Traveling trunks provide unique lessons for students

The Frontier Times Museum not only provides an awesome opportunity to visit Bandera’s past but also has a way to bring the past to area classrooms through their “traveling trunks.”

These trunks are really suitcases filled with authentic historical artifacts from several periods of Texas history and books on that era. Included with the artifacts are binders filled with suggested lessons and information about the time period covered.

The trunks available are the Indians of Texas; the Civil War in Texas; Pioneer Life and Ranching Traditions; and Going to Texas: Immigration to the Lone Star State. Each trunk provides a hands-on way to learn about the era for grades Kindergarten through eighth grade. Every Texas Essential Knowledge and Skill (TEKS) is noted in the trunk. There is a handson activity for every artifact.

“I have learned so much stuff I’d wish I’d known as a fourth-grade teacher,” remarked former BISD teacher Theresa Doyle Nelson, who is also the current Coordinator of the Trunks for the Museum.

Each trunk contains authentic artifacts. In the Indians of Texas Trunk, on display, there are drums, arrowheads, a bow and arrow, a coyote pelt, several varieties of container such as a turtle shell carrying pouch, flutes, weapons, and rattles. Each item is a wealth of knowledge about the culture of Texas Indians. Students are encouraged to touch, hold, handle and study the artifacts provided.

Along with the information contained in the binder is a QR code that will take the lesson further to youtube videos about the topic.

The original traveling trunks were funded by the Bandera ISD Education Foundation through their teacher grant program. Recently, the Hal and Charlie Peterson Foundation funded a grant for the Frontier Times Museum to hire a project coordinator.

Doyle Nelson has inventoried the trunks and provided more information to the binders. The trunks are added to as needed with authentic artifacts through the Museum. The program also provides in person teacher inservice training on how to use the trunks and to demonstrate the lessons provided. The trunks are designed to offer short snippets of information for teachers to review liked bullet points and QR codes.

Each trunk provides a wider learning experience than just a textbook. It can open a world of historical significance to students.

To secure a trunk for the two-week checkout period, a refundable $25 deposit is requested along with a brief registration form. The trunks are available on a first come first served basis.

For additional questions or to arrange a loan, contact the museum at 830-796-3864 or by email at information@ frontiertimesmuseum.org.

More information is also provided on the Frontier Times web site at www.frontiertimesmuseum.org/ traveling-trunks.