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Object Handling Boxes
Using objects in the classroom can support enquiry-led teaching and learning, developing curious minds and providing an opportunity to be investigative and inquisitive.
Our object handling boxes hold a wealth of creative, exciting treasures which link to our museum sites and the wider curriculum, while engaging with the collection from the comfort of your own classroom.
Each box comes complete with information about the objects, ideas on how to use them and a bag of relevant books.
Boxes are £70 for a two-week loan.
You'll collect and return to Weston Park Museum.
Ancient Greece
How was life in Ancient Greece similar and different to our lives today?
Match Ancient Greek replica objects with their modern-day equivalents and discover how the legacies of Ancient Greek life can be found in our lives today.
Book this box
Ancient Egyptians
How was life in Ancient Egypt similar and different to our lives today?
What would you find in an Ancient Egyptian home? What did Ancient Egypt smell like? Why do we have objects from Ancient Egypt in Sheffield? Where did the objects come from and who found them? What can we learn from Ancient Egyptian objects?
Related workshops:
Meet an Ancient Egyptian | An Ancient Egyptian's Story
Art in Nature
Why is it important to examine natural objects?
Why did John Ruskin open a museum based on nature in Sheffield? Can we identify patterns in nature and how does nature inspire artists and designers? Can we create art inspired by nature and what can we learn about natural objects by sketching them? How can we help nature survive?
Related workshops:
Printmakers | Clay Sculpture
Minibeasts
Are invertebrates important and how can we identify them?
What is the life cycle of a butterfly? Why do invertebrates live in different places and how can we help the invertebrates in our local area? Why do we study taxidermy invertebrates?
Related workshops:
Adaptation: Surviving Change
Sheffield and Empire
What was Sheffield's involvement in the growth of the British Empire?
Did the city support the British Empire and how do we know? What role did Sheffield play in the transatlantic slave trade? Find out about colonialism and how objects can tell us about Sheffield's links to Empire.
Book this box
Sheffield: Steel City
Why is Sheffield known as the Steel City?
Why is Sheffield steel famous around the world? Is a spoon cutlery? Handle a piece of a real crucible pot and find out about the variety of jobs created by the steel industry in Sheffield.
Related workshops:
Steel City | Sheffield Designers: Tools for the 21st Century
Harry Brearley: Man of Steel | Sheffield Designers: Plan Like an Expert
Taxidermy
What is taxidermy? What can we learn from taxidermy? How can we decide if an animal should be taxidermied?
Get up close to the natural history collection, with seven animals including mole, bat and weasel.
Related workshops:
Adaptation: Surviving Change | Habitats: Home for a Harp Seal
Toys
What kinds of toys did your parents and grandparents play with?
Were toys from the past as fun as toys today? What were toys from the past made of and how did they work? Explore the history of rollerskates, learn about different toy brands and invent your own game of five stones.
Related workshops:
Toys: Be a Curator
Victorian Innovation
What innovations changed people's everyday lives in Victorian England?
How did these changes affect people in Sheffield? Would a Victorian recognise anything in Sheffield today and would we recognise anything in Victorian Sheffield?
Related workshops:
Abbeydale's Victorians: Danger, Destruction and Drama
World War II
How did everyday life change for people in Sheffield during World War II?
How did the people of Sheffield support the war effort? Learn the stories of real people who experienced the war in Sheffield, look at a Blitz map and find out about the wartime jobs of local women.
Related workshops:
World War II: Abbeydale to the Rescue
