SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Hands-On History
We believe the best way to learn about history is to experience it. School groups find here skilled interpreters describing the lifeways of Steuben County residents from the first European settlements in the 1790s through the 1890s. Our education programs are based on the New York State learning standards.

Oxcart Man Pre-K - 1 Capacity: 20
A story-format, hands-on program based on R. Donald Hall's Caldecott-Award winning book. Program length: 30 - 45 minutes.

Then & Now K - 1 Capacity: 20
Common household items from the 1800s and their modern counterparts encourage students to compare and contrast technology's impact on lifestyle. Choose an object from the "then" basket and find its equivalent in the "now" basket. Program length: 30 minutes.

Family Life Grade 2 Capacity: 15
Explore the domestic experience through family, food, and work. Learn about chores and family members’ responsibilities a long time ago. Program length: 30-40 minutes. May be combined with Mr. Knapp's Trunk for a 1-hour program.

Mr. Knapp's Trunk Grade 2 Capacity: 15
Learn about travel in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries by exploring the contents of a traveler's trunk. Program length: 30 - 40 minutes. May be combined with Family Life for a 1-hour program.

Living History I Program Grade 4 Capacity: 30
Spend a full day on site examining family life, education, and play in the Browntown Schoolhouse. Step back into the 1890s as a costumed instructor teaches lessons from nineteenth-century schoolbooks. Program length: 3-4 hours.

Living History II Program Grade 4 Capacity: 60
A half-day in the Browntown Schoolhouse combined with a half-day of activities from the hands-on menu or a general tour. Split sessions suitable for 25-60 students. Program length: 3-4 hours.

Hands-On Activities "Menu" Grades 3 - 5 Capacity: 50
Teachers select from a menu of activities; each provides opportunities for hands-on learning.

Farming: The agricultural year's effect on rural life. In the Starr Barn.

Hearth Cooking: Seasonal availability, preservation, and preparation of food.

Family Life: Daily chores in the 1-room log house. Could your family live here?

Textiles: Fiber availability, preparation, and use. Learn to use a drop spindle.

Travel: What to bring and how to get there in 1790. In the Inn's guest chamber.

Taverns: Their function on the eastern frontier. Portray a tavern patron.

Quilting: Art, math, and memory aid in the pre-photographic era; create a quilt "block".

20 minutes minimum for each activity; number of activities depends on available time.

Full Site Tour Grades 6-12 Capacity: 60
A costumed interpreter will guide your group through museum exhibit areas.Tour may be combined with special demonstrations (additional charge). Program length: 1 ½ hours.

Fees
Living History I (Schoolhouse only): $125.00/class. Living History II (Schoolhouse & menu or tour): $125.00/class. All other tours and programs: $2.75/student (minimum charge per group is $50.00). Custom Programs: please inquire.

Scheduling
Please call the museum at (607) 937-5281. School groups should make reservations a minimum of 4 weeks in advance. April, May and June dates fill by March 1.

Downloads (large files):
Family Life Long Ago (pdf or doc)
Browntown Schoolhouse Pre-vist Materials (pdf or doc)