Student Scientists Use Museum for Active Research

For teachers wanting to engage their students more fully in the next museum field trip, this article shares a way that transforms the more common ‘scavenger hunt’ into an active research in... See More

For teachers wanting to engage their students more fully in the next museum field trip, this article shares a way that transforms the more common ‘scavenger hunt’ into an active research investigation using museum quality resources. From the onset, the field trip takes on an intriguing name and purpose: a scientific expedition. The students become self-motivated investigators as they develop group research questions. While students navigate the museum’s exhibits, the research questions guide their observations and work of collecting evidence. A lot of time is needed to prepare students for the excursion, and the students learn how to develop good research questions along the way. The article includes an excellent handout on how to develop a good research question. A rubric is also included and can be used by the students as a product guide for their projects. The teacher discovered that students were more focused during their museum visits and became more informed consumers of the materials on display. The students were proud of their independence and sense of purpose, and that enabled them to take charge of their learning experiences. They were allowed to choose how they would report their findings to the rest of the class when they returned. Because this teacher wanted her students’ field trip experiences to be more than just a day off, the science expeditions have become an important part of the school’s curriculum as preparation for a semester-long interdisciplinary research project for seventh graders.