In the fall of 2024, a partnership emerged between the Watkins Museum of History and the Kindergarten classes at the Lawrence Arts Center and Limestone Community School, now known as the Classroom Learning Collaborative (CLC). The goal of the CLC is to:

• Provide developmentally appropriate museum education in the classroom, centering the value of storytelling and fostering an understanding of the role of museums in local communities.
• Encourage students to utilize the inquiry process, and their creativity and self-expression to connect their personal story to the larger community.
• Foster project based learning that is both open-ended and student-led/adult facilitated.

Watkins education staff met with each classroom monthly throughout the school year, and each meeting included:

• A contextual story
• Facilitated class discussion
• A creative project to further the students knowledge and inspire their imagination

Each “mini-museum” offers a glimpse into a special interest or unique story shared by the students. Enjoy!