Brucemobile Outreach Education

The Bruce Museum is pleased to present Brucemobile Outreach programs for Pre-K through high school students. These programs bring museum objects and live animals to the classroom. The programs engage students in an interactive, object- and inquiry- based learning experience. Programs are available during and after school.

To learn how to schedule a visit, click here.

Click to view programs for

Grades Pre-K through 5th
Middle and High School
After School Brucemobile

 

School Programs for Pre-K through 5th grade:

The following programs are tailored to fit the New York and Connecticut curricula for the requested grade level.  We are also happy to accommodate special requests for content that fits within the program descriptions.

Program Descriptions

Woodland Indian Life (PreK - 5th grade)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in Connecticut or New York when only the Native Americans lived here? What did the land look like? How did people eat, sleep and survive? Travel back in time with us to explore the natural environment of our region over 600 years ago. Students will explore: natural history, ecology, Native culture and early engineering.

Animal Adaptations (PreK - 5th grade)

Animals are amazing! They have evolved over time to use their covering, color and physical structure to adapt, camouflage, survive, and escape danger. Through a study of animal pelts and animal mounts, students will explore the different ways that vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, fish and birds) use their adaptations to survive in various environments. The workshop also introduces students to the concepts of patterns and classification.

Coastal Ecology (PreK – 5th grade)

The Long Island Sound is home to numerous remarkable creatures. This marine ecosystem right outside our door teaches us not only about natural history and biology, but also aquatic ecology and invertebrate structure and function. Dive into a comparative study of the invertebrates that populate the Sound with live intertidal animals brought to your classroom! The workshop also increases student familiarity with categorization, animal classification, and interdependence through the study of food chains and webs.

Rock Detectives (3rd – 5th grade)

What are rocks? Where are they found and what can we learn from them? This program allows students to observe demonstrations of the geologic processes that cause the rock cycle.  Rock samples, demonstrations of plate tectonics, and interactive activities encourage students to use their hands and minds to explore earth's dynamic processes. As their final element of detective work, students will act as geologists working in teams to deduce where their rock came from in the earth, how it formed, and what type of rock it is.

Butterflies (PreK - 2nd grade)

Who hasn’t stopped to watch butterflies fly by? These beautiful creatures are a wonderful way to explore insect structure and function. In this workshop, we use games and art to invite students into the world of butterflies, examining their body structure, life cycle, and symmetrical decorative patterns.

Skeletons (3rd - 5th grade)

How many bones are there in the human body?  What are some of the functions the skeletal system provides us for survival? Students will identify the location and purpose of major bones in humans and animals and develop related vocabulary. Through discussion, demonstration and hands-on activities, students will distinguish between endoskeletons and exoskeletons and describe the functions of a skeleton. As a culminating activity, participants will dissect owl pellets and identify the discovered bones!

Dinosaurs (K - 2nd grade)

Fossilized dinosaur bones, teeth, footprints and other parts are used to reconstruct the size, food preferences, and movement of these “terrible lizards”.  Comparisons are made between adaptations and survival strategies of dinosaurs and modern animals. Students are encouraged to think like paleontologists for the duration of this program.

Shapes and Patterns (Pre - K)

Participants in this program will define basic shapes and identify the shapes in a multitude of natural history objects including ostrich eggs, insects, seashells and much more! They will then be encouraged to create patterns as a complementary activity.

Desert Ecology (K - 5th grade)

Bring the vast and dry desert biome in to your classroom!  Food webs of this ecosystem are explored with students as they observe desert specimens. Discussions include plant and animal adaptations to survive in the parched landscape and the environmental conditions that form the desert habitat.

 

Middle School and High School

Classroom Programs are one hour in length.

Coastal Ecology (Middle School – High School)

The Long Island Sound is home to numerous remarkable creatures. This marine ecosystem right outside our door teaches us not only about natural history and biology, but also aquatic ecology and invertebrate structure and function. Dive into a comparative study of the invertebrates that populate the Sound with live intertidal animals brought to your classroom! The workshop also increases student familiarity with categorization, animal classification, and interdependence through the study of food chains and webs.

Rock Detectives (Middle School)

What are rocks? Where are they found and what can we learn from them? This program allows students to observe demonstrations of the geologic processes that cause the rock cycle.  Rock samples, demonstrations of plate tectonics, and interactive activities encourage students to use their hands and minds to explore earth's dynamic processes. As their final element of detective work, students will act as geologists working in teams to deduce where their rock came from in the earth, how it formed, and what type of rock it is.

Prehistoric Peoples (Middle School – High School)

Award-winning, traveling exhibition presented by instructors from the Archaeological Associates of Greenwich (AAG) enables students to handle authentic prehistoric tools while learning about the progress of humankind from 4 million to 5,000 years ago. Slides and artifacts stress ancient peoples' adaptations to their changing environment. Slide projector and world map required.

Egypt (Middle School – High School)

Instructors from the Archaeological Associates of Greenwich (AAG) offer stories behind the fabled pyramids, kings and queens of ancient Egypt's Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Sites and artifacts are shown with emphasis on the life of young people. Adaptation to the harsh desert environment is stressed.

Assembly Programs are one hour in length, and can accommodate up to a full auditorium.
Fee: $195 per program.
Slide projector required

Note: Subjects can be customized to fit curriculum needs.

 

After-School Brucemobile Series

Students will be led through hands-on and conceptual lesson plans by an experienced Bruce Museum Instructor. Afterschool Series incorporate more activities and crafts than traditional classroom programs, as is appropriate to the afterschool setting. After-School Brucemobile Programs are available in a series of 4, 6, or 8 sessions.

Exploring Ecosystems (K-5)
A series of programs designed to introduce the Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Participants compare and contrast regional and global biomes including deserts and deciduous woodlands, while observing and handling relevant Museum objects.  As the series unfolds the focus transitions to aquatic ecosystems such as the Long Island Sound and participants are introduced to and given the option to handle live animals such as the horseshoe crab, sea star, and mollusks.  Beyond the Long Island Sound, the vast waters of the open sea will be explored using Museum artifacts and crafts.  All programs incorporate an engaging, hands-on activity that reinforces the subjects presented in each program while simultaneously providing a fun, creative experience!

Artist’s Workshop (Grades K-5)
The Artist’s Workshop exposes students to a wide range of artistic styles and techniques. Each of the sessions is directly related to exhibitions currently or previously on view at the Bruce Museum (sessions are subject to change based on the Museum’s exhibition schedule). Students will have the opportunity to closely examine reproductions of famous works of art, learn about different artistic styles and historical periods, and experiment with relevant artistic techniques.

Nature Adventure Series (Grades K-5)
The Nature Adventure Series offers an exciting series of programs with a central focus of exploring the many concepts of the natural world! This series covers the broadest range of topics of our afterschool selections. Children will step into the shoes of a paleontologist and study dinosaurs; get hands-on experiences with live animals from the Long Island Sound; discover the different skeletal structures animals have adapted; learn about local bird species and what they eat through an always popular owl pellet dissection; and many more fascinating sessions. This series can be tailored to the center’s needs.

For more information on Brucemobile Outreach Programs, please contact Peter Linderoth, Manager of Outreach Education, at 203-413-6742, or plinderoth@brucemuseum.org.

To make a reservation for a Brucemobile Outreach Program, please contact Julia Harrington, Museum Educator and Reservations Manager, at jharrington@brucemuseum.org or 203-413-6744 or click on How to Schedule.

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