The Petersen Automotive Museum The Autry National Center

Aspire Public Schools

Tuesday, October 23, 20122:00pm

GEARING UP FOR NEW AUDIENCES: PREPARING YOUR SITE, STAFF, AND VOLUNTEERS FOR K-2 FIELD TRIPS

Today we will…

• Examine the challenges and rewards of implementing K-2 programming in our institutions

• Hear first-hand from a K-2 teacher the desired experience and desired outcome from a Museum field trip

• Collaborate with our peers, comparing what has worked and what has not in our respective institutions

The Petersen Automotive Museum• The mission of the Petersen Automotive Museum is to

explore and present the history of the automobile and its impact on American life and culture, using Los Angeles as the prime example.

• Our History

Petersen Streetscape

K-2: Why Now?

Atlantic Richfield Gas Station, Petersen Streetscape 1911 American Underslung, Petersen Streetscape

Our Existing School Tour Audience

• Approx. 150 students daily (Tuesday-Friday)

• Over 50% are K-2

Docent teaches 2nd graders about life in L.A. before paved roads at Stuck in the Mud.Car featured: 1911 American Underslung

Need for a Change1. Tour was too long

2. Presentation was flat and very didactic

3. Lacking a hands-on component

Blacksmith Shop, 1901 Breer, Petersen Streetscape

Demand From Teachers:2011 School Tour Development Survey

• Survey in spring 2011• 150 teachers participated• Results confirmed what we already knew

School Tour Development SurveyWe asked…what is most rewarding about Museum field

trips in general?

“I think the most important part is engaging students through their prior knowledge and have hands on activities for all learning modalities.”

“Hands on materials...being able to create and take back to school.”

“I find the docents magnificent and would request that for the little ones, the tour is simplified. Students are excited about the cars and at times it is difficult to keep them quiet and listening during the docent's tour.”

“Having students engage in activities.”

“When children are able to see, touch, and participate in activities, they are immersed in the process of learning and the experience is much more rewarding for them. And this type of learning is much easier transferred to long term memory and not quickly forgotten.”

K-2 Program Development

• Change Tour Format– New shorter, inquiry-

based, focused, and thematic tour format

• Create a hands-on activity tied to tour content

Blacksmith Shop, 1901 Breer, Petersen Streetscape

Implementation and Training• Teacher Advisory

Committee• Pilot: July 2011• 5- step Intended Training

Schedule1. Shadowing 5 times2. Begin to incorporate inquiry

based touring in all tours 3. Take on the touring portion of the

K-2 school tour4. Begin trying parts of the activity

portion of the K-2 school tour with staff guidance

5. Take over entire K-2 school tour

• ChallengesStudents making their “dream buildings”.

Modification for 2012-2013

• Based on feedback from teachers and docents we:– Shortened the activity– Allowed for more time

to see exhibits on the 2nd and 3rd floors

– Changed the hands-on activity

Students above working on “magnetic streetscapes”, the new activity for 2012-2013.

ResultsFrom the Teachers:

Across the board, we saw appreciation for the changes:

“The changes that were made from last year was great. The length of the tour and [hands-on] workshop is perfect for 2nd graders.”

“This was a wonderful trip! […] we were able to tie in our critical thinking skills, social studies standards, and our reading units...”

The Future

• Goal to develop and implement a diverse array of tour programs that fit the needs of various audiences.

• Ongoing modification/flexibility for K-2 programming

Close up of “magnetic streetscapes” in development.

The Autry’s Mission Statement

The Autry brings together the stories of all peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present to inspire our shared future.

Current exhibitsSpirit of Romance

Spirit of Opportunity Spirit of Community

Spirit of CowboyKatsina in Hopi life

Spirit of Imagination

Our Existing School Tour Audience

LAUSD, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Montebello, Inglewood, Santa Monica, Oxnard, Baldwin Park, Bellflower, Downey, home schools.

2011-12 school year:-40,000 K-12 students

-5500 K-2 students

Demand for K-2 program

Hands-on activities in museum?

Interactive tour for young visitors?

Early Opportunities Program (1989)

Programs for K-2 today

• Early Opportunities Program (docents)

• Native EOP (docents)

• Family Discovery Gallery

• Cowboys

• Animals of the West

Staff and Training

• K-2 docent and teacher selection based on interest and previous experience

• Programs written by docents/teachers

• New EOP docents trained by the experienced docents

• Training includes following tours, co-teaching and eventually independent teaching

K-2 tour components:

Current challenges

• Tour length – too long?

• English Language Learners

• Amount of museum teachers

• Gallery space

Future: • Meet with K-2 teachers

• Develop new programs and improve old ones

• Smaller group sizes for teacher tours?

• Shorter tours?

• Pre- and post visit lesson plans

Classroom Perspective

• Grace Tran, founding teacher at Aspire Titan Academy, Huntington Park, CA

– Planning Field Trips: Pros and cons from the K-2 perspective

– Field Trip Experience: Before, during, and after.

– Support from the Museum