For my professional development activity, I visited the Lincoln Childrens Museum with

my six year old niece. I thought that it would be beneficial to see the activities through her eyes
to get a better idea of how a trip to the museum could also be educational for students. There
are a lot of activities as the museum that cover a wide range of topics which can align with
things the students are learning.
I think that the biggest thing that the museum provides is chances for inquiry for the
students. It is designed to provide the opportunity for children to roam the various exhibits and
explore for themselves. The activities are simple to understand and would need minimal adult
help. This idea of student exploration is something that has been emphasized throughout the
semester and I also think that it is important for students to figure out their own solutions.
The museum has a very large section about space travel and aviation which includes
riding in a model rocket and plane. The students would be able to see and interact with the
controls and machines in a hands-on way. There is also a very large water works section where
students can alter the flow of the water with dams or watermills. They are able to explore and
discover different ways that they can change how the water flows using the materials provided.
Students in 5th grade learn about characteristics of water so they could benefit from these
activities. There is also a musical instrument section where students can learn about sound
waves and the science behind them which is something that is learned in 3rd grade in LPS.
The museum has multiple sections that incorporate living science as well. These include
a small farm and apple orchard where students are able to see the life of an apple, a veterinary
clinic, a hospital room, and a prairie dog village. Students in fourth grade learn about the prairie
and its ecosystem so this could be a fun activity for them to learn about some animals that live
in Nebraska. The students are able to interact with the various objects and can see that there
are a lot of different types of science besides being a chemist in a laboratory.
The museum does offer two hour self-guided field trips for school groups. I think that if I
were to take a group of students there I would need a set plan and objectives of what I want

them to learn about and discover. A possible way to do this would be having a worksheet with
questions that need to be filled out or a scavenger hunt to find certain objects or discover certain
concepts. I think that the museum provides a great opportunity for student-led inquiry of a
multitude of science concepts through fun and interactive activities. My niece reinforced this
idea because she was able to participate in all of the exhibits and had a lot of fun exploring the
museum.