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Workshop Programme
Our extensive workshop programme ranges from Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2. Workshops take place in the galleries and in our newly refurbished learning rooms, the Finds Lab and the Science Lab.
We also welcome secondary school groups and offer online resources at mylearning.org - skip to Secondary School visits for more information.
Each workshop is for a maximum of 30 pupils, unless otherwise stated. Each has its own risk assesment which can be downloaded in PDF form.
Click here for National Curriculum links for each workshop.
Prices
1 hour workshop - £60
1 hour 30 minutes workshop - £70
2 hour workshop - £80
Please note that admission charges also apply for schools from outside the York area. See Making a Visit for more information.
History
Romans: Exploring Eboracum , Foundation Stage, KS2
1 hour 30 minutes, Risk Assessment
Pupils meet the Censor for Eboracum, who has muddled up his records and needs their help to correctly identify the citizens from the slaves. Pupils dress as Romans and then through handling real artefacts and taking part in hands-on activities, the pupils investigate the lives of six characters who lived in Roman York.
The activities include using a quern stone, creating Roman hairstyles, building a Roman arch and trying on replica Roman armour.
Vikings: Warriors to Settlers, KS2
1 hour 30 minutes, Risk Assessment
Pupils imagine they have travelled back 1000 years to experience Viking life first hand. Costumes and Viking names help to set the scene of a Viking village in Denmark whose inhabitants have to vote on whether or not to set sail for a new life.
The class act out a saga of a perilous voyage to Jorvik. Pupils handle Viking objects and take part in activities to explore ideas of Viking crafts, home, trade, art and learning.
Egyptians: The Egyptian way of death, KS2
1 hour 30 minutes, Risk Assessment
Pupils meet a Victorian Egyptologist who is investigating the mysterious tomb of Kemmet. To discover the lost statue of Anubis, pupils must work through a series of challenges including the mummification and embalming process, using our specially constructed mummy, wrapping a mummy and making their own amulet.
Pupils also handle Egyptian artefacts to explore Egyptian beliefs about death and the afterlife. If they can decipher the final hieroglyphic message of Kemmet and apply their knowledge of the Egyptian Way of Death they may discover where the statue is hidden.
Tudors: Prince and Paupers - a journey through rich and poor life in Tudor York, KS2
2 hours
Explore the life of Brother Thomas, former soldier and monk during the time of Henry VIII. He is now struggling to survive in Tudor York and needs the help of your group of beggars to help him find three objects which he can take to the new Queen Elizabeth and help him gain back his lost wealth.
Handle objects from merchants, traders, knights and monks to find out more about the life of people in Tudor York. Learn about illuminated manuscripts and dining etiquette.
Science
Fire Away! Feeling the Force of Roman Catapults, KS2
1 hour 30 minutes, Risk Assessment
How did the Roman engineers use science and technology to conquer the Empire? The pupils design and build a model catapult and fire away to find out which model launches the ball furthest.
The Earth and Beyond, KS2
1 hour 30 minutes, Risk Assessment
Meet Georgian astronomer Edward Piggott, or his niece, who are lookign for a pupil who can solve an astronomical puzzle and prove themselves worthy to be his apprentice. Pupils take part in a number of space-related activities and also have the chance to explore the oldest working observatory in Yorkshire and its Victorian telescop, outside in the Museum Gardens.
Incredible Dinosaurs, KS1
1 hour 30 minutes, Risk Assessment
Pupils investigate the differences between land-roaming dinosaurs, the ferocious marine ichthyosaurs and the skydiving pterosaurs. After investigating the process of fossilisation, they handle dinosaur footprints and bones and other fossils, then make moulds and cast their own fossils.
Mini Beasts, KS1
1 hour 30 minutes (summer term only)
Pupils hunt for mini beasts in the Museum Gardens then take their creatures to the Science Lab to identify what they've found. Looking closely at their mini beasts will help them to learn more about them.
Finally they will compare the Museum Gardens mini beasts with examples from the Yorkshire Museum's natural history collections.
Amazing Adaptations, KS2
1 hour 30 minutes, Risk Assessment
Pupils learn about the concept of adaptations which have evolved over time in birds to allow them to make the most of available food in their habitat. They examine birds' skulls and beaks to determine the type of food eaten and how the beak shape and size relates to the food sources.
They can then transfer their knowledge of adaptations to other animals and plants.
Forensic Science: Who Were You? KS2
2 hours, only available during York Festival of Science and Technology week, 12 - 16 March, 2012
Pupils become forensic scientists to find out whether a skeleton found in the Museum Gardens was a Roman child, a Viking warrior or a Medieval monk. They use scientific and archaeological investigations to determine the gender, age and means of death. Look out for red herrings too!
Pupils have the chance to handle real artefacts and examine real human remains.
Enhance your visit using our Learning Journeys at mylearning.org.
Ideas and Evidence in Science: The Kirkdale Cave
KS3 & KS4 Science
A study of the Kirkdale Cave and its contents can support studies of the National Curriculum for Science which states that, as part of scientific enquiry, pupils in both Key Stages 3 and 4 should be taught about ideas and evidence in science.
http://www.mylearning.org/ideas-and-evidence-in-science-the-kirkdale-cave/p-452/
Medieval Realms
KS3 - History
Unit4 - How did the medieval church affect people's lives?
Learning objective
To learn about the medieval church and its impact on everyday people's lives
St Mary's Abbey in York was one of the most powerful and wealthy in the North of England. It owned land across the country and its monks occupied the site from its foundation inthe 1080sto itsdestruction by Henry VIII in 1539.
This learning journey combines information about the background of St Mary's Abbey, aimed at teachers, and a virtual tour of the abbey, designed to be used by pupils in the classroom.
Afterwards, you can test your pupils' knowledge with the quiz, which can be found under "Additional Resources". Each question links back to the areas of the virtual tour.
