Indiana Academic Standard correlation to a museum school visit 8th Grade Language Arts 8.4.1 Discuss ideas for writing, keep a list or notebook of ideas, and use graphic organizers to plan writing.           A visit to The Children's Museum is an excellent experience to write about. Before visiting, lead the class in a discussion of possible ideas to write about, such as a description of a particular object or gallery, directions or a "how-to" guide to the museum, or a researched essay on something the students see while at the museum. As a class, you may also want to do a brainstorming activity with an idea web. Discuss good and poor note-taking skills and have the students take notes during their visit. 8.4.2 Create compositions that have a clear message, a coherent thesis (a statement of position on the topic), and end with a clear and well-supported conclusion.           After visiting the museum, have students write a composition about their trip, using their notes and ideas they have from earlier pre-writing activities. 8.7.1 Paraphrase (restate) a speaker's purpose and point of view and ask questions concerning the speaker's content, delivery, and attitude toward the subject.           During the visit, there will be many opportunities to hear presentations. Check the daily list of events when you come in the museum and make reservations if necessary. Then, ask students to repeat the speaker's purpose and point-of-view. Also encourage students to ask questions clearly and articulately. 8.7.9 Interpret and evaluate the various ways in which visual image-makers (such as graphic artists, illustrators, and news photographers) communicate information and affect impressions and opinions.           Before visiting, discuss with your students that all labels and signs they will see at The Children's Museum has been designed by visual image-makers such as graphic artists, illustrators, and photographers. When visiting, ask students to identify various types of print-media, from the signs in the parking lot to the menus on the food court, to the brochures and maps at the front desk. Discuss the elements that make information easy to find and read, as well as enticing, such as font, color, size, and layout. Have students propose ways that their impressions of what they see would be different if the design were different. For instance, does the use of The Children's Museum's logo make it easy to identify the museum and information about the museum? What information does the ScienceWorks logo (with the depictions of various scientific tools, specimens, etc.) convey? How are the labels and signs different at The Children's Museum from those at other museums? How does the potential audience (of children and families) make a difference? Science 8.2.7 Participate in group discussions on scientific topics by restating or summarizing accurately what others have said, asking for clarification or elaboration, and expressing alternative positions.           Schedule a time for your class to visit the Biotechnology Learning Lab, or catch a presentation about the Indiana pond and turtles in ScienceWorks. After listening carefully, ask for additional information or for clarification. Then lead students in a group discussion of what they've learned, summarizing what they've heard, comparing it to prior knowledge, and formulating additional questions for further research.

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