Sandwell Museums has a selection of activities for schools across our sites which can be used across the national curriculum and for a wide variety of topic areas. Museum learning is great for literacy projects, art, local studies, geography etc as well as history.
Scroll down the page to see what sessions we have available for KS2 students. If you haven't found quite what you are looking for then please do email us and we will see how we can help! If you would like to know more or for costs or to enquire about a booking pleaser email museum_learning@sandwell.gov.uk. We ask you have some possible dates in mind and what sessions you are interested in.
Booking
Please note that due to conservation building work planned at Oak House we aren;t taking bookings before May hallf term 2024
a) Please email museum_learning@sandwell .gov.uk to request a booking
b) Please have a couple of specific possible dates in mind for your visit so that we can check staff availability. Oak House Tuesdays and Thursdays, Haden Hill House - Tues and Weds, Wednesbury Museum - Wednesdays, Bromwich Hall - Weds, Thurs or Friday
c) Please tell us which session you are looking to book at what building and any other changes/ issues you wish to discuss
d) We will then ensure we can staff your session and that the building is available for your visit and then send you the booking form and guidance notes.
If you haven't found what you are looking for then please do talk to us about one off projects or an appropriate programme for your school.
1. Living History at Oak House Museum - The children step into the shoes of people 400 years ago and in costume and character learn about life at Oak House with hands on activities. The session is ideal for topics around creative writing, history and local history and can be the springboard for other work around art, science and maths. Topics such as Best of British, treasures etc can also be taught involving a living history session. Tuesday or Thursdays
- Version 1 - Rich and Poor in Tudor times: In costume the children become rich or poor Tudors during the reign of Elizabeth I and undertake hands-on activities immersing themselves in the period. currently one class only 10am-2.30pm
- Version 2 - Set in the time of Henry VIII: The session is similar to the rich and poor session but staff make reference to the issues of Henry VIII's reign. In the afternoon the children look at portraits and image. currently one class only 10am-2.30pm
- Version 3: Living History Houses and Homes/buildings: The children undertake living history in the morning session with a focus on how people lived in houses and how they functioned. In the afternoon the children discover more about how buildings were made, materials and why there are such huge chimneys! One class only
- A taste of the Tudors: up to 60 children - The children don't dress up and do not travel back in time but they undertake a number of sessions from our living history session throughout the day, this allows us to accommodate up to 2 classes.
- Version 4: Tottie's Wedding 1650. (A local history study, which can include geography etc). Coming soon. This session is ideal as part of a local history study as it centres around the Turtons, who were the real family to live at Oak House in the 1650s. We see the Turton's on the cusp of becoming gentlemen and as they are adding flashy accessories to their house. There is a teacher's pack with this session which gives you ideas of other ways of expanding this local history topic across different subjects such as geography, art and creative writing. 10am-2.30pm Maximum 33 children.
Please inform staff which version you are booking when you phone or email. - Oak House Museum 10:30am-2:30pm
2. Victorian Living History- at Haden Hill House Museum a full day session based around Victorian domestic life where children learn about children their own age from different social classes by becoming Victorians themselves - The session is a great springboard for topics such as 'best of British' or around creative writing, drama and history and a springboard for further work around art or citizenship. Maximum 33 Children 10am-2.30pm, Haden Hill House Museum - Tues or Weds
3. Home Front in World War II - Haden Hill House. A day of varied sessions based around life on the Home Front during world war II. This is now fully museum led with no teacher led sessions. The day involves some role play sessions and the examining of real objects and photographs from the period around evacuation, rationing of food and clothes, air raid shelters local photos. The session can be used as part of topics such as 'Best of British' and makes a great springboard for work around literacy and creative writing, drama, art, citizenship etc. .- Max. 33 children 10am-2.30pm - Haden Hill House Museum, Tues or Weds
4. Our Manor House - Bromwich Hall -the Manor House. Children get to explore 750 years of history and discover how the site is much more than just a building! Students explore maps, photographs and primary source material to piece together the story of the house. Children also learn about life in Bromwich Hall when it was a medieval hall and learn about the people who lived there, there is also some role play as we re-enact some of the court cases the Lord of the Manor would have heard in the great hall 400 years ago and examine some real historic mystery objects. Weds, Thurs or Friday
5. Tours - We offer tours and tours with workshops of our historic houses tailored to your individual needs whether that be Tudors, Victorians, houses and homes, Gothic horror, William Morris design, tourism etc. Call the relevant site for details. All sites
6. . Handling collections - We have a selection of handling collections which are great for use in the classroom after your visit or as a stand alone activity to enhance learning across the curriculum.Our world is full of 'things' so using objects to inspire, encourage discussion and inquiry, use for drawing or as the basis of creative writing can be a great way to encourage creative learning. Our collections include
Victorian Life World War II
Victorian Laundry Tudors
Romans Anglo-Saxons
7. The Mummy's head - For this session we come to you (schools within 5 miles of Haden Hill House or Wednesbury Museum only). A letter arrives at your school from the head of the museum service saying they are sending in a member of staff with some ancient Egyptian objects found in the museum stores. The children get up close with some real Egyptian objects from our museum collection and are able to examine them and learn a little about how objects have been preserved and how they end up in museums and are looked after. The session also encourages group discussion, problem solving and discovery and can be a great springboard for art projects, creative writing tasks and science lessons around materials. This session is designed for children in the middle or towards the end of a topic as they need to be able to explore and examine the objects with some knowledge for the discussion to work. Email museum_learning@sandwell.gov.uk to make enquiries.
8. Ghosts and Gothic: Haden Hill House. A literacy session in the surroundings of our evoking, Victorian Haden Hill House; enjoy our gothic stories, be inspired by our historic museum gothic objects and gothic rooms. A session designed to inspire creative writing in the fabulous surroundings of our Victorian gentlemen's residence using our museum objects. It is fantastic to compliment a book you may be reading in class or topics around gothic, the macabre or ghosts - talk to us about your themes. max 1 class. Haden Hill House. - 01384 569 444. Tues or Weds
9. Bespoke projects - Museums are great across the curriculum and themes and not just for history. We are happy to look at specific projects for your school and individual needs around all subjects just contact our Museum Services Manager based at Haden Hill House with your ideas. Museums and historic buildings are great for teaching across the curriculum in subjects such as literacy, art and design, citizenship, tourism, geography and history. email museum_learning@sandwell.gov.uk
10. William Morris - Patterns in Nature: Haden Hill House. The children explore the patterns in the house and the William Morris wallpaper, children undertake sessions around tiles and wallpaper including repeat patterns.Haden Hill House. Suitable for early KS2 but great for topics around maths and repeat patterns too, William Morris and famous people, Victorians, art 10am-2.30pm . max one class, Tues or Weds