Classroom Activities for "Night at the Museum"

Develop "Night at the Museum" activities to deepen your students' interest in history and science. Plan activities that appeal to varied learning styles, such as visual and kinesthetic learners who thrive with movement. Play a clip to create interest and excitement prior to introducing the activities. Encourage students to share reactions and opinions of the movie prior to the activities.

Students choose characters from the movie, such as President Teddy Roosevelt or Sacagawea. The student assumes the personality of the character through dress, movement, speech and behavior. Assign each student a section of the classroom and invite other classes to tour your class museum. The character "comes to life" when other students walk by and speaks in first person to explain why he is historically significant.

Students create a mini museum using a file folder. Place the title on the outside of the folder. The title may be a "Night at the Museum," or allow students to think of another title that fits the theme. The student glues images printed from the computer inside the folder that are commonly found in museums, such as dinosaurs, explorers or historical figures. He then labels each photo.

Choose a historical figure to research and create a PowerPoint presentation or write a research paper. Begin the research by placing subject headings on index cards, such as childhood, education and importance in history. Take detailed notes and then sequence the cards in the order you will write. If creating a PowerPoint, incorporate images, design and sound to capture the viewer's attention.

After viewing the movie or summarizing the major points for the class, students create a storyboard to display the movie's plot. The teacher models for students how to fold a blank sheet of paper in the middle lengthwise and three times to make six separate boxes. The student draws a scene sequentially in each box to represent the movie's plot and writes a caption below the picture to explain the plot.