Teaching with Museum Collections lesson plan template
How to Read an Object Chart

Teaching with Museum Collections object-based learning emphasizes the links between the “real things;” - National Park Service collections and America’s history. Collections connect students to their past, rich and varied cultures, momentous events, inspiring ideas, and the places where the nation’s history happened.

National Park Service collections include over 100 million cultural objects, natural history specimens, documents, and photographs. They are located at over 320 national park sites in the very places where the objects were made, used or collected. Teaching with Museum Collections lesson plans highlight park interpretive themes, increase understanding of park resources, and li nk to national education standards.

What Teaching with Museum Collections lesson plans are currently available?
Click here to see what’s available for free download.

What’s included in Teaching with Museum Collections lesson plans?
Lesson plans provide teachers with easy-to-use, grade-appropriate educational activities, and link to national educational standards. Photographs of museum objects and specimens, historic photographs, maps, and other documents are used to teach. Reading materials, web resources, and glossaries are included. Suggestions on how teachers can substitute similar available objects, and develop local, community-based activities are provided.

Who develops Teaching with Museum Collections lesson plans?
Park staff and educators develop collections-based educational tools and lesson plans.

How can you participate?
If you want to develop a lesson plan, contact Museum Management Program, National Park Service.