Highland Folk Museum curriculum for excellence

Curriculum for Excellence at the Highland Folk Museum

Natural amphitheatre Museums are a great resource for experience based learning and can support learning across the curriculum as well as supporting cross curricular programmes.

A visit to the Highland Folk Museum can support pupils to become:

Successful learners	Confident individuals	Effective contributors	Responsible citizens
A visit to the museum provides many opportunities for pupils to strengthen skills that will help them learn in other contexts. Some of the skills they can develop on site have been mapped below.	Understanding more about their own past and/ or the cultural heritage that surrounds them can help pupils to gain confidence and an appreciation of the place they live.	The experience of visiting the museum will provide lots of opportunities for pupils to discuss and debate the things they have seen and done there, as well as to apply classroom learning to a new context. Opportunities are available for team working.	A visit to the museum is an excellent opportunity to reinforce the need for pupils to be responsible for their own wellbeing and the need to consider others. You may wish to download our Pre-Visit Activity from the Themes and resources page.

Curriculum Opportunities at the Highland Folk Museum

Science

Traditional fuels The Pinewoods on our site are a wonderful environmental feature, containing lots of living things, from plant life to red squirrels, for pupils to observe and record. In the township pupils can also see natural fuels in use to heat and light the buildings. The township is also an excellent opportunity for pupils to see the way people lived before electricity, while in another part of the site we feature a small wind generator from the 1930s. The site offers a fully multi-sense experience to all visitors and pupils can discuss what they have learned through their different senses.

Modern languages

Although our site represents the cultural heritage of the Highlands, there are some opportunities for pupils to practice modern languages. Our introductory DVD can be watched in several languages (including Spanish, Italian, French and German). We are also developing short explanatory guides in these languages. There are plenty of opportunities to develop discussions with your class about many aspects of the site.

Gaelic (learners)

Bilingual interpretation The museum's new interpretation policy means that any new interpretation added to the site will be in both Gaelic and English. Visitors can experience more and more of the site in Gaelic, which will help support their learning. Our introductory DVD can be viewed in Gaelic and increasingly Gaelic interpretation appears on the site. If you are planning to visit with a group of Gaelic learners, please let us know at time of booking and we will try to ensure that our staff who speak Gaelic can be here to welcome you on your visit.

Mathematics and Numeracy

Croft Garden The site here provides lots of opportunities for the practical application of mathematical learning. Before a visit pupils can enter the planned trip in a calendar and work out how long it will take to get to and from the museum. While on site, pupils can make estimates and take measurements of buildings as well as learning to record this information. We also have two gardens on site, a great setting for counting, measuring and the development of discussions about seasons for Early Years pupils.

Expressive Arts

As well as providing an insight into the culture of Scotland, the Highland Folk Museum is a fantastic catalyst for work in all art forms. The site can offer a backdrop for drama and inspiration for visual artwork and design. Pupils can also use the site to inspire dance and music.

Social studies

Wind generator The Highland Folk Museum is a great place for pupils to participate in experiences that will help them to develop an understanding of how Scotland has developed as a nation over the past 250 years. At the museum their local and national heritage is brought to life, helping pupils to locate, explore and link periods, people and events in time.

The site is also idea for the development of relevant Social studies skills:

Describing Interpreting Summarising	Researching Recording Gathering & using information	Exploring Identifying Investigating	Comparing Measuring
As pupils will be encountering unfamiliar objects and environments this is an excellent opportunity to develop skills in describing, interpreting and summarising.	A visit to the Highland Folk Museum offers pupils the opportunity to research and record information, which can be used back in the classroom.	Although pupils are likely to encounter unfamiliar objects and environments, these objects and environments are presented in context, aiding the exploration and investigation of these towards understanding and identification.	Pupils can draw comparisons between life today and in the past, as well as between periods of time. There are also opportunities for the measuring of spaces, which can be compared to similar spaces that they use today.

Literacy and English

Agricultural implements By using the museum's DVD and Visitor Guide with pupils before a visit they can develop skills in watching and listening to gain information.

The museum site provides lots of opportunities for pupils to discuss and interact. You may want pupils to gather information and photographs while on a visit, which they can compile into a report or presentation.

Literacy and Gàidhlig

By using the museum's DVD (this can be watched in Gàidhlig) with pupils before a visit they can develop skills in watching and listening to gain information.

If you are planning to visit with a group of Gaelic pupils, please let our staff know at time of booking and we will try to ensure that our staff who speak Gaelic can be here to welcome you on your visit.

Technologies

Traditional communications technology The Highland Folk Museum site can offer opportunities for pupils to understand the role and impact of technologies in changing society. By comparing the technologies (agricultural, building, transport, lighting, heating, communication) at the Township and at the Croft with those available today, they should be able to develop a picture of how technologies have changed life in Scotland over the past 250 years.

Health and wellbeing

Paths through the Pinewoods Heritage is a great way to help young people to develop confidence, self-awareness and self-worth. As a chance to explore where they came from and the cultural heritage that surrounds them, it can be key to discovering where they have come from.

The museum's large open air site also presents plenty of opportunities for pupils to be physically active.