THE MINI MUSEUM
a ‘wunderkammer’ cabinet of curiousities and natural items to inspire the imagination and creativity in class - from Week 3 onwards and into other weeks too, can be used ongoing
This resource has been created with our designer Inigo Hartas. A collection of natural and found ephemera- animal, vegetable and mineral - that can be used to inspire nature writing and creativity in the classroom. Teachers can take turns to borrow it and use it for closer exploration and object-based creative writing starting points/drawing activities.
Children can choose which objects they want to focus on and take out of the sections to place onto a piece of card/paper and focus on. Or several different ones may want to be placed in the middle of different group tables.
Magnifying glasses could be used to help children examine them closer. Gentle handling and touching encouraged (note: some items are very fragile like butterfly wings/moths/crabs).
Ideas for different years but do use as you imagine/feel inspired to?
KEY STAGE 1 IDEAS
What might a tiny creature use this object for? If you were shrunk down to be tiny, what could this be? Story starters
What is your favourite item and what words can use to describe it? Adjectives. Textures. Shapes.
What does it remind you of? Metaphor and simile
What else could it be? How might an Inkling use this?
Choose three objects and think of a story that would link them together.
Write a poem (could be any form) inspired by one of the objects. Focussing on the details you notice about it and what it reminds you of.
Do a drawing or diagram of the object and label what you’ve noticed about it.
EARLY YEARS
World Building inspired by the objects / using them -
Natural items small parts play -
What might a tiny creature use this object for? If you were shrunk down to be tiny, what could this be?
What is your favourite item and what words can use to describe it? Adjectives.
What does it remind you of?
What else could it be? How might an Inkling use this?
KEY STAGE 2
Meditation on one of the objects
Choose one of the objects/look at your chosen object. Sit with it still and look closely at it.
Place it on the palm of your hand, gently, how does it feel? How heavy is it?
What colours can you see in it?
What does it make you think of?
Where do you think this object has been?
What might it have seen or experienced during its life cycle?
Imagine you are this object for a moment. Or that you are a tiny creature that is living inside it/on it.
Let your thoughts come and go like clouds coming and going. Imagine you are having a conversation with your object. What would you like to ask? What might this object want to tell you?
Share in words with the group and try writing down words/phrases/dialogue/poem/haiku/ acrostic/letter from your ideas from this meditation and imagining exercise.