?

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