Students from Blair Mc Pherson's class will participate in a week-long Museum School program at the Royal Alberta Museum in January. During Museum School, students will learn about Alberta's history and natural environment by exploring the museum galleries, interviewing experts, and using the museum as their classroom. They will journal about what they learn each day and create their own museum exhibit to share back at school. Parents are needed as volunteers during the week and there is a minimal cost for transportation. Afterwards, the students will present what they learned at a "Night at the Museum" event in May for their family and community.

1. Museum School Blair Mc Pherson’s Night at the Museum 2011-2012

2. What is Museum School At Museum School: Students will participate in a unique week long opportunity to explore the Royal Alberta Museum We will have our own education tour guide (Jessica) We will use the museum as our classroom to learn more about Alberta

3. At Museum School Students will: Interview museum experts (paleontologists, archeologists, gemologists etc.) Be given an opportunity to experience and learn about Alberta’s story as told by each of the different departments at the museum be taught how to capture what they see and learn in a journal expand on what they discovered at the museum back at school develop a familiarity of the galleries and collections and experience a change in the way they look at their community, province, and themselves Create their own museum exhibit back at school

4. When is Museum School Our class has been assigned the week of January 23 to 27th to attend Museum School We will leave the school on a yellow bus every day at 9 and return to the school by 3. Save that Date! Jan. 23 -27

5. How can Parents/ Guardians Help During Museum School, we will require four volunteers each day It would be ideal if volunteers were available for consecutive days In the event that this cannot be arranged, a schedule will be set-up to ensure that we have proper supervision This will be a wonderful opportunity for parents and students alike

6. Cost Museum School is largely subsided by: Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta, Valley of Edmonton, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and Ann Paterson. However, there is still a minimal cost for the week and the transportation cost. The exact amount will be given when the permission form is sent home. TBA

7. Night at the Museum Prior to our visit to the museum, we will be regularly preparing in order to get the most out of our visit After Museum School, pairs of students will be preparing their own exhibit Students exhibits will be shared on a special evening Blair Mc Pherson’s Night at the Museum Date: TBA

8. Sneak Peak at the Museum In August, I had a special opportunity to visit the museum for two days to preview the museum, prepare for Museum School, and had a remarkable opportunity to see behind the scenes (students will be able to see behind the scenes as well)

9. Gallery of Aboriginal Culture

10. Rocks and Minerals

13. Anthony Henday

14. Métis Culture

16. Treaties

17. Clothing

18. Rocks and Minerals

19. Aboriginal Celebrations

20. Natural History Gallery

21. Fossil Heritage

22. Ice Age Mammals

23. Lots of Bugs

27. Birds

29. Birds

30. Flora

32. Wild Alberta

33. Wild Alberta is Divided into the Regions of Alberta

41. Behind the Scenes (A Rare View – Shhhhhhh)

42. Exhibit Models

43. Exhibit Colour Choices

44. Workshop

45. Big Elevator For moving Exhibits

47. Pete the Bug Guy

52. Jessica Our Museum Educator

53. Animal Room

57. Household Objects

61. Night at the Museum I am so excited to share Museum School with my students I am also excited to share our learning with you at A. Blair Mc Pherson’s Night at the Museum I am estimating this celebration will take place in May (TBA)