Archaeology Discovery Tour
The scientific techniques of examining the past are taught using real tools, artifacts, and Ice Age fossils. Students learn about the detective work that archaeologists do as they piece together clues from our simulated dig sites. Pre-visit curriculum packet contains many other useful ideas for teaching about archaeology in Washington.

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First Nations Discovery Tour
Explore the living Native American traditions of fishing and weaving, the techniques of mask-making and carving, and the significance of stories and ceremonies using the museum's collection of artifacts and art. Students work in small groups exploring the exhibits for information about their topic, then learn to make a model bentwood box, fish hook, button blanket, woven mat, or formline design mask to take back to school.

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Fossil Discovery Tour
Paleontologists have exciting jobs, but what exactly do they do? The Burke's outstanding exhibit of fossils dates from long before the dinosaurs to the last Ice Age, and provides the perfect setting for learning about geological time, the formation of fossils, and the work of a paleontologist. Solving fossil puzzles and digging at our simulated indoor fossil dig site are included.

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Rocks and Minerals Discovery Tour
The museum's hands-on rock and mineral specimens are the center of this introduction to the basics of Earth Science. Student groups sort and classify a collection, analyze and identify minerals, experiment with the properties of various rocks in the Discovery Lab, and see displays of Washington's amazing variety of geological wonders.

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STRUCTURES OF LIFE
Museum specimens give students an incredible opportunity to observe and compare the structures of plants and animals. In the "Structures of Life" tour, students investigate how mammals can be suited for wet or dry habitats; how bird beak size and shape correlate to diet; and basic structures in insects and plants native to Washington. Students will also describe and discuss how these structures serve specific functions.

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GUIDED TOURS are a wonderful way to introduce your students to a new topic, to focus in on almost any subject you're exploring in the classroom, or to follow up a unit you've been studying. Guided tours provide a stimulating question/answer format with an experienced docent who has the inside story on the exhibits and issues around them. Students have a chance to handle real artifacts from other cultures, or scientific specimens from the museum's teaching collections. It's the closest thing there is to the exhibit cases opening up before your eyes!

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*Special arrangements can be made for larger groups, and for groups that request longer visits.

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JUMBO GROUP TOUR FORMATS
We can accommodate large groups! By combining gallery exploration, group activities, and individual study of a particular exhibit, you and your students get the most from your visit in an expanded time slot. We provide gallery worksheets, one activity or take-home project per student, and pre-visit materials. Our staff will work with you and your chaperones at the museum to provide a meaningful and enjoyable visit.