Activities for children/ families         Jump to Activities for School Groups

Another option is to have children exchange sheets and then make poems using a friend’s list. 

A list of example words will be provided.

(Interactive and creative project. All ages, especially Grades 4-8.)
See activity sheet

BIDWELL WORD GAME!
Children receive a piece of paper with several numbered blanks to fill in for things such as adjectives, nouns, name of a friend, body part, etc. Attached is a fun story about the Bidwell House. After filling in the blanks, the students enter the words into the story making a wacky tale of Reverend Bidwell’s adventures in Colonial America! Similar to Mad-Libs®.
(Interactive and Imaginative learning. Grades 4-8 and Families.)

 

A COLONIAL BOARD GAME: BLIND MEN’S MORRICE

Blind Men’s Morrice was a board game that could be played on a board such as the one we provide or drawn in the dirt.  Simple markers such as stones, corn, or beans could be used for play.  Today, coins work fine also.  Morrice is a game for two players.  Each player gets nine markers that must be different for each opponent (e.g. beans and stones).  The object of the game is to make rows of three markers in a line and to prevent the other player from doing the same.

(Great for all ages, especially K-5)

Please note that:
Educators should contract the museum @ (413) 528-6888 to discuss which activities would be best for each school group.

Activities can be combined with each other or with any of the activities listed under Activities for children & families.

TEAM TEACHING!

Students are broken into three groups; Food, Shelter, and Clothing. Each group is taught be a member of the Bidwell staff about their particular topic. The students then brainstorm what they found the most interesting and what they would like to share with the rest of their class. After about 20 minutes, all groups convene and students tell each other their favorite points about what they learned and answer the questions of fellow students.
(Teaches cooperation and students receive information that their peers have already found stimulating.
Grades 4-8)

BE A GUEST CURATOR!

A project meant for older school groups. A member of the Bidwell staff talks to students about museum curatorial duties and the formation of a Historical House Museum. Students are then presented with an array of unusual objects from throughout the museum. What is it? What was it used for? What is it called? After guessing the function, purpose and name of now “puzzling” objects used for cooking, cleaning, bed tightening, sewing, writing, etc., they are invited to be guest curators and place the items where they deem proper throughout the Bidwell House.
(Learning about Colonial items and Museum Curators. Grades 5-12)


COLONIAL QUILT CREATION!

During Colonial times, quilting was a thrifty use of material, a form of decoration, and an expression of pride. Women would gather together and work towards the creation of a beautiful quilt.
Bring your class together with the creation of a class quilt. Each child makes a unique square of the quilt using crayons, markers, or any other type of material. Students will be reminded that the squares represent themselves so they could, for example, draw their names in a fancy way or depict a favorite hobby or pet. A member of the Bidwell staff will then help the class “sew” the squares together with a hole-punch and yarn.
(A great activity for groups that enjoy hands-on activities. Grades K-8)

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