Liverpool’s museums launch virtual classroom for schools

National Museums Liverpool’s brand new virtual classroom workshops are now available to book online for the first time ever.

Created for schools for the new academic year, NML’s interactive curriculum-linked workshops – led by museum experts – bring learning to life and inspire the imaginations of your pupils by engaging them in activities based on real artefacts.  Mummification, Greek gods and transatlantic slavery are some of the subjects school children can learn about in the comfort of their classrooms, thanks to virtual workshops developed by National Museums Liverpool.

COVID-19 has changed the way in which people work and learn. National Museums Liverpool have been forced to adapt their way of working and how they engage with schools and groups. With social distancing measures in place across all museums and galleries, NML are not able to accept school bookings. These virtual sessions allow NML to interact with schools and be more accessible to schools across the country during the pandemic.

Using feedback from teachers, NML have designed six live workshops for key stages 1-3, each of which are supported by resources and activities that can be used before and after the session, including art and crafts templates and fact sheets about key museum artefacts.

The workshops have been designed to develop teamworking skills, boost imagination and promote positive wellbeing, for example quizzes, role play, crafting, drawing, discussions and decoding puzzles.

Titanic

Claire Benjamin, Head of Learning and Participation said

“These sessions are a fantastic way to get schools engaging in cultural activity and interactive sessions during these uncertain times. Here at NML we are committed to creating new and exciting ways for young people to get involved with culture and heritage.

“We wanted these sessions to be as engaging as possible, and for our demonstrators to be able to interact live with the school children and teachers. The challenge was trying to recreate the experience they would have had if they came in person into our museums and galleries, where groups could get up close to world-class objects and ask questions of our experts. We have risen to the challenge and schools can once more take part in Q&A sessions, watch videos and engage in activities and storytelling.

“We are hoping the new virtual classroom can help us reach new audiences across the Liverpool City Region and the UK and make National Museums Liverpool the ‘go to museum and gallery’ for schools and groups.”

The virtual classrooms will be delivered securely by Microsoft Teams. All that is needed is a laptop or computer with a built-in camera and microphone, a large display screen or projector, and access to a reliable internet connection.

For more information, including how to book and NML’s safeguarding policy for the virtual classroom, visit https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/learn/virtual-classrooms or call 0151 478 4444.

Virtual Classroom workshops

Understanding transatlantic slavery  

This virtual classroom guides students through a series of activities to understand different facets of transatlantic slavery. The key topics covered are forced migration, enslavement on the plantation, resistance as well as abolition movements and how they connect to contemporary issues including Black Lives Matter. This unique learning experience illustrates the massive impact of transatlantic slavery on the world and the ways it still impacts on our lives today.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/understanding-transatlantic-slavery

Ancient Egypt: marvellous mummification 

In this virtual classroom students are introduced to the mummification process in Ancient Egypt. Led by an expert from the museum, pupils will be taken through the various stages of the embalming process including; washing the body, removing organs, stuffing the body and carefully placing amulets between layers of bandages. The mummy will then be ready to be placed in its coffin for the burial ceremony. Pupils will come to appreciate the cultural significance of the preservation process.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ancient-egypt-marvellous-mummification

The amazing history of Liverpool 

This journey begins with a question; how old is Liverpool? This virtual classroom explores the reasons why Liverpool became so important and some of the key characters that made it possible. Pupils will understand the changes in Liverpool’s industry, population and in how people enjoyed themselves, and how Liverpool has changed to become the vibrant city that it is today.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/amazing-history-of-liverpool

Titanic: travelling in time 

Explore the infamous story of RMS Titanic and her links to Liverpool. This virtual classroom focuses on the main narrative of the story, showcasing a variety of museum handling objects and on screen images to inspire curiosity and encourage interactive participation through simple tasks, opinion sharing and collaborative discussion.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/titanic-travelling-time

Impressionism – what’s that? 

This is a perfect, interactive introduction to two famous, very different Impressionist artists, Claude Monet and Edgar Degas. Pupils will be encouraged to say what they see, feel and think about the paintings. Pupils will compare and contrast a traditional art style to the Impressionist modern movement, challenging the notion of what ‘good art’ looks like.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/impressionism-whats

Ancient Greece: gods and heroes 

Pupils will be introduced to the principal gods, goddesses and heroes of Greek legend, explaining some of the family feuds and marvellous magic that has bound these tales together for more than 2000 years. Pupils will also discover some of the great Greek heroes that battled with fearsome monsters and composite creatures.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ancient-greece-gods-and-heroes