Where the Wild Things Are: Bring K-12 Students to Special Collections for Adventures!

What is the best way to spark curiosity in young students about our shared human past and create a bridge to future university attendance? Visit special collections for an adventure! Aligning with Loyola Marymount University’s mission to promote social justice, two departments in the William H. Hannon Library - Archives and Special Collections with Outreach and Communications - join together with the LMU Information Technology Services to collaborate on robust educational programs for local schools.

This poster illustrates the creative design process for an engaging library program that facilitates active learning with cultural artifacts and provides the opportunity for K-12 students to visualize themselves being successful at a university. Also, it highlights the steps for coordinating, planning, and implementing the program with multiple internal and external community partners. Grounded in best practices using feedback from teachers and students, the poster features an innovative, hands-on program for a group of 5th grade students from a Los Angeles Unified School District campus. Exploring treasures from Special Collections and aligning closely with California Curriculum, this library program provides an immersive experience with Revolutionary War artifacts, Also, the Special Collections visit ties with two other program components, including story time and digital learning. 

Various successful programming topics and lesson plans demonstrate the program’s adaptability for multiple grade levels , with practical tips on developing inclusive educational programs with community partners, connecting K-12 students with special collections in an academic library setting.