Unpacking the Past
Bringing the past to life for 6th and 7th grade students in Philadelphia
Closed Mondays
Bringing the past to life for 6th and 7th grade students in Philadelphia
Serving over 6,000 Philadelphia Title I middle school students each year in their own schools and on campus.
Since 2014, Unpacking the Past—an innovative partnership with the School District of Philadelphia—has brought archaeological collections to life for 6th and 7th grade classrooms studying the ancient world. The multi-stage program enriches Common Core curricula in social studies, art, and science through vividly presented scenarios in the ancient world.
Thanks to generous support from Penn Museum members and other individuals, foundations, and corporations, Unpacking the Past is offered entirely free of charge, including bus transportation, to every Title I middle school in Philadelphia, including Autistic Support and Life Skills support classes. Help us serve Philadelphia students by making a gift today.
Since 2014, the Unpacking the Past program has worked closely with more than 40,000 middle school students and teachers in the School District of Philadelphia. Hear from students, teachers, and Museum educators involved with this innovative program.
Unpacking the Past is the trip I look forward to most for my students. But it also serves as a reminder of the power of taking learning outside of the classroom. I am motivated to set up more similar experiences for my students.
Teachers can schedule the program anytime throughout the school year. With just four weeks of notice, teachers can schedule the program to coincide with any unit of study about the ancient world. The in-class lesson and field trip will be scheduled within a few days of each other, and at a time convenient to the school calendar.
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Unpacking the Past was founded by a lead challenge grant from GRoW@Annenberg and continues to be made possible by generous support from Penn Museum members and other individuals, foundations, and corporations.
