Educational Programming Guide
Updated
March 9, 2010
Curriculum-related programs introduce students to specific museum topics or exhibit areas. All programs include a guided tour of related museum exhibits plus hands-on, object-based learning activities. Educational programs are free with paid museum admission.
Advanced reservations and museum or combo admission are required for these programs.
Programs times: weekdays at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 1:00 or 2:00 unless otherwise noted. |
 There is no additional charge for your class to attend a school program. A free-will donation, covering the cost of supplies, would be greatly appreciated and help the Hastings Museum continue to provide excellent education opportunities for our youth.
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School Programs
Programs run approximately 45 minutes, but can be adapted to meet your needs. Please limit two programs per visit.
Fossil Fun — Grades K-1 — State Standards
Hunting for dinosaurs in Nebraska can be puzzling. Find out why as we explore the science of paleontology and the types of fossils we have found in our state. Our experience begins as we go back millions of years to learn how fossils form. Students will discover just how big marine reptiles were. We will end our journey by searching for the similarities of dinosaurs to their cousins, the birds.
Kool-Aid Laboratory — Grades K-1 — State Standards
Discover early 20th century Nebraska as you follow the life of the REAL Kool-Aid Man, Edwin Perkins. Our young adventurers will enjoy seeing the homes and tools of yesteryear, bartering in the D.M. Perkins General Merchandise, and creating a new flavor of Kool-Aid. Bring your taste buds…this one’s a treat! This class includes a tour of the exhibit Kool-Aid: Discovering the Dream.
North American Mammals — Grades 1-3 — State Standards
Join us for some furry fun on a tour of our Wildlife Diorama Hall! Students employ their observational skills to identify a number of scientific concepts including classification, physical and behavioral adaptation, communication, and habitat. Hands-on activities include animal skins, skulls, scat, foot imprints, and teeth identification.
Plains Indian Family — Grades 1-3 — State Standards
Discover the commonalities of the Plains people as we introduce clothing, adornment, food, shelter, and gender roles with a guided tour of the People on the Plains exhibit. Students learn Native American dancing with drums and bells and make a souvenir bead bracelet.
Dino Dig — Grades 2-3 — State Standards
Participate in a paleontology dig for fossil remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. From T-rex to Imperial mammoths, this excavation has it all! With a guided tour of our Fossils exhibit, students are introduced to prehistoric animals of Nebraska, environmental change through time, physical adaptation, and scientific methodology.
Kool-Aid Kitchen — Grades 2-3 — State Standards
Crazy, KOOL, kitchen chemistry just for kids! Discover Edwin Perkins, chemist and entrepreneur, who created this KOOL drink here in Hastings, Nebraska. See a part of Edwin’s childhood in the D.M. Perkins General Merchandise. Make a mess of mom’s kitchen as we blend, brew, mix and measure to concoct our own creations. There is also a guided tour of the Kool-Aid: Discover the Dream exhibit.
Gee! What’s Geology — Grades 2-6 — State Standards
Rocks, minerals, and gold, oh my! Students will follow along as we explore the Rocks and Minerals exhibit including a tour of our glow in the dark room. They will learn to identify and differentiate between minerals and the three different types of rocks. Hands-on activities include rock classification, panning for fool’s gold and a souvenir rocks and minerals chart.
 Nebraska Territory — Grades 3-6 — State Standards
Grab your wagon or handcart as you migrate to Nebraska following an authentic record of historic immigrants. Through this experience, students may gain an appreciation for the hardships endured and contributions made by the people who helped establish Nebraska as a state. Will you survive the trip?
Building the State — Grades 4-6 — State Standards
This interactive class explores the history of the Cornhusker State. Students will build Nebraska while learning about our unique unicameral system, agriculture, transportation, state symbols, and notable Nebraskans. Key people and events will come alive as the class assembles the state piece by piece to discover how the past has helped build Nebraska into "the good life" state that it is today. Students will get to take their gigantic, hand-built map back to the classroom as a souvenir.
 Corps of Discovery — Grades 4-6 — State Standards
Take part in the Lewis and Clark expedition! Adventurers must overcome numerous obstacles to discover a route to the West Coast. You can travel by keelboat, navigate a trail to the shore of the Pacific, and even collect unusual artifacts and animals native to the area just like Lewis and Clark did over 200 years ago.
Kool-Aid Chemistry — Grades 4-6 — State Standards
Enter the creative world of Edwin Perkins, inventor of Kool-Aid. This class begins with a tour of the exhibit, Kool-Aid: Discover the Dream, where you will explore many Perkins inventions. Students will learn about Perkins’ innovative advertising techniques, test their own experiments, and make a sweet Kool-Aid treat.
The Pawnee — Grades 4-6 — State Standards
Students will gain an appreciation for the blending of cultures in America through a guided tour of the People of the Plains exhibit. They will make a bear claw necklace to take home, grind corn, do their own winter count, and learn to question long-held stereotypes of Native Americans.
Overland Trails — Grades 6-8 — State Standards
In this role-playing program, you can haul freight to New Mexico on the Santa Fe Trail, travel with Brigham Young in his search for Zion, become an entrepreneur during the California Gold Rush or experience the fate of the Donner Party in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Follow missionary Narcissa Whitman as she becomes the first white woman to travel the Oregon Trail as we trek the many Overland Trails through the museum.
Preschool Adventure & Kindergarten Fun
 Search Activities Search activities for grades K-12 are handouts created as an additional learning tool for Teacher-Guided Tours. Search activities are available here, or ask for a master copy of your chosen topic when you make your reservations. Please bring pencils for your group.
Lied Super Screen Theatre
Teachers can see a large-format film anytime for just $4.00 each. (Family members and guests are charged regular admission fees.) Please present your state education association card for the discounted rate. Plus, if you bring your class back to see a large-format film, your ticket is FREE when you show your previous ticket stub. You'll also receive a Teacher's Guide for the film on the day your class visits while supplies last.
Currently Showing
Click here for current films.
Film Library
Ask about other large-format films available from our film library. Special showtimes can be arranged for these films at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Regular public shows start on the hour from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Available titles are subject to change.
 J.M. McDonald Planetarium
School shows are scheduled on the hour from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Other times may be arranged with the planetarium staff.)
Planetarium seating capacity is 48 people.
 The Sky Tonight — Grades K-12 (30-45 minutes)
Our version of the traditional planetarium show: a live, interactive tour of the current sky. Your show presenter points out the bright stars, constellations, planets, and any unusual sights that await the stargazer. Questions from the audience are encouraged after the tour. This show is adapted for different grades and levels of interest.
First Stars — Grade Pre-K (about 15 minutes)
A shortened version of The Sky Tonight for very young skywatchers,
this show begins with a sunset and ends with sunrise.
Fulldome Shows
Fulldome shows are pre-recorded and include a video image covering nearly the entire dome. A short The Sky Tonight show may be added at the close of the fulldome show if desired.
The Little Star That Could — Grades K-3 (40 minutes)
This show tells the story of a star searching for his planets. Along the way, the Little Star discovers how stars are born, how stars die, and why stars have different colors. Near the end of his search, the Little Star finds out about planets. An old favorite that looks as good as ever in fulldome!
NEW!— STARS — Grades 4-12 (30 minutes)
Every star has a story. Some are faint and almost forgotten. Others burn bright and end their lives in powerful explosions. New stars are created every day within vast clouds of gas and dust. Journey to the furthest reaches of our galaxy and experience both the awesome beauty and destructive power of STARS.
 Black Holes — Grades 5-12 (30 minutes)
Some of the most bizarre, enigmatic objects known, black holes defy the imagination. In this show, we explore how black holes form, their strange properties, and what exactly would happen if one got too close! Very highly recommended.
Season of Light — Grades 4-12 (40 minutes)
Formerly 'Tis the Season, this popular holiday show has been renamed for fulldome. But we can now play it year-round in the new format. Here we discuss the origins of holiday traditions, concluding with a possible explanation for the famous Star of Bethlehem.
 Two Small Pieces of Glass — Grades 3-12 (40 minutes)
Four-hundred years ago, in 1609, Galileo Galilei built a "spyglass" (a small telescope) and aimed it to the heavens. In doing so, Galileo viewed celestial objects as they had never been seen before; his resulting discoveries changed our view of the universe forever. In this show we examine those discoveries and how they led to a radical shift in our perceived place in the cosmos.
Other Activities
 Solar Observing - Grades 4-12 (approx. 20 minutes)
Participants safely view our nearest star, the Sun, in three different ways: with the unaided eye, through a telescope equipped with a white-light solar filter (revealing sunspots, if any, on the disk), then finally through a hydrogen-alpha filter, allowing us to see the spectacular prominences along the Sun’s limb. (The outside temperature must be at least 30° F for the h-alpha filter to operate properly). This activity is recommended for groups of 20 people or less.
Planning Your Field Trip
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