Field Trips and Class Visits

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Field Trips

We love having classes come visit us! Teachers are encouraged to choose topics that fit into their current curriculum. Many of our Visit Themes were designed to complement the standard social studies curriculum of Maine's intermediate, middle, and high school grades.** Field trips typically include:

  • a pre-teaching activity conducted in the classroom before the day of visit*
  • an inquiry-based lesson using OML's original materials as primary sources
  • a hands-on activity or group game related to the lesson subject
  • a scavenger-hunt activity with our current exhibition
  • and a tour of the Smith Globe Collection

*Before the day of the visit, students will complete a pre-teaching activity that gives them a familiarity with some of the ideas, images, and terminology they'll see during their field trip. Teachers will receive the pre-teaching materials in the mail about a week before the visit.

We recommend:

  • a group size of 10 to 60 (for larger groups, we recommend splitting the visit into two days or scheduling one of OML's Collaborative Programs with nearby educational institutions)
  • One chaperone for every 12 students
  • A 90 to 120 minute time allotment for a field trip at OML

To schedule a field trip, please email Renee Keul at renee.keul@maine.edu or fill out a visit request form.


Class Visits

OML's Outreach team is also available to visit classrooms, clubs, and enrichment and after-school programs within an hour's drive of Portland, Maine. The recommended time allotment for a class visit is 50 to 75 minutes. A classroom visit includes:

  • a pre-teaching activity conducted in the classroom before the day of visit*
  • an inquiry-based lesson using facsimiles of OML items
  • a group game or hands-on activity related to the lesson subject.

*Before the day of the visit, students will complete a pre-teaching activity that gives them a familiarity with some of the ideas, images, and terminology they'll see during their field trip. Teachers will receive the pre-teaching materials in the mail about a week before the visit.

To schedule a class visit, please email Renee Keul at renee.keul@maine.edu or fill out a visit request form.

 
**Because of the highly specialized nature of secondary curriculum, High School teachers are especially encouraged to work with OML educators to ensure that the primary sources used in the lesson fit well with the class material.