September 22 2009

OVERVIEW | Six different Learning Centers of historical displays and hands-on exploration transform an ordinary room into a pioneer settlement. Students can grind corn, roll bread dough, pan for gold, comb wool, spin yarn, make a trade bead necklace, and play with toys from days long ago. Serves: pre-k to 5th graders in Payne County Public Schools.

Journey Back in Time is presented as a joint project of the Oklahoma WONDERtorium and Smart Start Payne County. The "Pioneer Living" Program is the core experience of JBIT (for short) and is a traveling hands-on museum that both OWL and SSPC garner grants and funds to present. This Museum Without Walls program was offered to children and their grown-ups at the Smart Start Payne County Family Fun Fest in April of 2008, and at five elementary schools within Payne County that spring. Then, in 2009, the program visited elementary schools in Cushing (2), Deep Rock, Oilton, Pawnee and Ripley.

Utilizing six different learning centers complete with historical displays and hands-on exploration stations, Journey Back in Time transforms an ordinary room into a pioneer settlement. Participants will grind corn, roll bread dough, use a wringer washer to launder clothes, pan for gold, shave, comb wool, spin yarn, make a trade bead necklace, and play with toys from days long ago.

"I have been excited for days because I knew it would be fun and it was fun!," said Russell, a 2nd grade student from Cushing's Harmony Elementary after experiencing Journey Back In Time in 2008.