Second graders examine butterflies from the Field Museum.
Last September, first grade teacher Mr. Lutvi had the exciting opportunity to attend the Field Museum Educator Open House, a professional development experience designed to connect teachers with scientists and learning resources from one of Chicago’s most amazing museums. During the event, he collaborated with museum experts, explored educational programming, and discovered unique ways to bring authentic scientific experiences into the classroom.
Inspired by these opportunities, Mr. Lutvi applied for a scholarship through the museum’s Harris Learning Collection—a program that allows educators to rent real museum artifacts for classroom use. We are thrilled to share that Hometown Elementary was awarded this scholarship, providing access to 40 free artifact rentals for our school!
After reaching out to teachers across grade levels, selections were made based on current classroom learning. Once the requests were finalized, the artifacts were carefully picked up directly from the Field Museum and brought back to Hometown, ready to enhance hands-on learning experiences.
Students across the building benefited from these incredible resources:
Music classes with Mrs. Hemminger explored global cultures through percussion instruments, including a vibrant steel drum from Trinidad and a traditional Native American elk skin drum.
Fourth graders examined collections of igneous rocks and metal ores, connecting their studies to real-world geology.
Second-graders investigated detailed insect collections, including taxidermy specimens displayed in habitats, as well as helpful insects like bees and dung beetles.
First-graders explored a stunning butterfly collection that illustrated the full life cycle, complete with engaging materials like books and even a butterfly puppet.
Each artifact set arrived labeled and included detailed educator notes, helping teachers seamlessly integrate these materials into their lessons. Many collections also included accompanying books to support read-alouds and deepen student understanding.
We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing our partnership with the Field Museum. With more artifact rentals planned for next year, the learning possibilities are endless for our Hometown Hornets!