When the work of the classroom teacher is combined with the heritage education program at the Polk County Historical Museum, the history of Florida comes to life. Everyday surroundings are viewed with a new perspective. Our history takes on new meaning for students and provides them with a sense of belonging and common community. This newly acquired sense of place and origin, so rare in our transient society, may be the greatest gift we can give our children.
The new student experience at the Polk County Historical Museum features a guided presentation that includes an engaging hunt for knowledge. The program takes students through museum exhibits in a team learning exercise that will uncover information about Polk County and Florida history. A museum educator leads the activity and enhances the group discussion with further information about the significance of our past. Your students are sure to walk away with a newly found appreciation of Florida's special heritage and their place in it.
To assist you in determining the educational benefits of bringing your classes to visit the Polk County Historical Museum as an educator planning your next group field study we invite you to stop in and review our program with the museum staff.
About the Program:
At the end of their visit to the Polk County Historical Museum students will be able to;
- Name Bartow as the county seat of Polk County.
- Identify Florida as the 17th state created in 1845.
- Describe several hardships faced by our early pioneers.
- List three crops grown by Polk County Planters.
- Name the Old County Courthouse as a place to preserve the early history of our community.
Setting the Stage:
Discuss the brief history, timeline, and vocabulary provided below.
Extensions:
Ask the students to write a letter to a pioneer child and share how life has changed.
Make a list of objects that are part of the children's life today that might go into a museum in 100 years.
Color the 1909 Courthouse drawing provided below.
Use the word search activity provided below.
Sunshine Standards:
SS.A.1.2 The student understands historical chronology and the human perspective.
SS.A.4.2 The student understands U.S. History to 1880.
SS.A.6.2 The student understands the history of Florida and its people.
Further Reading:
Canter Brown, Jr., In the Midst of All That Makes Life Worth Living: Polk County Florida to 1940 (Polk County Historical Association 2001).
Michael Gannon, The New History of Florida (University of Florida Press 1996).
Useful Websites:
Floridamemory.com/onlineclassroom/
Cfmemory.org/content
Memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/florida/home.html
Polk-fl.net/tah/lessons/g-4-1.htm
Web.uflib.ufl.edu/digital/collections/teachers/guides.htm
Cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp
Dhr.dos.state.fl.us/facts/history/summary
Floridahistory.org
Scheduling a Tour:
To schedule a tour, please read the pdf file below entitled "Scheduling a Visit" and then fax or mail a completed "Group Study Application" form to the museum.
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