FCMV Program Descriptions

Our programs are organized into several categories. Click the links to jump to program descriptions in each category. Unless otherwise noted, programs are available as field trips, outreaches, or virtually. We are also happy to help you customize a program to meet your educational needs. To begin the booking process, complete our program request form or email education@fcmv.virginia.gov

Daily Life

Life in the Old World

Step back into the lives of farmers and families in Europe and West Africa during the 1600s and 1700s to discover how farmers organized their farms and lives. Students will experience a day in the life of these farmers, learning how to earn money, grow crops, raise livestock, and do household chores. Hands-on activities vary by exhibit and season. As a field trip: Visit the Museum’s Old World exhibits: 17th-century England, 18th-century West Africa, 18th-century Ireland, Irish Forge, 18th-century Germany. As an outreach: Choose a geographic focus or discuss your objectives with our staff.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: 1.5 Diverse contributions, 1.8 Economics; 2.8 Founding of the nation, 2.13 Economics; 3.3 Geographic features, 3.10 Economics; VS.3 English settlement; USI.3 European colonization, USI.4 Impact of transatlantic slave trade; WG.1 Geography, WG.2 Resources, WG.5 Europe, WG.7 Sub-Saharan Africa, WG.14 Cultural patterns; WHII.4 Revolutions; VUS.2 Characteristics of English colonies, VUS.3 African American culture.

The Early American Experience

Experience a day in the life of American Indians and the first settlers of the frontier on the Eastern Woodlands Indian exhibit and the 1760s Settlement. Then explore life in the early 1800s to see how farms developed from 1820s through 1850s. Seasonally dependent activities include using traditional tools to work with wood, visiting livestock, and helping with wool processing.

Students can also experience a traditional lesson in a one room field school to compare to lessons in today’s schools. As a field trip: Visit the Museum’s American exhibits: Eastern Woodlands Indians, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, 1840s Schoolhouse, 1850s Virginia. As an outreach: Choose a thematic focus or discuss your objectives with our staff.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: K.4 Early communities, K.8 Economics; 1.4 Virginia’s history, 1.5 Virginia’s people, 1.8 Economics; 2.5 Indigenous peoples, 2.8 Founding of nation, 2.13 Economics; 3.10 Economics; VS.2 Indigenous peoples, VS.4 Life in the colony, VS.6 Growth of the nation; USI.2 Indigenous peoples, USI.3 European colonization, USI.4 Impact of transatlantic slave trade; USI.5 Factors shaping Colonial America; CE.11 Economic decisions; VUS.1 Early North America, VUS.3 African American culture; VUS.4 Cooperation and conflict, VUS.7 1800-1850

Life of an Historic Farmer

This program allows you to experience “a day in the life” on both the Old World and the American sides of the museum. Spend a day in the lives of seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth century farm families and discover the importance of livestock, field crops, and gardens to their survival and success. Students perform farm chores, learn how families and communities were organized, and find out how natural resources were used by both consumers and producers. Hands-on activities vary by exhibit and season. Choose any four or five exhibits: 18th-century West Africa, 17th-century England, 18th-century Ireland, Irish Forge, 18th-century Germany, Eastern Woodlands Indians, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, 1840s Schoolhouse, 1850s Virginia.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science (will vary depending on exhibits selected): K.4 Early communities, K.8 Economics; 1.4 Virginia’s history, 1.5 Virginia’s people, 1.8 Economics; 2.5 Indigenous peoples, 2.8 Founding of the nation, 2.13 Economics; 3.3 Geographic features, 3.10 Economics; VS.2 Indigenous peoples, VS.3 English settlement, VS.4 Life in the colony, VS.6 Growth of the nation; USI.2 Indigenous peoples, USI.3 European colonization, USI.4 Impact of transatlantic slave trade; USI.5 Factors shaping Colonial America; CE.11 Economic decisions; WG.1 Geography, WG.2 Resources, WG.5 Europe, WG.7 Sub-Saharan Africa, WG.14 Cultural patterns; WHII.4 Revolutions; VUS.1 Early North America, VUS.2 Characteristics of English colonies, VUS.3 African American culture, VUS.4 Cooperation and conflict, VUS.7 1800-1850.

Movement and Choices

Migration to the American Colonies

Learn the conditions and factors that caused people from Europe and West Africa to migrate, willingly or not, to Great Britain’s North American colonies. Through interactive lessons, students learn about life in the past and explore the challenges and opportunities that confronted the people who left their homes behind. As a field trip: Visit the Museum’s Old World exhibits: 17th-century England, 18th-century West Africa, 18th-century Ireland, Irish Forge, 18th-century Germany. As an outreach: Choose a geographic focus or discuss your objectives with our staff.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: 3.3 Geography, 3.10 Economics; VS.3 English settlement; USI.3 European colonization, USI.4 Impact of transatlantic slave trade; WG.2 Resources, WG.5 Europe, WG.7 Sub-Saharan Africa, WG.14 Cultural patterns; WHII.1 Emerging global age, WHII.4 Revolutions; VUS.2 Characteristics of English colonies, VUS.3 African American culture

Westward Expansion

Investigate why Americans in the late 18th century and early to mid-19th century were looking to move into more fertile land. This program will examine economic and geographic factors that

influenced settlers to uproot their families and move ever farther west from the Eastern seaboard, and the impacts of this migration on Indigenous peoples and enslaved Africans. As a field trip: Visit the Museum’s American exhibits: Eastern Woodlands Indians, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, 1840s Schoolhouse, 1850s Virginia. As an outreach: Discuss your objectives with our staff.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: 3.10 Economics; VS.2 Indigenous peoples, VS.4 Life in the colony, VS.6 Growth of the nation; USI.4 Impact of transatlantic slave trade, USI.6 American Revolution; USI.8 Westward expansion; CE.11 Economic decisions

Settling the Colonial Frontier

This program considers the movement of people from the perspective of both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Interactive experiences help students understand why people left their home countries in the Old World and the interactions they had with each other in America. As a field trip: choose two Old World exhibits (17th-century England, 18th-century West Africa, 18th-century Ireland, Irish Forge, 18th-century Germany) and two American exhibits (Eastern Woodlands Indians, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, or 1850s Virginia). As an outreach: Discuss your objectives with our staff.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: (will vary depending on exhibits selected): 3.3 Geography, 3.10 Economics; VS.2 Indigenous peoples, VS.3 English settlement, VS.4 Life in the colony, VS.6 Growth of the nation; USI.3 European colonization, USI.4 Impact of transatlantic slave trade, USI.6 American Revolution; USI.8 Westward expansion; CE.11 Economic decisions; WG.2 Resources, WG.5 Europe, WG.7 Sub-Saharan Africa, WG.14 Cultural patterns; WHII.1 Emerging global age, WHII.4 Revolutions; VUS.2 Characteristics of English colonies, VUS.3 African American culture

Revolution on the Frontier

Explore the Virginia frontier during the American Revolution with this field trip program as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of American Independence. Sign up for Crockett’s Western Battalion or the Augusta militia, train as a soldier, and see the important roles women played.

This one-hour program visits the American Indian and Valley of Virginia 1760s exhibits. It may be paired with other elements to create a two-hour program. It is suitable for 3rd grade through high school.

This program utilizes historic firearms, which include loud noises.

This is a museum-only program and cannot be an outreach.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: VS.4 Life in the colony, VS.5 American Revolution; USI.5 Factors shaping Colonial America, USI.6 American Revolution; WG.14 Cultural patterns, WG.17 Conflict; VUS.4 Cooperation and conflict, VUS.5 Revolutionary America

Columbian Exchange

Investigate the transfers of plants, animals, culture, people, disease, technology, and ideas that took place after the 1492 voyage of Christopher Columbus. As a field trip, this program takes place on the West African exhibit, Eastern Woodlands Indian exhibit, 1850s American exhibit, and your choice of one of the following: English, Irish, or German exhibit. As an outreach: Discuss your objectives with our staff.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: VS.2 Indigenous peoples, VS.3 English settlement, VS.4 Life in the colony; USI.3 European colonization, USI.4 Impact of transatlantic slave trade, USI.5 Factors shaping Colonial America; WG.2 Resources, WG.3, 4, 5, 7 Regional characteristics, WG.14 Cultural patterns, WG.16 Globalization; WHII.1 Emerging global age, WHII.3 Exploration, WHII.6, 7 Global interactions; VUS.1 Early American trade, VUS.3 African American culture

STEAM

Water and Wetlands

Your students can get a “meaningful watershed educational experience” in one of the Museum’s streams while they learn about its health using the “Save Our Streams” protocol. This program includes chemical and physical analysis, macroinvertebrate identification, and a model watershed.

This one-hour program visits the creek that runs through our Irish forge and farm. It may be paired with other elements to create a two-hour program. Under certain circumstances, it may be available as an outreach.

Virginia Standards of Learning: Science: 3.1 Practices, 3.5 Ecosystems, 3.6 Resources; 4.1 Practices, 4.3 Classification, 4.8 Resources; 6.1 Practices, 6.6 Water, 6.8 Watersheds, 6.9 Human impact; LS.1 Practices, LS.7 Survival, LS.8 Changes, LS.9 Human impact

Natural Resources

Investigate how people represented by museum exhibits used plant, animal, and mineral resources used throughout time. Students explore resource management, conservation methods, habitats, and ecosystems.

This topic can be added as a themed focus to programs in the Daily Life category. If booking as its own program, choose any four or five exhibits: 17th-century England, 18th-century West Africa, 18th-century Ireland, Irish Forge, 18th-century Germany, Eastern Woodlands Indians, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, 1850s Virginia. As an outreach: Discuss your objectives with our staff.

Virginia Standards of Learning: Science: K.6 Living vs Nonliving, K.7 Plants and animals, K.11 Using resources; 1.4 Plants, 1.5 Animals, 1.8 Using resources; 2.5 Living systems, 2.8 Plant resources; 3.8 Earth resources; 4.8 Virginia’s resources

Plants and Animals

Discover the plants and animals living at the Museum. Students visit different farms to meet and greet chickens, goats, cows, pigs, and sheep. Students are also introduced to the various crops

grown on our farms. They learn the many uses of plants and animals in the past and in the present. This program features plenty of hands-on activities!

This topic can be added as a themed focus to programs in the Daily Life category. If booking as its own program, choose four or five exhibits from this list: 17th-century England, 18th-century West Africa, 18th-century Ireland, 18th-century Germany, Eastern Woodlands Indians, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, 1850s Virginia. Under certain circumstances, it may be available as an outreach.

Virginia Standards of Learning: Science: K.6 Living vs Nonliving, K.7 Plants and animals, K.10 Change over time; 1.4 Plants, 1.5 Animals; 2.4 Life cycles, 2.5 Living systems, 2.8 Plant resources; 3.6 Soil, 3.8 Earth resources; 4.8 Virginia’s resources

Soundtrack to Settlement

Explore early America’s musical heritage through live performance with the Museum’s own musicians. Students listen and learn as our musicians reveal the wide-ranging cultural influences that blended to form an American soundtrack. Through singing and dancing, students can become part of the performance.

This topic can be added as a themed focus to Historic Farmer or Settling the Colonial Frontier. If booking as its own program, choose four or five exhibits from this list: 17th-century England, 18th-century West Africa, 18th-century Ireland, 18th-century Germany, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, 1850s Virginia. Available as a field trip or outreach.

Virginia Standards of Learning Music K-12 1 Apply creative thinking, 3 Develop critical thinking skills, 6 Understand cultural influences

Special, Seasonal, and Themed

Empire of Mali outreach program

Have your students see what life would have been like in the Mali Empire. This hands-on, object-based program offers students the opportunity to hear storytelling inspired by Mali’s griots and musicians, trade in an open-air market, and take part in an interactive geography lesson. We will bring this outreach-only program to you.

Virginia Standards of Learning: History and Social Science: 3.3 Geographic features, 3.8 Ancient Mali, 3.10 Economics; WHI.8 Medieval sub-Saharan Africa

Physical Education

People in the past were far more active than most Americans today. Get your students moving with historic outdoor games and work activities at various exhibits. This program supports Virginia’s Physical Education Standards such as motor skills and fitness planning.

This program can be added as a themed focus to any program in the Daily Life category. If booking on its own, choose four or five exhibits from this list: 17th-century England, 18th-century West Africa, 18th-century Ireland, 18th-century Germany, Eastern Woodland Indians, 1760s Valley of Virginia, 1820s Virginia, 1850s Virginia. Available as a field trip or outreach.

Economics (themed focus)

Managing money in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries was much different than today. Learn how farmers in the Old World bought, sold, and traded to get the goods and services they needed. Investigate why some of them decided to leave their homes for economic gains. Explore early forms of currency in America as well as continued buying, trading, and selling. This program supports the Economics strand of Virginia HSS Standards.

This program can be added as a themed focus to any program in the Daily Life or Movement and Choices category.

Holidays in History (December only)

Learn how Christmas was celebrated in the Old World and 19th-century American and how the celebration has changed over time. Students wassail in England, Knock in Germany, and Belsnickel in America. This program is offered only in the month of December on the English, German, 1820s American, and 1850s American exhibits. Available as a field trip or outreach.