PLANTING THE SEEDS OF LEARNING

EDUCATION PROGRAMSwww.frontiermuseum.org

540-332-7850

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Mission StatementThe mission of the Frontier Culture Museum is to increase publicknowledge of the formation of a distinctive American folk culture from a blending of European, African and indigenous peoples.

Table of ContentsIntroduction.............................................................................................................................................3

Exhibits....................................................................................................................................................6

Onsite Programs.....................................................................................................................................8

Daily Life Programs................................................................................................................................8

Immigration Programs..........................................................................................................................9

Specialty Programs..............................................................................................................................12

Summer Camps...................................................................................................................................13

Outreach Programs .............................................................................................................................16

Plan Your Visit ......................................................................................................................................22

Contact & Reservation Information...................................................................................................23

Grant Information ................................................................................................................................24

Map of Museum...................................................................................................................................26

“Your museum provided an experiencethat is unique. Students were able to

travel back in time to see what life was likein Virginia hundreds of years ago.”

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IntroductionThe Frontier Culture Museum is an outdoor, living-history museum and aCommonwealth of Virginia educational institution. The Museum is located in Staunton,Virginia, in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, at the intersection of I-81and I-64. It is conveniently located within a drive for Richmond, Charlottesville,Lynchburg, Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Winchester, and northern Virginia.

The Museum currently features ten permanent, outdoor exhibits comprised of originaland reconstructed farm buildings from West Africa, England, Ireland, Germany, andVirginia. The exhibits are carefully researched and documented, and many of them areoriginal buildings that were dismantled and transported to the Museum for restorationand reconstruction. They are staffed by costumed interpreters who demonstrate the dailylives of people in the past through many interactive, hands-on activities.

The Museum’s exhibits serve as the settings for interpretative and educational programsdesigned to increase public knowledge of the diverse Old World origins of earlyimmigrants to America, of how these immigrants lived in their homelands, how theycame to America, and how the way-of-life they created together on the early Americanfrontier has shaped the success of the United States. The Museum’s future plans includethe addition of a number of outdoor exhibits that will include a working grist mill and amid-1800s American village.

The education team at the Museum is prepared to work closely with you to accomplishyour learning goals. The Museum offers education programs to suit the needs of all ages,from kindergarten to college and beyond. Each program is presented with ageappropriate hands-on activities and content. Every program is designed to complement

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classroom learning and to support a range of Virginia Standards of Learning. Mostprograms are presented at our outdoor exhibits, but several can be brought directly to yourschool and classroom.

Hands-on activities vary with the seasons, and weather conditions can impact the availabilityof some programs. Please allow a minimum of two hours of program time for your visit. Ifplanning to eat or visit the gift shop please allow for additional time. Our programs can beself-guided, led by your staff around the Museum, or you can choose a specific program,guided and conducted by Museum staff, and are found in the following pages.

Custom ProgramsShould you not see a program in this catalog that meets your needs, please contact theMuseum and our staff will work with you to develop one that does. Please allow at leasttwo (2) weeks for the preparation of custom programs.

“Your presentation is fabulous and the students are able to see history that is alive and real.”

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West African FarmThis exhibit represents a 1700s Igbo familycompound found in the tropical rainforestof West Africa. The Igbo were one of themany African peoples taken and forcedinto the transatlantic slave trade.

English FarmThe English Farm represents a 1600sEnglish family farmhouse in the county ofWorcestershire, England. Although a riskyventure, the younger sons of many Englishfarmers were attracted to the opportunitiesfound in the colony of Virginia.

Irish Farm & ForgeThe prospects of economic opportunityand land ownership attracted many Irishfamilies to the American colonies. Thesetwo exhibits represent life for Irish farmersin 1700s Northern Ireland.

German FarmAn exhibit representing a 1700s Germanfamily farm in the Palatinate. Theprospects of economic opportunity andland ownership attracted many Germanfamilies to the American colonies.

EXHIBITSPlease take a moment to look over a brief description of the Museum’s outdoor exhibits.This will help you decide which program is right for you and your students. Please visitour website for more complete descriptions.

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1850s American FarmBy the 1850s, cultures from all over Europe andAfrica had over generations begun to blendtogether to form a distinct American frontierculture. This exhibit represents a blending of allof the cultures found at the Museum in a 1850sAmerican Farm.

American Indian HamletThe American Indian Hamlet represents asmall 1700s American Indian community.The Eastern Woodlands Indians tradedwith early colonists and taught them howto farm native plants for food.

1740s American FarmThe frontier of the English colonies wasbeing settled and worked by immigrantsfrom parts of Europe and Africa. This isan exhibit representing a small 1740sfarming settlement on the frontier of theEnglish Colonies.

1820s American FarmThe 1820s American Farm represents afarming family with German origins. Builtin 1773 by a German immigrant, by the1820s, one of the grandsons began toexhibit more of a blended Americanculture in all aspects of his family’s life.

Early American SchoolhouseSchoolchildren in rural farmingcommunities still needed an education.This small, one-room schoolhouse fromthe Early American period would employa schoolmaster and his firm teachingmethods.

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DAILY LIFE PROGRAMSThe Museum recommends the followingprograms for a daily life focus.

Early to Rise: The Life of an Historic FarmerSpend a day in the lives of seventeenth,eighteenth, and nineteenth century farmfamilies and discover the importance oflivestock, field crops, and gardens to theirsurvival and success. Students performfarm chores and learn how families andcommunities were organized, and hownatural resources were used by bothconsumers and producers. Choose acombination of Old World or Americanexhibits.Location: Choose any two exhibits.The following Virginia SOLs are supportedby this program:History and Social Science—K.2, K.6, K.7,1.6, 1.7, 1.8 1.9, 1.12c, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.12b,3.8. 3.9, 3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.2e, VS.4b & d-e,USI.1b & i,USI.3b-c, USI.5b & c,WHII.5d, VUS.2, VUS.3.

Life in the Old WorldStep back into the lives of farmers andfamilies in Europe and West Africa todiscover the importance of livestock, fieldcrops, and gardens to their survival andsuccess. Students try farm chores, and learnhow families and communities wereorganized and how natural resourcesimpacted the lives of both consumers andproducers. Hands-on activities vary byexhibit and season. Groups will choosethree to four Old World exhibits.

Location: West African Farm, English Farm,Irish Farm & Forge, and German Farm.The following Virginia SOLs are supportedby this program: History and Social Science—K.2, K.6, K.7, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 1.9, 1.12c, 2.7,2.8, 2.9, 3.8, 3.9, 3.12, VS.4b, & d,WHI.10d.

The Early American ExperienceVisit a 1700s American Indian hamlet andexperience life beyond the edge of colonialsettlement. Help build a 1740s farm likethose of the first settlers west of the BlueRidge in the colonial Virginia backcountry.Students use traditional tools and buildingtechniques, and cultivate the land withhoes and other hand tools. They learnabout food ways, daily life, and survival onthe frontier. Students next move to the1820s or 1850s American farms to see howa farm became established and grew overtime. Students see various farm animalsand learn why farmers raised them andhow they were used. The tour ends with alesson at the Museum’s Early AmericanSchoolhouse. Students participate in thelesson, delivered by an old-time“schoolmaster,” and can compare schooltoday to school long ago. The teacherselects four exhibits to experience.Exhibits: 1700s American Indian Hamlet,1740s, 1820s, 1850s American farm, and theEarly Schoolhouse. The following VirginiaSOLs are supported by this program:History and Social Science— K.2, K.6, K.7,1.6, 1.7, 1.8 1.9, 1.12c, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.12b,3.8, 3.9, 3.12 VS.1e-f, VS.2e, VS.4b, d-e,USI.1b & I, USI.3b-c, WHII.5d, VUS.2,VUS.3.

ONSITE PROGRAMSThe Museum’s education programs are designed to include many hands-on activities. All programs are available to all ages and include age appropriate activities and content.. The hands-on activities have themes of farming, cooking, tools, animals, chores, andmore. If you have specific activities in mind, please ask about availability.

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IMMIGRATION PROGRAMSThe Museum recommends the followingprograms for an immigration focus.

People on the Move: Learn about the EarlyImmigrants to AmericaLearn the conditions and factors thatcaused people from the Old World tomigrate to Great Britain’s North Americancolonies. Students learn about life in thepast and explore the challenges andopportunities that confronted the peoplewho settled America’s colonial frontier byvisiting some or all of the Museum’s OldWorld Exhibits. Location: Choose two, three or four OldWorld farms (West African Farm, EnglishFarm, Irish Farm & Forge, and GermanFarm). The following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:History and Social Science—3.8. 3.9, 3.12,VS.1e-f, VS.3a, VS.4b&d, VS.6c, USI.1b &i, USI.5, WHII.4d-e, VUS.2, VUS.3.

To West of the Blue RidgeWhy did English farmers leave theirhomes to settle in Virginia in the 1600s?Why did German-speaking farmers fromthe southwestern states of the HolyRoman Empire, and English-speakingfarmer-weavers from Ireland’snorthernmost province of Ulster leave theirhomes? Why were West Africansforcefully taken from their homeland andbrought to the American colonies? Whatcould have caused European farmers torisk their lives and the lives of theirfamilies to cross the Atlantic for theuncertain rewards of a new life in an

unfamiliar place? What did West Africansendure on the transatlantic slave trade?Your class will learn the answer to thesequestions by understanding the daily livesof these people and the reasons for theirimmigration. Students will thenexperience the new lives these immigrantsfaced upon arrival in Early America.Choose one of the following options.

From West Africa to West of the Blue Ridge Location: West African Farm & 1740sAmerican Farm The following VirginiaSOLs are supported by this program:History and Social Science—3.2, 3.4,3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.3e,VS.4a-b &d-e, VS.6c, USI.1b & i,USI.4, USI.5, WHII.4d-e, VUS.2,VUS.3.

From Germany to West of the Blue RidgeLocation: German Farm and 1820sAmerican Farm. The following VirginiaSOLs are supported by this program:History and Social Science—3.8. 3.9,3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.4b, VS.6c, USI.1b &i, USI.5a-c, VUS.2, VUS.3.

From Ireland to West of the Blue RidgeLocation: Irish Farm & Irish Forge and1740s American FarmThe following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:History and Social Science—3.8. 3.9,3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.4b, VS.6c, USI.1b &i, USI.5a-c, VUS.2, VUS.3.

“Excellent job!! I was very pleased at howthe SOLs were correlated and how well theinterpreters interacted with the students.”

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“You have enriched our students’ learning.”

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SPECIALTY PROGRAMSThe following programs cover a range ofthemes. These include physical education,holiday traditions, science, and more.

Plants & AnimalsDiscover the plants and animals living atthe Frontier Culture Museum. Studentsare guided through the Museum to meetand greet chickens, cows, goats, pigs andsheep. Students are shown the differencebetween baby animals and adult animals,and are introduced to the crops grown atthe Museum. Students learn the manyuses of plants and animals in the past andin the present. This program featuresplenty of hands-on activity! This programor its components can be incorporated intoother educational programs.Location: Old World, America, or BothThe following Virginia SOLs are supportedby this program:Science—K.6, K.8c, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8a & b, 2.4,2.5a, 2.7a, 2.8, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8b, 3.10a, 4.4,4.5, 4.8, LS.4, LS.5, LS.12a.

Holidays in HistoryLearn how Christmas was celebrated inthe Old World and early America, andhow the celebration has changed over time.Students Wassail in England, Knock inGermany, and Belsnickle in America. Thisprogram is offered in the month ofDecember. Location: German Farm, English Farm andchoose either 1820s American Farm or 1850sAmerican Farm. The following VirginiaSOLs are supported by this program:History and Social Science—K2, 1.12c, 2.3,3.12, VS.4b, USI.1b.

School DaysDo you want your students to trulyappreciate how good they have it in yourclassroom? A session at the Museum’sEarly American Schoolhouse is just whatthey need. This program features a briefhistory of education in early America andinvites students to compare life at their

school to that of the early nineteenthcentury. Students also discover what farmlife was like for school aged children. Theprogram includes basic lessons from earlyAmerican textbooks led by the“schoolmaster.” This program or itscomponents can be incorporated into othereducational programs.Location: Schoolhouse and the 1820s or the1850s American Farm. The followingVirginia SOLs are supported by this program:History and Social Science—K2, 1.12c, 2.3,3.12, VS.4b, USI.1b.

Physical Education ProgramPeople in the past were far more activethan most Americans today. This programaddresses current health concerns byhaving students engage in historic outdoorgames and work activities at the Museum’sexhibits. It also connects a number ofPhysical Education SOLs with games ofthe past.Location: All Exhibits. The followingVirginia SOLs are supported by this program:Physical Education – K.1, K.2, K.3, K.4, 1.1,1.2, 2.1, 3.1a-c, 3.2, 4.1a-b, 5.1a & c, 5.2a-c, 6.1 6.2a & d, 6.4b-d, 6.5, 7.1a, b, & d,7.2, 7.4, 8.1, 8.2a & c, 8.5.

Water and Wetlands Your students can get a “watershedexperience” in one of the Museum’sstreams while they learn about its healthusing the, “Save Our Streams,” protocol.This program can be conducted byMuseum staff or by you using a streamstudy kit provided by the Museum.Location: Creek behind Irish Farm and ForgeExhibits. The following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:Science SOLs—K.5, K.6, 3.6a, 3.10b, 4.8a,6.5g, 6.7, LS.7c, LS.10b, ES.9.

Trees and ShrubsThe Museum is home to a variety of treesand shrubs at accessible locations. Some ofthese are European species such as EnglishOak, Hedge Maple, or more exotic species

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such as the Windmill Palm and bamboo.The Museum landscape is also home totrees and shrubs that are native to NorthAmerica such as Swam White Oak, TulipPoplar, and Black Gum. A tree and shrubtour of the Museum provides you and yourstudents the opportunity to witness a partof the effort to restore the legendaryAmerican Chestnut tree, which was almostcompletely wiped-out by blight during the

twentieth century, to its native habitat.The Museum is privileged to be a part ofthis effort as the site of several ceremonialplantings of young blight resistantAmerican Chestnuts provided by theAmerican Chestnut Foundation. Location: All Exhibits. The followingVirginia SOLs are supported by this program:Science SOLs—K.6, K.8b & c, 1.4, 1.7a,2.4b, 2.7a, 3.6a, 3.8b, 4.4a, 4.8b, LS.5b.

In the Good Old SummertimeMany exciting adventures are waiting foryour children at this year’s 5-8 year oldSummer Camps! Children will participatein activities such as fishing, cooking in thehistoric homes, a nature hike, games, alesson in the schoolhouse, “puddling” inWest Africa, and much more. You maychoose between the morning session, theafternoon session, or leave your childrenfor the day! The afternoon activities willbe different from the morning’s. We advisecampers to wear clothing that isappropriate for messy and wet outdooractivities.Ages: 5-8 years oldHalf day camps (morning or afternoon) orFull day

Enhanced History Day CampThe enhanced history day camp at theFrontier Culture Museum is a chance forcampers to live in the past. Campers willwear period costumes and be assigned toone of the Museum exhibits. The camp

will focus on a theme and farm of the day.The activities, games, and living historyprograms will relate to the theme. The lasttwo hours of each day campers will workon their assigned farms with Museuminterpreters and have a chance todemonstrate living in the past to Museumvisitors. Campers on Friday will helpprepare a mid-day feast for all to enjoy. Akey component of the camp is educationand promoting a better understanding ofhistory. Every day there will also be a 30minute enhanced lesson on the theme ofthe day. Some of the activities camperswill do over the week includes cookingover an open hearth, garden work, flaxprocessing, spinning, harvesting graincrops, working with farm animals, helpingto make cheese, weaving, helping to buildperiod fences, and much more. OurEnhanced History Day Camp will trulymake history come alive for your child!Ages: 9-12 years oldFull day camps, 1 or 2 week options

SUMMER CAMPSThe Museum hosts two summer camps every year, one for ages 5-8, and anotherfor ages 9-12. Check our website for more information as summer approaches.

“The interpreters make the history come alive.”

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“We had a great time and got a lot of excellent hands on learning.”

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Settling the Backcountry: Early Settlementand Everyday Life in the Valley of VirginiaLearn about life in the VirginiaBackcountry. Your classroom will start bylearning about the lives of the EasternWoodlands Indians found in the VirginiaBackcountry. Students will then learn whypeople settled the western Virginia frontierin the 18th century. Everyone participatesin the daily life of American Indians andearly settlers and discovers whether theyhave the skills to survive in thebackcountry. Your class is challenged tounderstand the frontier experience and toreach their own conclusions aboutAmerican Indians, settlers, and their lives.The following Virginia SOLs are supported bythis program: History and Social Science—K.2, K.6, K.7, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 1.9, 1.12c, 2.7,2.8, 2.9, 2.12b, 3.8, 3.9, 3.12 VS.1e-f, VS.2e,VS.4b, d-e, USI.1b & I, USI.3b-c, WHII.5d,VUS.2, VUS.3. Program length is 45 minutes.

The “Soundtrack” to the Settling of AmericaExplore early America’s musical heritagethrough live performance with theMuseum’s own musicians. Students andteachers listen and learn as our musiciansreveal the wide-ranging cultural influencesthat blended together to form the music ofearly American. Students learn the songsand dances of our ancestors and becomepart of the performance. The followingVirginia SOLs are supported by this program:Music—K4, 1.3, 2.3, 3.4, 3.11, 4.10, 5.4, 5.9,5.11, HS.5. Program length is 45 minutes.

Quest for the West: Immigration to the Virginia BackcountryWhy did English farmers leave their homesto settle in Virginia in the 1600s? Why didGerman-speaking farmers from thesouthwestern states of the Holy RomanEmpire, and English-speaking farmer-weavers from Ireland’s northernmostprovince of Ulster leave their homes? Whywere West Africans forcefully taken fromtheir homeland and brought to theAmerican colonies in the 1700s? Whatcould have caused European farmers to risktheir lives and the lives of their families tocross the Atlantic for the uncertain rewardsof a new life in an unfamiliar place? Whatdid West Africans endure on transatlanticslave trade? Your class will become part ofthe story and learn the answer to thesequestions and more through costumedrole-playing.

• From West Africa to West of the Blue Ridge The following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:History and Social Science—3.2, 3.4, 3.7,3.8, 3.9, 3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.3e, VS.4a-b&d-e, VS.6c, USI.1b & i, USI.4, USI.5,WHII.4d-e, VUS.2, VUS.3.

• From Germany to West of the Blue RidgeThe following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:History and Social Science—3.8. 3.9,3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.4b, VS.6c, USI.1b & i,USI.5a-c, VUS.2, VUS.3.

OUTREACH PROGRAMSThink a field trip to the Frontier Culture Museum is impossible in tight fiscal times?The Museum will come to you with quality programs! Our Education OutreachPrograms are available January through early March and can be presented in yourclassroom setting or as an assembly. As with our on-site programs, students are able toparticipate in hands-on activities. All programs are available to all grade levels andinclude age appropriate activities and content.

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• From Ireland to West of the Blue RidgeThe following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:History and Social Science—3.8. 3.9,3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.4b, VS.6c, USI.1b & i,USI.5a-c, VUS.2, VUS.3.

• From England to West of the Blue RidgeThe following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:History and Social Science—3.8. 3.9,3.12, VS.1e-f, VS.4b, VS.6c, USI.1b & i,USI.5a-c, VUS.2, VUS.3.

The following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program:

History and Social Science —3.8. 3.9, 3.12,VS.1e-f, VS.3a, VS.4b&d, VS.6c, USI.1b& i, USI.5, WHII.4d-e, VUS.2, VUS.3.

Related SOL’s: History and Social Science—3.2, 3.4, 3.7, WHI.10d. Theater Arts -M.2, M.7, TI.1, TI.2, TI.3, TI.4, TI.8(1), TI.12.

Program length is 45 minutes.

Classroom in the PastDo you want your students to trulyappreciate how good they have it in yourclassroom? A session with the Museum’sold-time Schoolmaster is just what they

need. This program features a brief historyof education in early America and invitesstudents to compare life at their school tothat of the early nineteenth century.Students also discover what farm life waslike for school-aged children. The programincludes basic lessons from early Americantextbooks led by the Schoolmaster. Thisprogram or its components can beincorporated into other educationalprograms. The following Virginia SOLs aresupported by this program: History and SocialScience—K2, 1.12c, 2.3, 3.12, VS.4b, USI.1b.Program length is 45 minutes.

Physical Education ProgramMuseum staff will come to your school andteach you and your students historicalgames and activities. This programaddresses the importance of physicalactivity to good health and happiness, andlinks a range of Physical Education SOLswith games of the past. The followingVirginia SOLs are supported by this program:Physical Education—K.1, K.2, K.3, K.4, 1.1,1.2, 2.1, 3.1a-c, 3.2, 4.1a-b, 5.1a & c, 5.2a,6.1a, b, & c, 6.2a & d, 6.4b, c-d, 6.5, 7.1a, b,& d, 7.2a-e, 7.4a, b, c, 8.1, 8.2a & c, 8.5a-cProgram length is 45 minutes.

“I have never seen them so excitedabout learning about history.”

“The interpreters were outstanding. Theywere knowledgeable, yet they were able to

share valuable information with the studentsin a way they could easily understand and

remember. They truly brought history to life.”

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“The museum matches the VA SOLS. It is an authentic learning

experience for the children.”

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Preparing YourStudentsThe Frontier Culture Museum offers a widevariety of fascinating information andhistory. Preparing your students prior to theMuseum visit enhances the learningexperience. We have included someexamples of pre-visit activities. TheMuseum's educational programs arecentered on key Virginia Standards ofLearning. When choosing a program,check to see if the program matches yourstudy and the VA SOL you are focusing on.If you need assistance with this, please callthe Education Department at the Museum.

Each of the programs offered has a themeand objective that is supported by classroomlearning. Each program concentrates onvery specific areas of the Museum. Duringthese focused programs, students will havethe opportunity to touch, see, smell, and useall their senses to be active learners. Withthe proper preparation, a field trip to theFrontier Culture Museum can be more thanfun, it can be meaningful.

Questions to help you prepare for your museum visit:1. How will the Museum focus fit into my

classroom studies?2. What do I want the students to learn

during the visit?3. How will information be processed and

analyzed?

Prepare Your Students1. Assess what your students know.

Create a chart in the classroom oftopics you covered that are relevant towhat they might learn at theMuseum.

2. Research and GatherStudents can research different areasof history that are covered at theMuseum. Encourage the students tolook for primary sources as well as theFrontier Culture Museum website.

3. What do the students want to learnwhile visiting the museum?Have the students create a list ofquestions or topics to bring withthem during their tour. The studentsare welcome to ask questions of theinterpreters to find more specificanswers.

Examples of Historical ThemesRepresented at the Museum:

• 17th and 18th C. European Historyi.e. Great Britain and Germany

• 17th and 18th C. EuropeanArchitecture

• 18th and 19th C. Early AmericanArchitecture

• 18th C. West African History andArchitecture

• Daily lives of 17th and 18th C.European, West African, AmericanIndians and Early Americans

• Historic Woodworking • Settlement west of the Blue Ridge

Mountains • Fiber processing • Old World Immigration to Early

America • Historic Foodways

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Pre-Visit Classroom DiscussionMaking PredictionsWhy do you think the people fromGermany, Ireland, England and West Africawere emigrating, and why do you think theywere going to America? Was it foreconomic, political, or social reasons? Afterinvestigating the agriculture, social historyand geography of the areas, what are yourpredictions? The time periods were:Germany - early 18th centuryIreland - early 18th centuryEngland - 17th centuryWest Africa – 18th century

Making Choices!You are leaving for a new country. You donot know what your life will be like in thisnew country. It is likely you will never seeyour family and old friends again. You willbe traveling on a crowded ship across theAtlantic Ocean for at least 14 weeks beforeyou reach your destination. Choose threeitems to take with you to your new homeand explain the importance of each item.Choose carefully, as you cannot return toyour home for more items!

How’d They Do That?Farming in the 19th century was a toughjob. Think about all the tools you wouldneed to be a successful farmer and make alist. Compare that list to what today’sfarmers use. Do you think it would beeasier being a farmer today or then? Givediffering examples.

Hey Mom, What’s For Dinner?The early frontier settlers worked veryhard, so they needed to eat much morethan we do today. Think about wherethese people might have gotten their foodand what types of food they ate. Do youthink we eat the same food today? Whatdo you think is different and why?

Our House Is A Very Fine HouseDraw a picture of your house. Next toyour picture make a list of what your houseis built from. Take your picture and listwith you when you come to the Museumand discover how houses were built andwhy they were built that way! See if thereis a difference from houses today!

Post-Visit Classroom DiscussionWhat’s Old is New Again!Do you remember the tools on the farmsite? Draw three or four of these old toolsin one column and in the other columndraw what they look like today! Whatdifference do you see? Why do you thinkour tools today are different?

Mail a PostcardOn a large index card, draw a picture ofyour favorite thing from the Museum. Onthe back side write to a friend or familymember about some of the things you sawon your field trip and what you learned!When you are all finished, mail yourpostcard to them.

Write a Short StoryImagine that you had to leave behind yourfamily, and you would never be able to seethem again. Early American immigrantsexperienced this loss in order to create abetter future for themselves and theirfamily. Write a short story using examplesand information you received during yourMuseum visit to create a short story.

Lights Camera Action!Using what you saw and learned from yourmuseum visit, create a play that depicts aday in the life of _______. To make itmanageable, choose one location such asthe American Farm Site, English FarmSite etc. Have members of you class actout the parts!

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Planning a Field Trip to the MuseumVisit the MuseumWe recommend that you visit the Museum beforehand to help you decidewhat you want your students to see and learn as well as get a feel for thetime.

Group LeadersGroup Leaders are responsible for students’ behavior and must remainwith their students at all times. Please keep in mind that other schoolsmay be at the Museum at the same time you are.

ChaperonesThe Museum recommends 1 chaperone per 5 pre K-2nd and 1 chaperonefor every 10 students above 3rd grade. This is to ensure safety andaccessibility to small exhibits.

DressThe Frontier Culture Museum is an outdoor living history Museum;therefore it is important that students dress for the current weather.

ArrivalPlease plan on arriving at least 15 minutes prior to your tour. This willgive you time to check-in, organize your groups/chaperones and allow for arestroom break.

Museum StoreThe Museum has a wonderful store with great gift ideas and a children’ssection. If your group plans to shop, please allow 20 minutes andchaperone them in small groups. Teachers will find great resources andreference books at the Store. Students will enjoy affordable toys, games,souvenirs, etc. Funds from the Museum Store support educationalprogramming and field trips to the Museum.

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Museum Hours9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (Closed New Year’sDay, Thanksgiving, and Christmas)

LocationWe are located near the intersection of I-81 and I-64 in Staunton, Virginia. I-81,Exit 222, Route 250 West will find us.The Museum is 1/2 mile on the left.

ReservationsReservations are required for all schoolprograms. You can call 540-332-7850 orgo on-line at www.frontiermuseum.org

Please have the following information ready when you call:• Date and Time of Field Trip• School Address and Phone Number• Email Address• Program of Choice• Number of Students• Students Ages or Grade Level• Number of Teachers• Number of Adult Chaperones• Number of Lunches or Gift Bags (if

applicable)

Program RatesCall the Museum at 540-332-7850 for ourfee schedule.

ConfirmationYou will receive a confirmation by mailstating the approximate cost and schedulefor your planned visit. Please review thiscarefully and contact the Museum to makeany necessary changes before arrival.Please bring this with you, along with anylast minute changes, at check-in.

Payment, Rescheduling, and CancellationsPayments are made on the day of the fieldtrip upon check-in at the Visitor Center.

Education Programs are held rain or shine.The Museum kindly asks that in the eventof the need to reschedule, please call 24hours before the scheduled tour. Also, inthe event of a cancellation, call 24 hoursbefore your scheduled tour to avoid a 20%cancellation fee.

Choose a ProgramYour Field Trip at the Frontier CultureMuseum can either be Self-Guided orGuided. Your visit should be an extensionof the classroom. Decide carefully whichof the many programs best supports yourclassroom curriculum. If time permits, youmay choose more than one.

AccessibilityThe Frontier Culture Museum makesevery effort to provide a qualityeducational program to all students.When booking a field trip, please notifythe reservations office of any participantswith disabilities.

Food & Gift BagsThe Museum Store will kindly arrange alunch at a reasonable price for your schoolgroup. Gift bags are also available.Advanced reservations are required. Pleaseinclude this information when youschedule your field trip.

ParkingFree parking is available for cars,motorcoaches, and school buses.

Lunch LocationsPicnic tables are available on a first come,first serve basis beside the Gift Shop andparking lot. Other locations may beavailable upon request and availability.Food and drinks are not allowed inside theMuseum’s exhibits.

Contact & Reservations

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Grant InformationThe Frontier Culture Museum is pleased to make grant money available to qualifiededucation groups.

What are the American Frontier Culture Foundation’s funding criteria?The Grant Committee will review all applications, and based on the grant moneyavailable, will award grants based on the following criteria:

• How the field trip meets the specific needs of the class• The clarity of the goals and objectives for a field trip to the Museum• What the teacher will bring to the classroom in preparation of the field trip• What the teacher will bring to the classroom in follow-up activities after the field trip

What are the responsibilities of the grant recipients?• Teacher to complete and submit an evaluation form within 30 days of the trip• Teacher to submit pre and post lesson plans for Museum Teacher Resources• Students to write/draw thank you notes for their filed trip that we can send to the

organization providing the grant funding

What may be funded?• Transportation • Admission• Lunch • Gift bags

What will not be funded?Grant funds are not intended to replace or relieve the existing responsibility for publicfunding of school programs, nor are they intended to substitute for items funded by thePTOs or included in the regular school budget. Transportation funds will be awardedonly to schools more than 75 miles away from the Museum.

If you would like more information about this program, kindly contact the Museum.

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The Frontier Culture Museum1290 Richmond Road

Staunton, Virginia 24401540.332.7850

FROM RICHMONDTake I-64 West towards Charlottesville/Staunton.

Take exit 87 to I-81 N then exit at 222 to Route 250 West, Richmond Road. Entrance to the Museum is 1/2 mile on left.

FROM HARRISONBURGI-81 South to exit 222 to Route 250 West, Richmond Road.

Entrance to Museum is 1/2 mile on left.

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