These self-guided Pathways are designed to help students focus on learning
while also allowing them to choose which exhibits to learn from. Sometimes
this more open-ended approach is beneficial.
Scavenger Hunts are
great ways to help students find connections between exhibits and connect
science principles to phenomena. You might ask your students to describe
the exhibits they find rather than just listing them. Below are some questions
to help your students make connections between exhibits. Use only a few
that seem appropriate for your students.
- Write down 5 new things you learn from your experience with the exhibits.
- Pick any 3 exhibits. Describe any connections there are between them.
- Write down 5 results of playing with exhibits that surprised you.
Why were you surprised?
- Write down 5 results that you had already expected or suspected would
happen. Why did you expect this?
- Make a connection between 2 exhibits/demonstrations that are from
totally different sections of the museum. Then do this again with 2different
exhibits. What's the connection?
- Look for 10 exhibits that demonstrate phenomena that you have noticed
in the natural world (outside a museum!). Describe where else you have
noticed these phenomena, under what conditions, etc.
- Write down 2 exhibits that involve your sense of smell, touch, sight,
and hearing 2 for each of these senses. What did you learn about
each sense through using the exhibit?