Literacy activities using museum objects

Get to know your artefacts in a literary sense!

Try out the following tasks:

Write a limerick about one or more of the artefacts.
Write a description of someone else's artefact, but with your eyes shut - using touch only to 'read' the artefact.
One member of the group describes an artefact to another who has to draw the artefact from the description (without cheating by peeking!).
Imagine a conversation between two or more of the artefacts - write it down.
Compose a humorous ode about one or more of the artefacts.
Write down a list of the most descriptive and juicy adjectives which you can think of, as a group, to describe an artefact.
Write a dictionary definition for the artefact based on the artefacts' real function - then try one for each based on an imaginary function.
You are detectives - write a crime report based around the artefacts which you have found at the scene of the crime.
Persuade me to buy one or more or the artefacts with your copy writing skills!
Compose a riddle which describes your artefact.

These activities were explored by participants at the Literacy Discussion Forum, held at the Sports Development Unit, Guildford, on 7th December 1998, using artefacts that they had brought from their museums. For each activity, an example is given of the work produced by those taking part.

Group 1 - Objects:

cane, paddle handle, bus conductor's ticket holder

TASK 6:

Write down a list of the most descriptive and juicy adjectives which you can think of to describe the object:

e.g.

flexible, knobbly, bendy, whacking, stinging, torturous, agonising, erotic, willowy, whippy

TASK 8:

You are a detective - write a crime report based about the object you have found at the scene of a crime.

e.g.

Found at the scene of crime and possibly used as a weapon to knock the victim unconscious after having been used to gain entry via a locked window. Evidence of blood staining found. Obviously used by person of some strength. Specialist equipment associated with boating. Well-used and crime was pre-meditated. Mud and blood found on bolt end which was used to bludgeon victim to death.

TASK 1:

Write a limerick about the object.

e.g.

There was an old woman from school
Who used her hard cane as a tool
She whacked a boy's hand
'Till he could no longer stand
That sadistic old woman from school.

TASK 4:

Imagine a conversation between two or more of the objects.

e.g.

Conversation between cane, ticket holder and paddle handle:

T.H: Hello there, I see I'm made of both of you.
Cane: I'm much thinner!
P: I'm heavier!
Cane: I hurt the most.
P: We'll see about that!
T.H: We can hurt too!

TASK 9:

Persuade me to buy one of the objects.

e.g.

For Sale: 1 flexible willow cane as used by the gardener at Farnham Museum. 1 careful lady owner.

Group 2 - Objects:

stone aged flint; shaving jug

TASK 6:

Write down a list of the most descriptive and juicy adjectives which you can think of to describe the object:

e.g.

Stone-aged flint:
pointed, sharp, mottled, shiny, heavy, chipped, angled, jagged, flinty, toffee coloured, rough, ancient, pear-shaped, primitive, faceted, cold

The group placed these words in the shape of the flint. They decided it looked like an animal as it had an 'eye' and asked 'which animal does it look like?' They also asked what had happened to all the little bits that had been chipped off to make the flint?

TASK 7:

Write a dictionary definition for the object based around a real or imaginary function.

e.g.

Axe handle: made of flint:
shaped by striking the flint with stone, wood or bone at an angle. A multi-purpose tool used for shaving, cutting, gouging, digging during the Stone Age.

TASK 2:

Write a description of the object, but keeping your eyes shut - using only touch to 'read' the object.

e.g.

Description of a shaving jug using touch:
has a handle, 2 openings, is jug shaped, rippled surface, china, top bowl has 3 holes, firm, flat base, would hold water or liquid, fluted rim

They also drew a picture of the jug with speech bubbles coming out of the holes where children could write in the functions of the object.

Group 3 - Objects:

flower drier, lady's gloves and glove stretchers

TASK 6:

Write down a list of the most descriptive and juicy adjectives which you can think of to describe the object:

e.g.

Lady's gloves:
long, white fingers lying limp and empty; slender, slim and snake-like; erotic essay of elegant ecru; reminiscent of a bygone age - haberdashers or fancy-goods department in Swan and Edgar; dainty iridescent buttons of sea shells
Glove stretcher:
smooth black, ebony - cool, elegant, pleasing design
Flower drier:
rustic, functional, round, squat, smooth, curved, wooden, burnished with age, a purposeful barrel of secrets

TASK 10:

Compose a riddle which describes the object.

e.g.

I am round and squat
You can hang me high
Filled with petals
Set to dry
Now sitting empty -
What am I?

(Flower drier)

Group 4 - Objects:

tin opener; early car horn; waist coat from the First World War made from 26 pairs of ladies leather gloves (made by ladies as their bid for the war effort)

TASK 1:

Write a limerick about the object.

e.g.

A driver from Brooklands, one day
Took a young 'lady friend' out to play
He stepped on her corn
Whilst beeping his horn
Said, "The sun's shining, let us make hay!"

ADDITIONAL TASK:

To guess what exactly the object is used for.

e.g.

The tin opener was a mystery - guesses ranged from corn rasp, tooth pick, letter opener, bottle opener. Although it was dated 1974, it was based on a pattern used probably since the First World War.