Poole Museum and the National Curriculum
Poole Museum is an exciting and stimulating place to explore the curriculum. Our collections can be used to learn about many subjects, develop a range of skills and explore different themes.
Art
Use us for inspiration. Many of our collections are beautiful as well as functional. In particular our ceramics display contains many examples of Poole Pottery.
Citizenship
The life of the people of Poole is central to our exhibitions. If you are looking for local Citizenship resources we can help. Records and objects which show what life was like for ordinary people in the past provide a starting point for discussion.
Design and Technology
Are you interested in materials and how things work? Our collections can be used to make comparisons between old and new technology and examine change over time. Artefacts are also great for investigating materials.
Geography
We hold photographs and maps for different places all around Poole, which you are welcome to consult by appointment. We also run a local studies workshop to introduce your class to their local area.
History
Poole Museum is the perfect place for pupils to develop historical enquiry skills. Come and investigate primary evidence first hand. We have a large collection of artefacts, documents and maps for you to examine. Delve deeper into different time periods with our workshops.
Literacy
Most of our workshops involve speaking, listening, drama and role-play, group interaction and questioning. You can explore different sorts of written evidence in the Local History Centre, from newspapers to personal letters.
Numeracy
Put maths into real life context in the museum. Investigate shape, size and scale using our collections. Pose investigations centred on our archaeological artefacts. Have a go at making your own display in our DIY museum based on objects of the same size, weight or shape.
Science
You may be surprised to find out just how much science goes on in a museum. For example, the science of conservation is behind the scenes work at the museum, but we would love to help you learn more about it.
Creativity
A visit to Poole Museum offers an alternative approach to classroom-based teaching. Understanding our collections requires learners to think broadly and use problem-solving techniques to find out about different topics. Using artefacts, documents and information about the historic environment links can be made between different ideas and concepts.
We have created teachers resource packs aimed at exploring creativity were created by a partnership between;
- Poole Museums
- Children's and Young People's Services
- Local Schools
- local teachers
- the Cultural Hub
The packs were created on smuggling, Brownsea Island and characters from Poole. Each project pack includes resources such as maps and documents and guidance on how they can be used to promote a cross-curricular approach. For more information please email us at museumlearning@poole.gov.uk
Empathy
Cultural organisations, including museums, can be key in helping young people develop emotional intelligence and empathy. Artefacts and documents provide a window on the lives of people from the past. Working with our collections can be used as an opportunity to debate important issues such as crime and punishment, social responsibility, attitudes within society and the differences between rich and poor in the past. Developing empathy is a key objective of our school workshops, particularly our Victorians and Settlers and Invaders workshops.
Environmental Education
Working with the Museum allows for an imaginative insight into environmental matters. We can support the exploration of sustainability using information about life in the past. Examining technological solutions from different time periods can be compared and contrasted to modern solutions. The benefit of hindsight can be applied to thinking about the present and the future.
Learning Styles
We use a range of methods to illustrate the stories of Poole's history. Our displays and exhibition make use of artefacts, text, pictures, sound and film. Our workshops are based on storytelling, drama, crafts and discussion.
Directgov