Lessons for Pre-K to Grade 8
The Strong offers a wide range of educational programs for students in pre-K through grade 8 amid dynamic, hands-on exhibits and world-renowned collections. These lessons can be adapted to meet the needs of teachers or utilized by homeschoolers. School lessons are only available during the school year September to June. Lesson prices are indicated in the descriptions below. If your lesson does not include a visit to the butterfly garden, it can be added for $6 per person.
Interested in a group visit without a school lesson? Please visit the Field Trip information page.
Math
In this hands-on lesson, students will explore the world of business and finance by creating their own business plans. Through role-playing and math activities, they will learn about budgeting, pricing, and marketing, and develop skills in critical thinking, creativity, and communication. This lesson is suitable for elementary students who want to explore the world of business in a hands-on and interactive way. Whether they dream of starting their own business someday or just want to learn more about money and finance, this lesson will provide a solid foundation for their future success.
Grades 2-3, 45 minutes, $14 per student
Math Standards
- MATH.CONTENT.2.OA.A.1 – Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
- MATH.CONTENT.2.OA.B.2 – Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.
- MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.1 – Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each.
Science
Welcome to the exciting “Butterfly Life Cycle Exploration” lesson at the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden! In this immersive and hands-on experience, students will dive into the enchanting world of butterflies and their life cycle. Through observation, informational text, sketching, discussion, and movement, students will deepen their understanding of the butterfly life cycle and express their thinking in creative ways. Let’s embark on this captivating journey together!
Grades 1-3, 45 minutes, $15 per student
Speaking and Listening Standards
- SL1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade-level topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
Reading Informational Text Standards
- RI1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
Next Gen Science Standards
- Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death
With a keen eye for design, color, and a splash of curiosity, students enter the fabulous Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden and learning lab. Students become lepidopterists as they visit the garden to observe live butterflies and spend time in the lab closely observing preserved specimens. After playing an interactive game about predators and prey, they make valuable discoveries about butterfly predators and how butterflies protect themselves.
Grades 1-3, 45 minutes, $15 per student
Next Generation Science Standards
- LS1-1 (Grades K-2): Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
- LS2.A (Grades 3-5): Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: The food of almost any kind of animal can be traced back to plants. Organisms are related in food webs in which some animals eat plants for food and other animals eat the animals that eat plants.
Join us for an exciting adventure in the enchanting realm of butterflies and their incredible life cycle. This engaging lesson plan combines hands-on exploration, captivating storytelling, and creative movement to deepen your understanding of these fascinating creatures.
Grades PreK-K, 45 minutes, $15 per student
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2: With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
- ELA-LITERACY.RL. K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
- ELA-LITERACY.RL. K.7: With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear.
Next Generation Science Standards
- K-LS1-1: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
- K-LS1-2: Use and share observations of local plants and animals to describe patterns.
Welcome to our captivating lesson on butterflies! Prepare for an immersive journey into the fascinating world of these delicate creatures and their remarkable adaptations. In this engaging and hands-on experience, students will become budding lepidopterists as they step into the enchanting Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden and Learning Lab.
Grades 3-5, 45 minutes, $15 per student
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
- ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3: Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
Next Generation Science Standards
- NGSS 3-LS4-2: Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
- NGSS 3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat, some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Language Arts
Join Ernie, Grover, and Cookie Monster on an unforgettable journey through the captivating world of letters and sounds in our action-packed “Ernie’s Alphabet Adventure” lesson. Embark on a thrilling hunt in the renowned “Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street” exhibit, where Ernie has lost the special letter vests, he made for his dear friends Grover and Cookie Monster and it’s up to you, to help Ernie find the missing vests and save the day!
Grades PreK-K, 45 minutes, $14 per student
Reading Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1. D: Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
Speaking and Listening Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.SL. K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1. A: Print many upper- and lowercase letters.
- ELA-LITERACY.L.K.2. D: Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.
Welcome to the “Exploring American and Cultural Toys from Then and Now” lesson at One History Place! In this engaging and interactive lesson, students will dive into the fascinating world of toys, discovering how they have evolved over time and exploring their cultural significance. By the end of this lesson, students will have a deeper understanding of how toys reflect changes in society, culture, and technology. Let’s embark on this exciting journey together!
Grades 3-5, 45 minutes, $14 per student
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
- ELA-LITERACY.VA.3-5.11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
- ELA-LITERACY.RH.3.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Step into the magical realm of Reading Adventureland, where students’ imagination becomes their passport to becoming a fairy tale character from one of our five immersive dramatic play sections. Through vibrant role-play, they will uncover the depth of story elements, understand character motivations, and navigate the twists and turns of plot development. Join us and witness your child’s storytelling and reading passion kindle and flare like never before.
Grades K-2, 45 minutes, $14 per student
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY. Rl.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and ask questions about key details in a text.
- ELA-LITERACYR.L.K.2: With prompting and support, retell stories, including key details of the story.
- ELA-LITERACYR.L. K.7: With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear (e.g., what person, place, thing, or idea in the text an illustration depicts).
- ELA-LITERACY. Rl.K.9: With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
Join us for a fun and interactive journey to learn about nutrition and mindful eating! In this lesson, kindergartners will engage in dramatic play, movement, and math activities to discover which foods help people stay strong and energized. Taking on the roles of shoppers at Wegmans Super Kids Market, students will select foods that support overall wellness. To further explore this topic, students will also have the opportunity to create a collage of various food options, encouraging them to think creatively about making choices for their bodies.
Grades K-3, 45 minutes, $14 per student
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
- ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K.3: With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
Immerse your students in the captivating world of storytelling as they explore the importance of setting in this interactive lesson. Working in small groups, students will develop the plot of a short story, focusing on a specific setting within Reading Adventureland. By analyzing the impact of setting on a story’s elements, students will gain new insights and inspiration for their own writing. Join us on this literary adventure and unlock the power of setting in storytelling!
Grades 3, 45 minutes, $14 per student
Reading Standards
- 3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
- 3.2: Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
- RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
Social Studies
Discover the vibrant world of toys as we embark on an engaging exploration of playtime traditions across different countries. In this immersive lesson, students will delve into the rich tapestry of cultural diversity, uncovering unique toys, and gaining a deeper understanding of how children from various corners of the globe play. By participating in this exciting lesson, students will become playtime ambassadors, equipped with knowledge, empathy, and a global perspective on toys and play.
Grades 3-5, 45 minutes, $14 per student
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
- Students can utilize this standard when examining the historical context of toys from different countries and understanding the cultural significance behind them.
Social Studies Standards
- SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Join us for an exciting journey through time as we explore life in the past! In this hands-on lesson, students will step back in time to experience what life was like for children and families in earlier eras. During this lesson, students will participate in a range of engaging activities that will transport them back to another era. They will sit in a one-room schoolhouse and use quill pens and slates to practice writing their names. They will visit an old-fashioned kitchen and help prepare tea on a stove like the ones used in the past. They will learn about transportation in the past by shoveling coal into a pretend steam engine. And they will play dress-up in Grandma’s attic, trying on clothes and playing with toys from the past.
Grades 1-3, 45 minutes, $14 per student
English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
Social Studies Standards
- SOCIAL STUDIES.CONTENT.K.H.1: Demonstrate an understanding that people change over time.
- SOCIAL STUDIES.CONTENT.1.C&G.1: Explain how people in a community work together to meet their needs and wants.
Booking a Lesson
- All group reservations must be submitted online at least 30 days in advance using the Group Visit Request form below. Space fills up quickly so book early!
- Once we enter your reservation onto our calendar, you will receive an invoice confirmation via email within 2 business day. If you do not receive a confirmation email with an order #, contact us at info@museumofplay.org ASAP to ensure we received your request.
- All lessons require a minimum of 15 students. You are welcome to book a lesson with fewer however you will be charged the 15 minimum.
- All lessons have a maximum of 30 students. If you have more than 30, we will do our best to schedule multiple lessons to accommodate. If you are at the museum for a limited time, it may not be possible to get your entire group into lessons.
- Children must be supervised at all times. The museum requires one adult chaperone for every five paid student/child tickets. These chaperones are included free of charge.
- Any additional chaperones visiting with your group will pay the regular admission rate.
- Full payment or purchase order is due two weeks in advance of your visit date. Unpaid reservations will be cancelled.
- If the billing contact is different from the group reservation contact, include those details in the notes section of the Group Visit Request form.
- Group reservations are not refundable.
- A lunch space can be reserved for your group if available. Lunch periods last 30 minutes. We will attempt to schedule your entire group in one lunch period; however, large groups may be scheduled over multiple lunch periods.
- Groups may bring a bagged lunch or order from the food court. Lunch bags will be stored on labeled carts in the lunchrooms. We cannot refrigerate or reheat any lunches.
- There is a bus drop off lane located in front of the museum on Adventure Place.
- When you arrive, do not leave the bus until a museum staff member instructs you to do so.
- The museum does not have bus parking onsite. Buses may park offsite in a lot located off Alexander Street. This lot is located about two blocks from the museum. Maximum vehicle height for the parking garage is 8’ 2”.
- PDF of the bus drop off and parking map.
- An admission discount of $2 off per student is available for Rochester City School District class visits.
- Make any chaperone-student groupings and review the museum map before arriving at the museum.
- A museum staff member will give your group a brief museum orientation when you arrive.
- If you have additional adults and children that need to pay, please do so online before arriving.
- Ensure you have your bus driver’s phone number.
- Visit the Accessibility page for social stories and information about accommodations for students with special needs. If a student requires a 1:1 aide, please note that on the group visit request form.
- Museum security staff are certified in first aid and CPR. If assistance is required, please notify museum staff.
- Children with a museum membership attending a lesson must pay the lesson fee.
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