How to make a Museum Loans kit

The Queensland Museum has a statewide loans service with thousands of objects and kits. Borrowers include schools, universities, kindergartens, aged care and community groups.

Here are some guidelines for anyone planning to make travelling kits for object-based learning:

How many objects?

What goes in the box?

What's in a Teachers’ Guide?

How big?

What do you pack it in?

How do you pack it?

On the Web?

How many objects?

There’s no simple answer. Many loans are individual objects; some themed kits have many components. Here are some factors to consider:

• What is the target age group?

  • Younger students will happily sit on the floor around the teacher to discuss a single object or display, but will also benefit from being able to handle real objects

  • Teachers of older students may prefer to have multiple objects that can be investigated by individuals or small groups around the classroom

• What is the teaching content?

• If you’re communicating a single big idea, one well chosen object may be best. Or you may be able to link a wide range of educational outcomes to an interesting object - example:

• Other content areas may benefit from a collection of objects, for example Queensland Museum Loans has many objects in their kits of kitchen technologies,archaeology or biodiversity of an environment:

• How will it travel?

  The logistics of packing the kit into a travel case may determine how many objects you can include – see ‘How big?’

What goes in the box?

• Apart from the objects, you will need to consider:

  • Object labels - everything needs a label securely attached, identifiying it as part of the kit and saying what it is

  • Packing list of all the contents – example (92k pdf)

  • Background information about the objects - this may be some text providing facts and context for the objects, or as in this example, a set of object cards that can be used for games and activites

  • Teachers’ Guide - example (94k pdf)

  • Supporting resources - books, photos, links to on-line resources

What's in a Teachers’ Guide?

• Teachers will appreciate a concise document that suggests creative ways they can use the kit in their program. It should include:

  • Target age group(s)

  • Learning Outcomes that will be supported by this resource (from the syllabus for each relevant Key Learning Area)

  • Purpose – a brief statement of what the kit aims to achieve

  • Resources – what’s in the box

  • Learning Experiences – lesson ideas for using the kit

  • Links to support material - any other related books, websites, contacts etc.

  • Risk Assessment – any possible issues teachers need to consider eg. potential allergic reaction to specimens’ fur or feathers

• Download an example of a teachers’ guide (94k pdf) or a blank template (80k rtf)

• As well as activities specific to the kit, you may include some more general object-based learning strategies

How big?

• Size

  As a rough guide, consider whether the package will fit on the back seat of a small car (with this means of transport in mind, also avoid having sharp corners or catches that could damage upholstery)

• Weight

• Could a borrower easily lift it into the back seat of a small car? There are various workplace standards for lifting weights – about 10 Kg seems to be a reasonable maximum.

• Dividing a kit into two or three small boxes may make it easier to handle than one very large one.

What do you pack it in?

• Objects in transit will be knocked, squashed and tipped so the packaging needs to be durable and provide firm support for contents

• Avoid heavy materials like wood and thick acrylic (‘Perspex’). Plastics and foam provide lightweight, durable alternatives. For smaller kits, plastic containers are available in various sizes.

• The lids need some form of positive fastener to keep them on during travel, for example 'Velcro' straps like this:

• For larger kits, nylon tubs like the ‘Nally bin’ are a a lightweight, cost-effective solution. They have rounded corners and no sharp edges. Again, the clip-on lids will need some form of positive fastener.
• If your kit needs to be tough enough for handling by commercial freight companies, it may need a custom made solution like this road case. These are very durable and can come with heavy duty handles and wheels for portability, but have greater weight and cost.

How do you pack it all in?

• It's important that everything fits in easily, otherwise objects may be lost or damaged when users resort to 'creative' packing solutions

• If it’s not immediately obvious how everything fits into the box, users will appreciate a clear diagram and packing list – example

• Provide suitable packing materials to protect objects from each other and minimise movement in transit - packing examples

On the Web?

• Consider whether the kit would benefit from an on-line version. If you have already developed a Teachers’ Guide and supporting documents, these could easily be made into a website with images of the objects.

• A supporting website will:
  • be useful for promotion, providing users with a preview of the content
  • provide ongoing access to the information for users once they have returned the kit
  • may be a useful stand-alone resource for those who can’t access the kit.

   

 

 

 

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