Engaging young students, kindergarten through early elementary, in a history museum environment can be challenging and some museums choose to focus their field trip programs on older students. However, there is a demand for off-campus cultural enrichment from K-2 teachers and the use of interactive, hands-on, and standards-based programs have been proven effective in providing rewarding museum experiences for young learners. Panelists from the Petersen Automotive Museum, the Autry National Center, and teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District will present the case for K-2 standards-based, interpretive field trips and dialogue with the audience about the challenges and benefits of these programs.

1. GEARING UP FOR NEW AUDIENCES:
PREPARING YOUR SITE, STAFF, AND
VOLUNTEERS FOR K-2 FIELD TRIPS
The Petersen Automotive Museum
The Autry National Center
Aspire Public Schools
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
2:00pm

2. 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

3. 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

4. K-2: Why Now?
Atlantic Richfield Gas Station, Petersen Streetscape 1911 American Underslung, Petersen Streetscape

5. 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

6. Need for a Change
1. Tour was too long
2. Presentation was flat and very didactic
3. Lacking a hands-on component
Blacksmith Shop, 1901 Breer, Petersen Streetscape

7. Demand From Teachers:
2011 School Tour Development Survey
• Survey in spring 2011
• 150 teachers participated
• Results confirmed
what we already knew

8. School Tour Development Survey
We 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.”

9. K-2 Program Development
• Change Tour Format
– New shorter, inquiry-based,
focused, and thematic tour
format
• Create a hands-on
activity tied to tour Blacksmith Shop, 1901 Breer, Petersen Streetscape
content

10. Implementation and Training
• Teacher Advisory
Committee
• Pilot: July 2011
• 5- step Intended Training
Schedule
1. Shadowing 5 times
2. Begin to incorporate inquiry
based touring in all tours
3. Take on the touring portion of the
K-2 school tour
4. Begin trying parts of the activity
portion of the K-2 school tour
with staff guidance
5. Take over entire K-2 school tour Students making their “dream buildings”.
• Challenges

11. Modification for 2012-2013
• Based on feedback
from teachers and
docents we:
– Shortened the activity
– Allowed for more time
to see exhibits on the
Students above working on “magnetic streetscapes”,
2nd and 3rd floors
the new activity for 2012-2013.
– Changed the hands-on
activity

12. Results
From 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 2 nd
graders.”
“This was a wonderful trip! […] we were able to tie in our
critical thinking skills, social studies standards, and our
reading units...”

13. The Future
• Goal to develop and
implement a diverse
array of tour
programs that fit the
needs of various
audiences.
• Ongoing
Close up of “magnetic streetscapes” in development.
modification/flexibility
for K-2 programming

15. 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.

16. Spirit of Opportunity
Spirit of Romance Spirit of Community
Current exhibits
Spirit of Imagination
Spirit of Cowboy
Katsina in Hopi life

17. 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

18. Demand for K-2 program
Hands-on activities in museum?
Interactive tour for young visitors?
Early Opportunities Program (1989)

23. Programs for K-2 today
• Early Opportunities Program (docents)
• Native EOP (docents)
• Family Discovery Gallery
• Cowboys
• Animals of the West

24. 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

28. K-2 tour components:

29. Current challenges
• Tour length – too long?
• English Language Learners
• Amount of museum teachers
• Gallery space

30. 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

31. 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