Schools:
IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY

Everyone CAN Participate!

Programs for schools, homeschools & groups.

Creating Immersive Experiences
7 Days A Week | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

HATS Classes | AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER-MAY

HATS Classes are the most requested programs for schools and homeschools. Learn through structured lessons, featuring hands-on experiences to connect with history in a way students can’t get from a textbook! Experience immersive opportunities in one of our unique classes at Stuhr Museum. Classes are available for kindergarten through 8th grade and each class is aligned to Nebraska State Standards at the specified grade level. 

We also invite students to discover more history before or after class by visiting the Leo B. Stuhr Building, Fonner Rotunda and new STEAM Learning Center. They are open year-round and included with all class fees! With these new touring opportunities included with each registration, each group can decide if they’d like to spend a couple hours or all day experiencing history.

HATS Class Descriptions

Classes are all 2-hours long unless otherwise noted.

KINDERGARTEN: 1 Hour

Students petting baby goat during Spring on the Farm HATS classSpring on the Farm (1 hOUR)
DATES: April 18 – May 6, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-10:00 a.m. | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
12:30-1:30 p.m. | 1:45-2:45 p.m.
cOST: $5.00 per person

On a farm in the 1880s, everyone was expected to pitch in and help with chores, and there were no exceptions for young children! Students will visit the barn and meet some animal friends while learning about the various animals a farm might have had, including goats and sheep, and how these animals were used. They will also visit the chicken coop to see and talk about chickens, with a chance to hold a baby chick. Other farm chores will also be explored, including pumping water and the importance of the farm bell.

The maximum capacity for this class is 50 students in one session (they will be split into two groups) Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. No charge for school staff.

FIRST GRADE

Children and teachers dancing in a circle during Spring on the Farm HATS Class at Stuhr Museum.fall on the Farm (2 hours)
DATES: Sept. 8 – Oct. 22, 2021
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 a.m. or 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Cost: $5.00 per person

Students learn about the daily fall chores on a farm that everyone in a farm family on the Nebraska plains in the 19th century would have pitched in to do. Students will visit the barn, windmill, chicken coop, granary and garden, stopping to learn about the chores to be done at each location. They will help pump and haul water, and wash clothes using a scrub board and hang them on a line. But the work isn’t done yet! Students will also help shell, grind and sift corn that could be used in baking.

The maximum capacity for this class is 50 students in one session (they will be split into two groups) Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. No charge for school staff.
Pawnee Children
DATES: Sept. 8 – Oct. 22, 2021  or  April 11 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 a.m. or 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Cost: $5.00 per person

Students will examine Pawnee family life, particularly the life of a young Pawnee child on the Nebraska plains in the 1840s. The class takes place in and near the Pawnee Earth lodge. The lodge and a tipi will be visited, and how they were used by Pawnees families will be discussed. Pawnee children’s chores will be taught and each child will have a chance to handle reproduction or artifact tools and utensils and experience several activities, including grinding corn and helping to set up a small tipi. Students will also learn how bison were hunted and used by the Pawnee.

The maximum capacity for this class is 50 students in one session (they will be split into two groups) Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. No charge for school staff.

SECOND GRADE

wINTER ON THE PLAINS
DATES: nOVEMBER 1 – dECEMBER 17, 2021
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 A.M. or 12:30-2:30 P.M.
cOST: $5.00 per person

This class will provide students with a setting to learn about winter life for families on Nebraska’s plains in the 19th century. Students will learn about and help with some chores around the house, and will even get a peek into some special gifts given in the era while learning about holiday celebrations. Class locations include the 1850s Vieregg Cabin, the 1880s Hired Man’s House, the 1890s Peter Stuhr House, and the 1900s Cleary Farmhouse, each offering a unique peek into history. Groups are welcome to request a specific site at registration, but hurry- this popular class fills up quickly!

The maximum capacity for this class is 4 classrooms, or roughly 90 students in one session (they will be split into smaller groups by classroom) Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. No charge for school staff.

THIRD GRADE

Transportation (2 hours)
DATES: sEPT. 8 – Oct. 22, 2021  or  April 11 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 A.M. or 12:30-2:30 P.M.
cOST: $5.00 per person

This class will learn about the types and terms of  transportation in the 19th century. The class will visit the Gus Fonner Memorial Rotunda where they discover how the harness and the ox yoke are used to connect the horse or the ox to plows or wagons. Students will also go to Railroad Town where various wagons are viewed, and their unique parts – tongues verses shafts, brakes, leaf springs and wheels are compared. The class also discusses steam power with a visit to the rail yards in Railroad Town. The jobs of railroad employees, including the Station Master, Engineer, Fireman, Conductor and Brakeman are examined as the Depot and the Caboose are explored. The class ends with students learning how to operate the hand car on the rails.

The maximum capacity for this class is 50 students in one session (they will be split into two groups) Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. No charge for school staff.
19th Century Communites
DATES: April 11 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 A.M. or 12:30-2:30 P.M.
cOST: $5.00 per person

This class is geared towards the third grade level and above. Students will study the characteristics of communities of the 19th century, and examine the diverse communities of Native Americans, early plains settlers and booming railroad towns. Local government and laws within the communities as well as their impact on citizens will be discussed. Financial considerations such as bartering, trading, marketing of goods and taxation will be explored. Community patterns such as land use, roads, etc. will be studied. Hands-on activities will include mapping of towns and communities, role playing of community members, and decision making as a community.

The maximum capacity for this class is 25 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students, please. No charge for school staff.

FOURTH GRADE

Rural School
DATES: sEPT. 8, 2021 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 A.M. or 12:30-2:30 P.M.
cost: $5.00 per person

Students will start by raising the flag just outside the school house and then move into the cloakroom, where daily procedures are discussed and a few period items viewed. Once seated in the desks general information about the life of 1880s Nebraska students and teachers are explained. The remainder of the class is taught in first person, as if the students were attending school in 1888. Students will study reading and arithmetic using reproduction textbooks and chalk slates, penmanship using nib pens and ink, geography viewing an 1888 reproduction map, history using pictures and paintings in the room and participate in a spelling bee. The class ends with the final bell, signaling a resumption of modern life, with just enough time for questions and answers.

The maximum capacity for this class is 25 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students, please. No charge for school staff.

FIFTH GRADE

gREAT pLAINS pAWNEE
DATES: sEPT. 8 – oCT. 22, 2021  or  April 11 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 A.M. or 12:30-2:30 P.M.
cost: $5.00 per person

Students will take a look at the tribes of the Nebraska plains, with a specific focus on the Pawnee. Plains life before the horse, trappers and traders, and the impact of westward expansion on the Pawnee will be discussed. They will also learn about the use of bison by the plains tribes, and how the destruction of most of the bison on the plains contributed to the decline of the tribes. This class also visits the tipi and Earth Lodge to learn about family structure, social customs, and daily life with artifacts and reproduction items.

The maximum capacity for this class is 50 students in one session (they will be split into two groups) Maximum 1 adult per 5 students, please. No charge for school staff.
rOAD rANCHE
DATES: sEPT. 8 – oCT. 22, 2021  or  April 11 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 A.M. or 12:30-2:30 P.M.
cost: $5.00 per person

The various trails through Nebraska and preparations for an overland journey in the mid-19th century will be discussed. Students will visit the Road Ranche, where they will learn about the important role these stopover points along the trail played and what this meant for weary travelers heading both directions. Early settlement lifestyles will be discussed, and a few of the artifacts of early plains life survival demonstrated.

The maximum capacity for this class is 50 students in one session (they will be split into two groups) Maximum 1 adult per 5 students, please. No charge for school staff.
19th Century sCIENCE & tECHNOLOGY tRADES
DATES: sEPT. 8 – oCT. 22, 2021  or  April 11 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:00-11:00 A.M. or 12:30-2:30 P.M.
cost: $5.00 per person

This class is for students in fifth grade and older. Students will learn how science and technology of the late 19th century affected the daily lives of those who worked in communities on the plains. The focus of this class will be on the science and technology related to community business and trades, with an emphasis on communication, transportation and power. Students will experience how science and technology helped communities businesses though several hands on opportunities.

The maximum capacity for this class is 25 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students, please. No charge for school staff.

FOURTH GRADE & UP | 5-HOUR CLASSES

Rural School Day (5 hours)
DATES: sEPT. 8, 2021 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. (lunch not included)
cost: $7.50 per person

This class takes place at the Rural School and expands considerably on the two hour Rural School class. Students will be able get a more in depth experience with each subject taught during a typical 1888 school day. Following an overview of the class and expectations, the remainder of the class is taught in first person, as if the students were attending school in 1888. Areas of study include reading, arithmetic, penmanship, history and spelling. The class will use reproduction textbooks, slates, chalk, dip pens & ink, an 1888 reproduction map, photographs and more. Students are encouraged to bring a period appropriate lunch for noon. The day includes two recess periods where students will experience popular period games. Class ends with the final bell, signaling a resumption of modern life, with just enough time for questions and answers.

The maximum capacity for this class is 25 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students, please. No charge for school staff.

+ Period School Lunch Information

+ Downloadable Handwriting Practice Sheet
pIONEER lIVING
DATES: jAN. 10 – Mar. 31, 2022
TIMES: 9:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. (Lunch included)
cost: $9.00 per person

Class locations include the 1850s Vieregg Cabin, the 1880s Hired Man’s House, 1890s Peter Stuhr House and the 1900s Cleary Farmhouse. Each location offers a very unique experience. Class begins with a quick tour of the “out-houses” and their various uses. Once inside work begins on preparation of the noon meal, with each student helping to prepare a stew, corn gems, churn butter, and corn cob jelly, using a wood cook stove and other tools of the period. After dinner, there are many chores to do and students will focus on the daily chores that were necessary for survival on the plains, and each person’s responsibilities to the family and established community, with an opportunity to compare this with life today.

The maximum capacity for this class is up to 50 students in one session (they will be split into smaller groups of 10-12 students) We request 1-2 adults per group/site. School staff will receive a discounted rate of $6.50.
cIVIL wAR (5 hours)
DATES: April 5-15, 2022
TIMES: 9:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. (Lunch not included)
cost: $7.50 per person

In 1861, the United States was torn apart by the start of the American Civil War and the impact was eve felt in the Nebraska Territory. U.S. Army troops from the territorial forts were removed and the call went out to form a volunteer regiment in the territory. Others were compelled to return to home states and fight for the Confederacy. Students will be recruited into either the Union or Confederate side of the conflict. They will compare soldiers, learn about the various occupations in the army, camp life, clothing, weapons, food, and daily duties. Students will also learn how to march and practice a drill. At the conclusion of the day, students will be issued discharge papers and collect their pay.

The maximum capacity for this class is 50 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. No charge for school staff.
oVERLAND tRAILS
DATES: April 18 – May 20, 2022
TIMES: 9:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. (Lunch Included)
cost: $9.00 per person

Students will learn about the Overland Trails, the reasons behind the Great Migration and how to prepare for the trip. Students will select supplies, load them into the hand carts, pull the hand carts along the trail, stopping along the way to read from journals of pioneers who traveled the trails. Students will prepare their meal out on the prairie, and while eating and resting, they will discuss the trail life of these moving communities, the hardships they endured and their impact on the growth of the nation. Once the meal is over, they will pack up and resume their journey. Weather-appropriate, layered clothing and closed-toed shoes are required. Long pants suggested.

The maximum capacity for this class is 40 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. School staff will receive a discounted rate of $6.50.
2021-2022 HATS REGISTRATION FORM
HATS Class FAQs

How do I register for a HATS Class?

To request a HATS Class, please download the form below to fill out or call us at (308) 385-5316. Forms may be returned via e-mail to education@stuhrmuseum.org or by mail to Stuhr Museum, 3133 W. Hwy 34, Grand Island, NE 68801.

2021-2022 HATS REGISTRATION FORM

Information Needed:

  • Number of students
  • School staff and chaperones you intend to bring
  • Class title and dates you would be like to attend.

With that information, we will find a date, or dates, with the proper availability and get you all set up for a fun and educational visit! 

We ask for a minimum of 10 students per class, therefore smaller groups may be combined. Class maximums are listed with each class description.

Can my class visit other areas of the museum while we are here?

Yes! We invite students participating in HATS Classes to take in everything! Please note, we require 1 adult per 5 students when touring the museum outside of HATS Classes.

You’ll want to check out:

  • Our new, hands-on activities at the STEAM Learning Center (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) and how they relate to the steam-powered tractors on display.
  • The Leo B. Stuhr Building to learn about the history of our area or take in an art exhibit!
  • Railroad Town is open and staffed beginning in May, which opens up a variety of opportunities for your students to experience life in a historic 1890s town along the railroad first-hand!

How many parent chaperones should my school bring?

We request no more than 1 adult per 5 students attends HATS Classes in order to comply with capacity requirements and for the safety of all involved. We do not require a specific number of parent chaperones be present for HATS Classes, however if your class will be visiting other areas of the museum (the Stuhr Building, STEAM Learning Center, Fonner Rotunda, Railroad Town, etc.), we require 1 adult per 5 students. For additional information, refer to the specific class description, or contact us with any questions. NOTE: Parent chaperones may not bring younger children including infants and toddlers to HATS Classes.

I homeschool my kids. Can we participate in HATS Classes, too?

Absolutely! Whether you register as an individual or with a homeschool co-op, we are happy to have you join us. Homeschools are often combined into a group with other homeschool students or a small public or private school to meet the class minimum number. We will ask for the name of each student at registration in order to accurately track registrations and payments. We do ask one adult attends class with their students (no charge), however additional adults will need to pay the HATS Class fee associated with the class in order to attend. For co-op groups, we allow one adult per 5 students to attend at no charge. NOTE: Parents may not bring younger children including infants and toddlers to HATS Classes.

Do we pay on the day of our visit or will you bill us?

Schools: Either way works! If you need an invoice prior to your visit in order to bring a check, please contact the office in advance with an updated headcount and we will be happy to provide you with one. Schools that prefer to pay later will need to provide us with a headcount upon arrival for their visit and we will send an invoice to your school.

Homeschools: You are welcome to pay for your classes at the time of registration or the day of your visit. Students who do not attend their registered class will be sent an invoice for the missed class if a cancellation has not been made at least 48-hours in advance, with the exception of illness. If your student is ill the day of your class, please contact the office and we will do our best to find a date to reschedule if possible.

How do I know where to go for our HATS Class?

When your class arrives to Stuhr Museum, please stop at the Gate House along the driveway. A staff member will check in your class and ask for any pertinent information, such as headcount or collect your payment. You will also be given directions to the drop-off location for your class. Many of our classes visit more than one location at the museum, so the pick-up location may be the same or different depending on the class you are participating in.

What happens if there's bad weather on the day of our class?

If the weather is too bad (i.e. heavy rain, snow, extreme cold, etc.), Stuhr Museum reserves the right to cancel classes for the health and safety of both our staff and your students. In this case, all efforts will be made to reschedule your class for a different day.

If the weather isn’t great, but we can still hold classes, your class may be altered to avoid the conditions while still getting in all the information and activities that are possible. If you prefer to reschedule in this case, please contact our office to discuss your options or reschedule your visit.

Can my class eat lunch at Sturh Museum?

Yes! We have outdoor picnic areas available during the warmer months, or limited indoor space available during colder months. Indoor space is reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis and we recommend reserving it at the time of registration to ensure it is available for your class to use.

Are there scholarships available for HATS Classes?

The Ella Epp Fund Matching Scholarship is available for public schools that register for classes by June 1st each year. For more information, click here.

Virtual
HATS Classes

Available Year-Round

For those students in schools, homeschools or other groups that are unable to travel to Stuhr Museum in person, we are excited to provide a selection of our unique HATS classes in a virtual format!

Virtual HATS classes include:

  • An interactive pre-recorded lesson
  • A teacher’s packet containing worksheets and suggested activities for the selected lesson
  • An optional 15-30 minute live virtual visit with one of Stuhr Museum’s knowledgeable educators to answer any questions that your students might have
LEARN MORE

SELF-GUIDED
Field
Trips

Suggested for May

If a structured HATS Class doesn’t fit into your schedule, you can still visit us on a self-guided field trip! Many schools choose to visit in May when Railroad Town opens for the summer and is bustling with costumed historical interpreters, however you can visit the Leo B. Stuhr Building, Fonner Rotunda and new STEAM Learning Center year-round.

Field trips offer the flexibility to set your own schedule and interact with exhibits and activities across the museum, but do not include any structured instruction. Picnic areas are available on a first-come, first serve basis during May. Feel free to spend as much or as little time as you have with us!

Please note: We require 1 adult per 5 students as chaperones for field trips to ensure students act in a respectful and safe manner toward the museum grounds, artifacts and employees.

$6.00 PER PERSON

Reservations are required at least 2 weeks in advance to receive the special $6.00/person field trip pricing and payment will be due on the day of your visit via cash, check or credit card.

To register for a self-guided field trip, please call (308) 385-5316 or e-mail education@stuhrmuseum.org.

Teacher
Resources

  • HATS Class Evaluation

  • Period School Lunch Information

  • Corn Gems and Corn Cob Jelly recipes

  • American Bison - Use by the Pawnee

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