K-12 Educators

Outreach and Virtual Programs

For your convenience, Midway Village Museum offers a variety of options to access the professionally developed history outreach programs for you to enhance your classroom curriculum.

The helpful key below denotes programs available as a Virtual Program (V), History Interpreter In-Person (P), or Travel Trunk Outreach (T). You’ll notice there are also two ways you can utilize the outreach travel trunk programs. You may reserve a travel truck with program content to be presented by yourself or presented by one of the museum’s history interpreters.

Please see the detailed information below for the full program scope. If you have any question, contact kendall.clair@midwayvillage.com or 815-397-9112, ext. 106.

Travel Trunks

Option 1:

Grade: See below
Qty: Any

As an educator, you can rent some of the museum’s Traveling Trunks. You pick-up the materials, decide what you want to use and how to integrate with your curriculum, and then return to the museum at the end of the two-week rental period.

Please call for more information, 815-397-9112, ext. 106 or email kendall.clair@midwayvillage.com.

Cost
Traveling Trunks: $50 for two weeks

Option 2:

Traveling Trunks offer educators the opportunity to bring hands-on artifacts right to your classroom or group. You have the opportunity to be visited by a history interpreter in authentic period clothing who will present stories from the past come alive to your students. Each trunk is geared towards specific grade levels, but can be adjusted to meet your needs.

Camp Grant During World War I - What roles did women play during WWI? What might a soldier carry on his back? These are just a few of the questions your students can investigate in our WWI mini-trunk. Our trunk is in a WWI Doughboy backpack, filled with books, DVD, primary sources, and artifacts for you to explore during the WWI Centennial.

Immigration to Rockford - This trunk focuses on several individuals who have moved to Rockford over the years. The trunk includes lesson plans, artifacts, primary source documents, games and more.

Duration of the Program: 1 Hour

Cost
$80 per visit for a 30 person classroom
Plus: a travel expense of .56 cents per mile after the first 10 miles, and $2 per person for each person over the initial 30 registered.

History Presentations

Grades: See below
Duration of Program: 1 Hour
Qty: Any

Cost
$80 per visit for a 30-person classroom
Plus: a travel expense of .56 cents per mile after the first 10 miles, and $2 per person for each person over the initial 30 registered.

Outreach Programs

Key Outlining Available Programs:

T - Traveling Trunk with History Interpreter Presentation
V - Virtual Online Program
P - History Interpreter Presentation only, no Travel Trunk

1. Civil War: For Lincoln and Liberty - Thrill to the stories of soldiers and civilians as you learn the causes and consequences of America’s Civil War. Check out the contents of our trunk…everything from uniforms to knapsacks, currency to hardtack. Suggested Grades: 4 - 12 NCSS: 2, 5, 6, 7, 10 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T

2. Creating Community - In this unit, students will learn the importance of a community working together. Lessons include historical maps, measuring tools, graphing activities, books, crafts and more. V, T

3. Etiquette and Parlor Games - Compare and contrast the rules of deportment from 1900 to today’s etiquette and participate in parlor games as they were played during the Victorian Era. Suggested Grade: 1 - 6 NCSS: 2, 4, 5 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T

4. The Great War A-Z - Travel through the history of WWI using artifacts, people, vocabulary, and ideas that start with each letter of the alphabet. From animals to the Zimmerman telegram. What roles did women play during WWI? What might a soldier carry on his back? These are just a few of the questions your students can investigate. V, MT

5. The Green Book in Rockford - Before the 1964 Civil Rights Act, African-American travelers needed to know where they would and would not be welcomed. Not all gas stations, restaurants, or hotels would serve black customers. Despite being a northern city, blacks in Rockford, Illinois still experienced much discrimination. From 1936-1966 Victor Green, published the Negro Motorist’s Green Book to aid black travelers. In it he listed hotels, private rooms for rent, and restaurants that were welcoming to black guests. Rockford accommodations were listed in each issue. Hear more about The Green Book and who was providing hospitality in Rockford during this era. Available for adult audiences, 60-90 minutes. V, P

6. The History and Evolution of the Pledge of Allegiance - Hear the true story of our unique pledge of allegiance that was first written as a kick off for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1892. Suggested Grades: 1 – 12 NCSS: 2, 4 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, P
7.
8. The History of the Rockford Peaches - Available as a talk or travel trunk, discover Rockford’s place in Baseball History. As men went off to war in the 1940s, many women stepped up to take their place. Suggested Grades: 1 - 12 NCSS: 2, 5, 7, 9 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards V, T

9. Immigrants and Culture - This unit focuses on early Illinois to present time comparing how the immigrant experience has changed and how it remains the same. To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T, MT

10. Local Life - This lesson includes primary source documents, photographs, artifacts and more that will teach students about how Northern Illinois was founded and by whom. To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T

11. Queen City of the Prairie - Step back and take a look at the early days of Rockford settlement. Who came and what did they find here? Suggested Grades: 1 - 12 NCSS: 2, 3, 7 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T

12. The Remarkable Bessica Medlar Raiche: First Woman Aviator of America - Learn about the first woman in America to fly an aeroplane solo...the most famous person from Rockford that most people have never heard of. Suggested Grades: 3 - 12 NCSS: 2, 5, To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, P

13. The Rockford Connection: Archaeology - James Henry Breasted and the Tomb of King Tutankhamen Hear the story of how one of Rockford’s own was at the opening of King Tut’s Tomb as you learn about the skills and tools necessary to unearth the history of ancient Egypt. V, P, T

14. School Days - Revisit the days of the one-room schoolhouse. What was being in class like in 1900? What was fun? What was dreary? Suggested Grades: 1 - 8 NCSS: 2, 4, 5 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T

15. Sock Monkey and Rockford’s Industrial Past - Explore why Rockford is the official “Home of the Sock Monkey” and how this popular folk-art toy is linked to the Rockford Red Heel work sock. Suggested Grades: 1 - 12 NCSS: 2, 5, 7 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T

16. Women’s Suffrage in Rockford - Learn about the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote and some of the Rockford's own suffragists who lobbied for the right. Explore the facts about how Rockford was connected to the statewide and national campaigns for women's suffrage. V, P

17. World War II: Rockford’s Own Witnesses to War - Learn about World War II from the point of view of soldiers, sailors, airmen and people on the home front from the Rockford area. Suggested Grades: 6- 12 NCSS: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10 To review Illinois State Standards, please go to www.midwayvillage.com/standards. V, T

Looking for a presentation on a topic you don’t see listed? Just ask! The professional staff at the museum is ready to assist you in creating a specialized program just for your classroom. contact kendall.clair@midwayvillage.com or 815-397-9112, ext. 106.