Whether it’s at the museum, in your classroom or virtual, we offer hands-on, exploratory, and interactive programs on a variety of topics that provide your students a fun way to learn about Indiana’s people, places and things through art, history and STEM connections. All programs fulfill select Indiana Academic Standards. Scroll below to find the program offerings for your grade category, or download this information in our PreK-12 Education Program Guide.
Early Childhood Programs (AGES 3-6)
To schedule any of the following programs, contact Early Childhood Program Manager Dru Corliss at 317.264.9867 or [email protected].
IN-MUSEUM DETAILS
In-museum programs combine exhibit exploration time with a STEAM-based program in Firefly Landing, the museum’s early childhood learning space. Your students will take a journey through one of the museum’s exhibits to explore and play.
Length: 2 hours (one hour for program, one hour for a self-exploration exhibit experience)
Cost: $6/student and chaperone, free for teachers
OUTREACH DETAILS
The outreach program brings the museum experience to you! Young ones will be inspired by interactive story time and engage in hands-on STEAM exploration and creation.
Length: 60 minutes
Cost: $150/first session; $100/additional sessions
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
Enjoy a pre-recorded story time by our early childhood educators and an educator packet with a full curriculum guide and list of materials, lesson plan, extension activities and prompts to use on your own time.
Cost: $75/session
Thanks to our Early Childhood Programming Sponsor: PNC Grow Up Great
Artful Play
Scheduled upon request
Students will be inspired by artwork by Hoosier artists and will be able to create their own masterpieces. Through an interactive story time, hands-on STEAM-based stations and a collaborative project, your students will be transformed into artists.
Be an Engineer
Scheduled upon request
Students will be inspired by real inventions and interactive spaces as they engage with the engineering design process. Through hands-on, STEAM-based projects, your students will become engineers as they learn to sketch, create, test and collaborate.
Ice Age Animals
Scheduled upon request
Step back in time with the help of Frozen Reign to see what life was like during the Ice Age in Indiana. Students will be introduced to many Ice Age animals and explore this interactive space. And they’ll be able to participate in hands-on experiments and STEAM-based projects.
Nature Explorers
Scheduled upon request
Explore the basics of paleontology, archaeology and biology with a visit to the R.B. Annis Naturalist’s Lab. In this space, students will observe real artifacts and objects and work with a digital microscope called the Micro Eye. Next, they will have a chance to become the expert and participate in hands-on activities inspired by nature.
OBJECT INVESTIGATION
Scheduled upon request
Explore the museum’s colorful and immersive new space, Gallery One, where students will be able to interact with various objects in playful and engaging ways. Students will be introduced to object-based learning through an interactive story time, hands-on experiments, and creating their own observational drawings.
Indiana State Museum Explore Programs
IN-MUSEUM DETAILS
Dates: Offered Wednesday-Friday, from August 2022 through May 2023
Length: 60 minutes
Min./max. number of students: 15/25
Cost: $4/student ($60 fee for fewer than 15 students)
OUTREACH DETAILS
Dates: Offered Monday-Friday, year-round
Length: 60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $150/class; additional classes $100 for the same program
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
Dates: Offered Monday-Friday, year-round
Length: 60 minutes
Max. number of students: 1-3 classrooms at a time
Cost: $150/class; includes material kits to use during the program and shipping costs
Explore by grade level
KINDERGARTEN - GRADE 2 PROGRAMS
To schedule any of the following programs, contact School Programs Manager Brittney Basaran at 317.409.7136 or [email protected] with questions.
Engineering Explorations
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Explore how objects move as students engineer a solution to help our museum paleontologists at a dig site. Students will use the design process to brainstorm solutions, build prototypes and test their creation just like real Indiana engineers.
ICE AGE SURVIVIAL
Available: museum, outreach
What adaptations helped animals survive during the Ice Age? Do we see these adaptations in present-day animals? Students will investigate and discuss what adaptations future animals will have based on our changing environment.
Indiana Innovators
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Students will explore how creations from Indiana innovators sparked ingenuity and even improvements of their inventions. Students will challenge themselves and see if they can improve upon an object they use every week.
GRADES 3-5 PROGRAMS
To schedule any of the following programs, contact School Programs Manager Brittney Basaran at 317.409.7136 or [email protected] with questions.
ENGINEERING DESIGN
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Explore how objects are affected by forces and energy as students engineer devices to launch objects. Students will use the design process to brainstorm solutions, build prototypes and test their creation just like real Indiana engineers.
FOSSIL DIG DISCOVERY
Available: museum, outreach
Discover first-hand how paleontologists search and uncover ice age fossils. Students will also investigate what can be learned about an extinct animal when there are only fossils left behind.
FOSSIL FORMATIONS
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
How does a living creature become a fossil? Why doesn’t everything become a fossil? What clues do fossils leave behind? Students will investigate these questions as they explore the process from living creature to its discovery as a fossil.
PIONEERING INNOVATIONS
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Pioneers used simple machines and engineering to create a new life in Indiana. Students will explore how simple machines and innovations made their life easier and will design and build their own compound machine.
Presidential Patent and Innovations
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Abraham Lincoln is the only president to have a patent and was the first president to use electronic messaging to communicate to his troops. Explore how telegraphs work and decode a telegram. Students will also test their ingenuity to create a prototype that could have worked alongside Lincoln’s patent.
ROCKS AND MINERALS
Available: museum, outreach
Indiana is home to a wide variety of rocks and minerals. How did they end up here? How do we use rocks and minerals every day in small and big ways? Students will explore the rock cycle and investigate rocks and minerals through hands-on activities.
GRADES 6-8 PROGRAMS
To schedule any of the following programs, contact School Programs Manager Brittney Basaran at 317.409.7136 or [email protected] with questions.
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Available: museum, outreach
What energy is needed at school and home? Students will explore how we use the Earth’s resources, both renewable and non-renewable, to provide the energy we need to learn, explore and live.
ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Explore Newton’s Laws of Motion as students engineer a solution to protect fragile fossils as they are transported back to the museum. Students will use the design process to brainstorm solutions, build prototypes and test their creations, and reflect on the process just like real Indiana engineers.
VOICES FROM THE PAST
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
How can we learn from past civilizations? How do archaeologists piece together the puzzle of how they lived? How can the past shape our future? Students will explore stories uncovered through the archaeological process and consider what future archaeologists will discover about our lives.
GRADES 6-12 PROGRAM
To schedule any of the following programs, contact School Programs Manager Brittney Basaran at 317.409.7136 or [email protected] with questions.
Beyond Myth and Legend
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Abraham Lincoln called Indiana home as a child and young man and would later become the 16th President of the United States. Major Taylor was a world-class athlete and cycling’s first African American champion. Using primary sources and their own words, compare their experiences and what was reported as we dive it into what it means to accurately portray history and the people who shape Indiana’s history.
This program is supported by Indiana Humanities
Be an Agent of Change – How to Help Yourself and Others
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
How does our brain process stress and emotion? Finding healthy ways to handle stress is important. Explore a few ways that can be helpful in identifying personal stressors and healthy methods to handle it. Music art, writing, exercise and sharing and actively listening are just a few ways you can help yourself and others.
BRAIN CHEMISTRY
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
How do neurons communicate and what happens when a message doesn’t get through? Explore this process through hands-on activities that will get your students thinking, talking and moving.
POWER OF WORDS AND REDUCING STIGMA
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
The words we use have power. They can lift and encourage or break someone down. Reflecting on the words we use to describe people and situations, how can we shift what we say? How can we reduce stigma when we change our word choice? Explore words, their power, and your ability to reduce stigma in your own community.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
How does race, gender and social class play a role in the opioid crisis? We’ll explore how they can impact access to healthcare, how doctors perceive the patient and their health issues, the ability to receive quality treatment and more. We’ll learn what activists and individuals in the medical and legal communities are doing to combat these problems.
WHAT GOOD IS PAIN?
Available: museum, outreach, virtual
Why do we feel pain? What would happen if we couldn’t feel pain? Explore how pain is used to help us and how it is processed in our body. We’ll also investigate what happens when pain relievers are introduced, and the way pain has been managed throughout history.
Specialty Tours and Virtual Programs
Grades 9-12
On-site tours 9 a.m.-5 p.m.: $75/tour Monday-Friday, $100/tour Saturday & Sunday (minimum of 5 people required, up to 20 people per tour; $5 each additional person)
Virtual program: $50/session
Discover stories behind artifacts on display at the Indiana State Museum during a private 60-minute tour or as a virtual program. Choose from the variety of themes listed below. Limited to 20 people per in-person tour and one classroom per virtual program.
Learn more
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Schools or educational organizations may qualify for one of Indiana State Museum’s many school, outreach or virtual programs for free.
This is made possible with funding provided by the Indiana Academy of Science and the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Those who qualify for a free science program may also receive transportation reimbursement.
Applications will be available August 3 and are accepted on a rolling basis. Schools will be notified whether their application is approved or placed on a wait list.
Click here to submit application. Please contact Visitor Services at 317.232.1637.
State Historic Site Explore Programs
Whether it’s at the site, outreach or virtual, we offer hands-on, exploratory and interactive programs on a variety of topics that provide your students a fun way to learn about Indiana’s people, places and things. All programs fulfill select Indiana Academic Standards.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site
Beginning January, 2023 the site will be closed for renovations. Please call or email the site to check tour and program availability. Schedule by calling 812.853.3956 or emailing [email protected].
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Angel Mounds State Historic Site
PreK–Grade 5
Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST)
At Site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Put the bullwhip away and get your trowels, brushes and tape measures ready for a mock archaeology dig.
INDIANA’S ORIGINAL RIVERTOWN
K–Grade 5
Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST)
At Site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class; additional classes $100 for the same program
Put yourself in the shoes of a Mississippian as you learn about their daily life through artifacts discovered by historians and archaeologists. Find out how we know so much about a culture that has no written language.
LONG SASH VS. ORION
Grade K–5
*Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST)
*Note: Not available after January 1, 2023
At Site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Sit beneath the night sky and marvel at the constellations above in the STARLAB portable planetarium.
KNAP TIME
Grades 2–5
Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST)
At Site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $5/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Make a functional tool to take home using the prehistoric skill of flint knapping in this experimental archaeology activity.
ARCHAEOLOGY CULTURAL SCENE INVESTIGATION (C.S.I.)
Grades 5–7
Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST)
At Site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class; additional classes $100 for the same program
Discover the real-world applications of math, science and social studies curricula in the field of archaeology right from the comfort of your own classroom.
Corydon Capitol State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 812.738.4890 or emailing [email protected].
JUNK IN THE TRUNK
Grades 2–5
Sept. 2022 – March 2023
At Site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Students enjoy identifying and learning about unusual historical artifacts. Each item in the trunk “looks like” something they might be familiar with and the efforts they put into guessing are priceless! The presenter will share the historical use of each unique object with the students.
COVERED WAGON
Grades 3–5
Sept. 2022 – March 2023
At Site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Pack your wagons. It’s time to take a trip! Students will learn what it took to travel in the early 1800s. After a presentation from staff, students will have a chance to pack their wagons with what they think they’ll need. What supplies would they need to bring? What would be left behind? How would they survive?
FEDERAL PERIOD DANCE WORKSHOP
Grades 3–12
Fee: Dependent on number attending, please contact the site for more information
At Site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Dancing was an important part of the social life of early Hoosiers. In this workshop, we’ll teach students proper manners for interacting with others in 1816 as well as a popular dance of the period.
TRIAL FOR FREEDOM: THE POLLY STRONG CASE
Grades 4–12
Sept. 2022 – March 2023
At Site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
In 1820, a young slave woman from Vincennes named Polly Strong sued her master to gain her freedom. This interactive program guides students through her trial and the precedent that it set in terms of slavery in Indiana. Students will also visit the Supreme Court room where the trial occurred.
Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 812.944.9600 or emailing [email protected].
I-SPY
K–Grade 3
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Play the I-Spy game, and explore Victorian life through clues that lead to learning in the mansion.
THE WINTER MOMENT
K–Grade 3
Sept. 2022-March 2023
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Explore the math, science and art utilized to create the Winter Moment, a colorful light display, at the Culbertson Mansion. Created by the filter of stained glass, a crystal chandelier and the sun’s rays, this exceptional experience will be discussed using prisms, patterned paper and filters in the classroom.
WHAT IS BENEVOLENCE?
Grades K–5
Tuesday through Friday
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Explore the Victorian virtue of Benevolence. How did the Culbertson family exemplify this virtue? What does that mean today, and how can we all make positive contributions to our community. An interactive discussion with a knowledgeable staff member provides the opportunity for students to engage and ask questions throughout the program. A teacher guide and classroom packet will be provided beforehand.
VICTORIAN NAME GAME
Grades K–3
Tuesday through Friday
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Can you guess the names of various objects from around the mansion and their uses? This interactive program introduces the ways in which Victorians lived, including the Culbertson family and the servant staff. A knowledgeable staff member will be able to engage students with period artifacts and lead a discussion on Victorian life. A teacher guide and classroom packet will be provided beforehand.
Culbertson Mansion Tour
Grades 6, 8–12
Mondays year-round
Virtual
Length: 90 minutes
Cost: $150/booking
Pre-registration is required at least one month in advance.
Bring the Culbertson Mansion to your classroom with a virtual tour. Included is a downloadable teaching packet with a teaching guide, follow-along worksheet and vocabulary list. Students will see all four floors of the mansion, while learning about the lifestyle of the Gilded Age, from the elite to the servants. They will also learn about New Albany’s most charitable man and the concept of benevolence in building community.
Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 260.854.3790 or emailing [email protected].
ECO WEB
K–Grade 5
The first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Uncover the balance of the ecosystem and see how every part of it is connected. Discover and learn about the different relationships between all levels of life in a specific ecosystem in an interactive game.
POND DIP
K–Grade 5
Wednesday through Friday in late April through late June, depending on water levels. Two-weeks advanced notice needed to conduct program on Monday or Tuesday.
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Fee: $75/session
Get an up-close peek at some of the macroinvertebrates that live in our ponds and wetlands. Learn about the life cycle of insects and how important they are to the ecosystem. Classroom packets consist of printed macroinvertebrate identification sheets, macaroni metamorphosis activity and a list of reference books on wetlands.
SPECIAL NATURE/ART/LITERATURE PROGRAM
K–Grade 12
The first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Gene Stratton-Porter wrote, drew, explored and photographed her natural surroundings. Create a similar experience for your students.
Indiana Academic Standards: to be discussed at time of reservation.
TREE & LEAF ID STUDY
K–Grade 12
The first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Identify the different trees that grow in Wildflower Woods and discover the different things that affect a tree’s growth. Learn to age a tree through hands-on activities and discuss how to differentiate significant weather events just by the tree’s growth.
WATER EXPLORATION
K–Grade 12
The first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Explore our local St. Joseph water shed and the water cycle while experimenting with some water quality testing to see how the environment is currently impacting the local water source. Then, use tools to sample water in several areas of the Hemingway Wetlands.
WETLAND EXPLORATION
K–Grade 12
The first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Engage in a discussion of what a wetland is, what it does and how it works to keep our water healthy. Then, utilize our wetland exploration backpacks to dip for macroinvertebrates. Beware – students will get muddy!
WETLAND & PRAIRIE PARTNERSHIP
K–Grade 12
The first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Get an up-close look at our restoration project and learn about the benefits of both the wetland and prairie. Find out what each does individually and how they work together to keep our water clean.
GENE STRATTON-PORTER ODDITIES
K–Grade 12
Year-round, Wednesday through Friday. Two-weeks advanced notice needed to conduct program on Monday or Tuesday.
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Fee: $50/session
Gene was an avid collector of a variety of items. Learn about some of the more unusual artifacts in Gene’s collections and get a peek into the collections that might go unnoticed.
LEAF IDENTIFICATION
K–Grade 12
Year-round, Wednesday through Friday. Two-weeks advanced notice needed to conduct program on Monday or Tuesday.
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Fee: $150/session includes classroom kit; $100/additional session in same day
Learn about the trees that thrive around Gene’s Cabin and in the Limberlost Swamp. This session will talk about various leaf and tree types found throughout the region. This can be adjusted to grade level, getting into the function and growth patterns of trees, forest types and uses of trees. Classroom kits consist of printed tree identification sheets, tree factory activity (suitable for grades 3-6), leaves and bark from various trees, and reference sheets for tree books.
PLANT STUDY
Grades 9–12 (program can be adjusted for younger students)
The first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Investigate plant identification methods by examining the plants that grow in Wildflower Woods. Take an up-close look at the various parts of a plant.
Lanier Mansion State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 812.265.3526 or emailing [email protected].
Architectural Patterns
Grades 3–8
Tuesday through Friday
At site
Fee: $75/session
When Francis Costigan designed the Lanier Mansion, he borrowed a variety of decorative patterns from New York architect Minard Lefever. Learn about how Lefever’s pattern books influenced architects of the time and design your own Greek Revival building based on designs from the Lanier Mansion.
Communication Collage
Grades 3–8
Tuesday through Friday
At site
Fee: $5/session
Newspapers and magazines were key to spreading information in 19th-century America. Students will learn how different types of mass-media in the 19th century, such as newspapers, magazines, and cookbooks, spread ideas across large distances. They will use clippings from copies of 19th-century newspapers to create a collage of ideas that are meaningful to them.
Animals of the Prehistoric Past
Grades 3–8
Tuesday through Friday
At site and virtual
Fee: $75/session
In the mid-19th century, fossils of prehistoric animals were a scientific sensation. Scientists and artists worked together to interpret how ancient animals looked based on fossils they left behind. Students will learn how to interpret fossils like a paleontologist and make their own drawing of a prehistoric creature based on fossil evidence.
Color and Dyes
Grades K–12
Tuesday through Friday
At site
Fee: $75/session
Colorful carpeting, bedspreads and textiles of all sorts decorate the Lanier Mansion’s interior. Colors in 19th-century fabric arts were bright, colorful, vibrant and, by modern standards, often quite bold! Students will decorate their own item using fabric pens to emulate the bright colors and patterns popular during the rococo revival movement.
Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 765.847.1691 or emailing [email protected].
HISTORY EXPLORERS
PreK–Grade 2
At site
Fee: $2/student ($30/group fee for groups less than 15 students)
Length: 60 minutes
Workshop must be booked two weeks in advance
The Levi and Catharine Coffin home is known as a station on the Underground Railroad, but their 1839 home in Fountain City is also a great example of an early brick home in Indiana. This guided tour will focus more on life for a 19th-century family living in Indiana and offer students a hands-on approach to learning. Get a chance to touch and feel historical reproductions, get hands-on by assisting around the house with chores and enjoy a little play time, too!
VIRTUAL TOUR OF LEVI & CATHARINE COFFIN HOME
Grades 3–12
Available Mondays or Tuesdays year-round
Virtual
Fee: $150/booking
Length: up to 90 minutes
Pre-registration is required at least one month in advance
Can’t visit our location with your students for a guided tour? Book a virtual tour! View an
introductory film about the Coffins and then see the actual home where nearly 1,000 freedom-
seekers attained shelter, food, clothing and more. After students get a chance to see the house, there is time at the end of the session for questions. The following will need to be provided by the school: internet access, Zoom application, camera and projection screen.
Limberlost State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 260.368.7428 or emailing [email protected].
LIMBER JIM WILDLIFE PROGRAM
PreK–Grade 6
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2.50/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Students can learn about the wildlife that Limber Jim encountered while he was lost in the Limberlost Swamp during this hands-on, interactive program. Limber Jim brings along many items such as skulls and furs for the students to see, touch and inquire about.
BIRDS OF THE LIMBERLOST
PreK–Grade 12
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2.50/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Discover the many types of birds that Gene Stratton-Porter, who was known as the “Bird Woman,” studied and photographed while exploring the Limberlost Swamp. Students will explore skulls and feathers during this interactive program.
MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST
PreK–Grade 12
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2.50/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Learn about the types of moths Gene featured in her book “Moths of the Limberlost.” Then, investigate moth-related items, such as cocoons and moth specimens.
SNAKE ON THE SCREEN
K–Grade 5
Wednesday through Friday. Two-weeks advanced notice needed to conduct program on Monday or Tuesday.
Virtual
Fee: $150/session includes classroom kit; $100/additional session in same day
Snakes alive! Learn all about snakes, their role in the ecosystem and their history in the Limberlost Swamp. Get an up-close look at some snakes and even make your own!
The program can be conducted for classes/groups or offered as a virtual program that individuals can register for. Classroom kits consist of printed snake identification sheets, make-your-own snake activity kits, shed snakeskin (if available) and a list of reference books on snakes.
GENE STRATTON-PORTER ODDITIES
Grades: K–Grade 12
Wednesday through Friday year-round. Two-weeks advanced notice needed to conduct program on Monday or Tuesday.
Virtual
Fee: $50/session
Gene was an avid collector of a variety of items. Learn about some of the more unusual artifacts in Gene’s collections and get a peek into the collections that might go unnoticed.
SWAMP LIFE
K–Grade 12
Wednesday through Friday. Two-weeks advanced notice needed to conduct program on Monday or Tuesday.
Virtual
Fee: $75/session
Learn about the different creatures that call the Limberlost Swamp home. From beavers to moths to birds, students will learn what animals used to, and still do, call the swamp home. Classroom packets consist of printed identification sheets, a map of the Limberlost Swamp and a list of reference books on wetlands and mammals.
MYSTERY VEST WILDLIFE PROGRAM
Grades 1–5
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2.50student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
This interactive program allows students who are randomly selected to choose a pocket on the mystery vest worn by the facilitator. As different items are unveiled, the facilitator will engage students through stories about each wildlife-related item.
ICE AGE AND THE LIMBERLOST
Grades 1–12
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2.50/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Discover what the Limberlost area was like when Indiana was covered in ice sheets millions of years ago! Learn how the Ice Age glaciers created the modern Limberlost and find out what Ice Age animals lived in the area.
THE LIFE OF GENE STRATTON-PORTER
Grades 4–12
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $2.50/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Explore the life and career of Indiana’s most widely read female author. Find out how Gene’s works were influenced by nature and how she brought the Limberlost Swamp and nature to readers around the world.
T.C. Steele State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 812.988.2785 or emailing [email protected].
ART ELEMENTS!
PreK–Grade 2
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
At site cost: $4/student
Outreach cost: $100/1st session; $75/additional sessions
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Line! Shape! Texture! Space! Color! How did T.C. Steele use art elements to create his masterpieces? Find out when your students create their very own three-dimensional sculpture. Students will explore how artists use these elements as tools to create with this hands-on workshop.
ENGINEERING BY DESIGN
PreK–Grade 2
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
At site cost: $4/student
Outreach cost: $100/1st session; $75/additional sessions
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Students will be inspired by real-life inventions that were brought to Brown County by the Steeles. Engage in the engineering design process as your students will sketch, create, test and retest to create an invention of their own.
ART EXPLORATIONS
Grades 3–5
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
At site cost: $4/student
Outreach cost: $100/1st session; $75/additional sessions
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Students will learn how artists create composition, using math. Using the Rule of Thirds, they’ll create their own compositions in a sketch and use that to paint their one-of-a-kind masterpiece, keeping in mind the art elements, principles of design, subject matter and characteristics of form.
NATURE’S ENGINEERS
Grades 3–5
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
At site cost: $4/student
Nature is full of engineers! Explore how our animal friends construct their homes and select their habitat. Students will use the design process to brainstorm solutions, build prototypes and test their own habitat design.
IMAGINING THE PAST, PREDICTING THE FUTURE
Grades 3–8
Available upon request, registration required two weeks prior.
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $100/class
Fee: $75/1-hour Zoom call for classrooms with 25-30 students
Practice the elements of design and basic art elements through the art of T.C. Steele. Create your own masterpiece as you examine contemporary and historic photographs and envision what the historic site will be like in 100 years! This program includes a one-hour Zoom call with a museum educator. Materials needed: white paper, pencil, crayons/colored pencils/markers.
ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING
Grades 6–12
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
T.C. Steele State Historic Site has buildings from three different time periods. You will visit a real-life log cabin from 1875, Steele’s home built in 1907, and the Singing Winds Visitor Center built in 2019. How has architecture changed over time? Students will test their engineering design skills when they design and create a prototype for their own home.
ARE YOU AN IMPRESSIONIST OR A REALIST?
Grades 6–12
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
At site cost: $4/student
Outreach cost: $100/1st session; $75/additional sessions
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Inspired by Steele’s paintings that model Realism and Impressionism, your students will discover their own tastes and aesthetics when they experiment with portrait and landscape painting.
EUREKA! EKPHRASIS!
Grades 6–12
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
At site cost: $4/student
Outreach cost: $100/1st session; $75/additional sessions
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
An ekphrastic poem is inspired by a work of art. Students will read poems inspired by two famous paintings, then look to one of T.C. Steele’s paintings to inspire and write, their own poem.
INDIANA NIGHT MOTHS
Grades 6–12
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
At site cost: $4/student
Outreach cost: $100/1st session; $75/additional sessions
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Did you know that Indiana is home to some of the most beautiful moths in the world? Students will examine moth specimens, learn about the moth life cycle, and about the impact moths, butterflies, bees and birds have as pollinators on our ecosystem. We will finish the workshop with nature sketching.
Vincennes State Historic Site
Schedule by calling 812.882.7422 or emailing [email protected].
SCHOOL: THEN AND NOW
K–Grade 2
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Virtual
Length: 45-60 minutes
Cost: $75/class
Students will explore everyday life in the early 1800s through puppetry. Activities include singing, games, chores and other everyday routines for a child in the early 1800s. Themes include how life is different and the same today, jobs in the community back then and how each person—a teacher, a printer, a farmer—contributed to the community.
DIG IN THE DIRT
Grades 1–3
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Archaeologists dig in the dirt and study artifacts from the past to learn more about events that occurred long ago. This lesson uses archaeology as a starting point for the study of soil. We will discuss the types of soil, the objects found in the soil (man-made or naturally occurring) and determine how the man-made objects may have been used.
SPARKS AND SHOCKS ON THE INDIANA FRONTIER
Grade 4
At site or Outreach
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $4/student
Travel fees: 30-60 miles=$20; 60-90 miles=$40; 90+ miles=$60
Get your class all charged up about electricity! In 1800, “electrostatic generators” were used in Vincennes for experiments and parlor amusements. Your science class will learn the hair-raising facts about a force they take for granted every day. A costumed interpreter can vary this presentation for different grade levels as well as the amount of class time available.
A Day in the Life
Grade 8
Sept. 15, 2022, 9 a.m. – noon
At site
Length: 45-60 minutes
Max. number of students: 25
Cost: $5/student
Learn about the roles and daily lives of people who lived in the early 1800s and compare and contrast to modern day. Explore different cultures and points of view that were a part of Indiana history as you visit different learning stations and see the various buildings at the site.
THANKS TO OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAM SPONSORS:
