Field Trip to the Berkshire Museum

Massachusetts Cultural Council

The teachers and fifth and sixth grade students on Strand C at White Brook Middle School would like to thank the Easthampton Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, for an $800.00 grant. This grant was used to help support an educational field trip to the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. We had a great time and learned a lot, too.


During our trip to the Berkshire Museum, we explored many interesting exhibits. We visited the aquarium, art gallery, rock and mineral exhibit, "stuffed" animal exhibit, fossils and more. We also participated in two programs each. The fifth grade went to one program called Exploring the Science of Art – How Art Works, and another called Playing Around With Simple Machines.  The sixth grade went to one program called Exploring The Science of Art – Light, Sight, and Perception, and another called Ancient Cultures. We were not allowed to take pictures during the programs, but we can tell you that they were fun and we learned a lot. The programs were about stuff that we learn in school, and are part of the Massachusetts Standards.
picture 1297
 1296

The fifth grade went to see one program called Exploring the Science of Art – How Art Works. We learned how to draw three-dimensional shapes. We also learned where to put shadows. It was fun drawing the buildings. The slide show was cool. We learned that some drawings look more realistic than others.
                                                                         Treya, Sam, and Lily

The fifth grade also went to a program called Playing Around With Simple Machines. Alexander Calder was the creator of the wheel toys. He made prototypes of a skating bear, a cow, a seal bouncing a ball, a jumping frog, and a duck. His toys show how simple machines make toys spin, jump, and bob up and down when they are pulled by a child. When the cow was pulled, its head went up and down. It was fun to figure out how the toys worked.
                                                                                       Tyler

The sixth grade went to see Light, Sight and Perception.  The program teacher handed each of us a paper with a double picture and asked us what we saw. Some of us saw a young lady while others saw an old lady. This picture was made of two pictures to confuse our minds. She also showed us how light bends. She put cups of water with green and orange straws in them on each of our tables. When we looked at the cup from the side and it looked like the straws were broken. The second program that we went to was called Ancient Cultures. We saw lots of artifacts including a real mummy.                                                             Julia and Audrey

At the aquarium, we got a chance to see unique fish and reptiles. There were about 20 tanks. We got to observe bullfrogs, piranhas, blowfish, clown fish, eels, turtles and catfish. We also got to interact with sea urchins, sea stars or starfish, and horseshoe crabs.
                                                                             By Tyler, CJ, Josh, Casey, and Matt      

1270
 1274
1298
 1328
1330
 1331
1332
 shim

In the "stuffed" animal exhibit there were many species of animals, insects, birds, and reptiles.

At the Rock and Mineral exhibit we got to see many kinds of rocks, minerals, and crystals. They were really beautiful. We just started to study rocks, minerals, and the rock cycle in school.
1329

At the Art Gallery, we got to see many colorful and life-like paintings and sculptures. We were not allowed to take photos of them though.

In the fossil exhibit, we got the chance to be archeologists and dig in a rock and sand pit for fake dinosaur bones. We also got to learn about the many different dinosaurs and their bones.
1280

1279
                                                                                    Julia and Audrey


The gift shop at the museum was great. It had a variety of souvenirs. Some of the souvenirs were jewelry with really pretty rocks in them. The other kinds of things that were for sale were stuffed animals and toys. The toys were action figures to play with or just display. There were also lots of books to read, t-shirts and games to play. Everything in the gift shop was cool and affordable.
                                                                               
1299

By Ashley and Elizabeth




We had a great time at the Berkshire Museum. Thank you to the Easthampton Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council for supporting our field trip to the Berkshire Museum.
                                                                        By Julia and Audrey


This program is supported in part by a grant from the Easthampton cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

For more information go to: www.berkshiremuseum.or

Return to Home