THE BIG LESSON

Application for the Big Lesson Training

An award winning education model for partnerships between schools and the Muskegon County Museum.

What is the Big Lesson?
Have you ever wanted more from a museum visit? Do you wish that you could have a study trip that incorporates special activities, behind-the-scenes tours, experiments, and guest speakers? Imagine the impact that a weeklong study trip held at the Muskegon County Museum could have on your students for the remainder of the school year!

The BIG Lesson model focuses on partnerships between community resources and schools that encourage hands-on and minds-on learning for students. It is a teacher-led, student-centered model that uses object-based, interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. The BIG Lesson was developed at the Michigan Historical Museum, in Lansing Michigan in conjunction with the 1999-2000 Teacher of the Year Margaret Holtschlag.

To participate teachers must attend a three-day workshop held at the Muskegon County Museum. During this workshop teachers will learn new ways to utilize the unique learning experience the museum provides. The workshop includes training on the BIG Lesson model, current learning theories, museum resources and innovative ways to learn in a museum setting. Completion of the BIG Lesson workshop enables teachers to teach a weeklong themed study trip at the Muskegon County Museum and to incorporate the model into a yearlong thematic study using museum resources to meet curriculum standards.

Limitations:

• Teachers who attend the training must be able to bring their class to the museum for a week during the next school year.
• Schools must be able to provide transportation to the museum for one week.
• Schools must provide a substitute teacher for one day to allow participating teachers an opportunity to observe another BIG Lesson in progress prior to bringing their class to the museum.
• The training is designed for a maximum of six teachers.

What the students have to say:

• “Thank you for letting us come. I was hoping that the week would last forever.”
  Colleen, 4th grader at Bluffton Elementary
• “I learned that pots are not always found in one piece. If you found a whole pot, it would be rare.”
  Amanda, 2nd grader at Moon Elementary
• “If I were to contain the help you gave us it would be bigger then the mastodon.”
  Daniel, 5th grader at St. Michaels Elementary

If you are interested, please call the Muskegon County Museum at (231) 722-0278 for further information and training dates.