Structured Classes
Immersive field trip experiences For Grades K-8
Structured classes are the most-requested type of field trip at Stuhr Museum. Classes range in length and topic, each designed with Nebraska’s state educational standards in mind. Our structured classes feature experiences that you can’t get from a textbook – washing laundry on a washboard, putting up a tipi, pulling a hand cart across the prairie, and so much more! Class descriptions are available below, along with the dates each class is offered, fees, and other information to help you plan a field trip experience for your students.
1-Hour Classes • 2-Hour ClasseS • 5-Hour Classes
How to request a class
Classes must be requested at least two weeks prior to your visit to ensure staffing is available, however, we recommend registering as early as possible for the best selection of dates and times.
Request a class online. You’ll need to have your school’s basic information to fill out the form, as well as:
- The title of the desired class
- Number of students
- School staff and chaperones you intend to bring (please note, Stuhr Museum memberships do not cover field trip fees)
- Possible dates to attend
After this information is received, our scheduler will review the information and reach out to you to confirm the date of your visit.
Go to online class request form
Call us at (308) 385-5316 and Corey will be happy to take your information over the phone.
Class Size
The minimum number to schedule a class is 10 students. If your school or homeschool group contains fewer than 10 students, your group will be combined with another small group.
The maximum number of students varies by class, which can be found with each class description.
Parent Chaperones
Structured classes do not require parent chaperones to attend however, if your school chooses to bring chaperones, we suggest no more than 1 adult per 5 students. Parent chaperones are charged the same rate as students. Please note, Stuhr Museum memberships do not cover field trip fees and chaperones are not allowed to bring additional children to the class.
Payment
Schools: We will collect a headcount when you arrive at Stuhr Museum and send an invoice to your school for your class. If you prefer to pay on the day of your class, payment by credit card or check can be accepted. Checks must be made out in the correct amount, as we are not able to refund for missing students on the day of your visit. Parent chaperones who do not pay their fee on the day of your trip will also be included on your invoice. Please note, Stuhr Museum memberships do not cover class fees.
Homeschools: Class fees for students and chaperones may be paid for on the day of your visit at the Gate House when you arrive. Please note, Stuhr Museum memberships do not cover class fees.
Scholarships
The Ella Epp Fund Matching Scholarship is available for Class C, D and Title I schools. It provides assistance in attending structured classes at Stuhr Museum. Schools must be nominated to receive funding. To nominate a classroom or for more information, click here.
1-Hour Classes
9:00-10:00 a.m. • 10:30-11:30 a.m.
12:30-1:30 p.m. • 1:45-2:45 p.m.
Spring on the Farm: $6.00 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.
2-Hour Classes
9:00-11:00 a.m. • 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Other times may be available upon request
Fall on the Farm: $6.00 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, 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: $6.00 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 Pawnee 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.
Winter on the plains: $6.00 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.
Community Building: $6.00 PER PERSON
In this class, 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.
Transportation: $6.00 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 versus 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 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.
Rural School: $6.00 PER PERSON
Students will start by raising the flag just outside the schoolhouse and then move into the cloakroom, where daily procedures are discussed and a few period items viewed. Once seated at the desks, general information about the life of 1880s Nebraska students and teachers is explained. The remainder of the class is taught in the 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.
Great Plains Pawnee: $6.00 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: $6.00 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 vital role of these stopover points along the trail and what this meant for weary travelers heading in 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.
Science and Technology Trades: $6.00 PER PERSON
This class is for students in fifth grade and older. Students will learn how science and technology in 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 and businesses through 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.
Civil War: $6.00 PER PERSON
In 1861, the United States was torn apart by the American Civil War, and the impact was even felt in the Nebraska Territory. Students will learn about the day in the life of a Civil War soldier, from camp life to food to daily duties. They will also learn about the weapons used and be trained in various marching drills to compete in a “drill-off” and see who would rise in ranks the fastest. This class is a shorter version of the previously offered Civil War class, with a greater focus on hands-on experiences and less lecture time.
The maximum capacity for this class is 25 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students, please. No charge for school staff.
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5-Hour Classes
9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Rural School day: $9.00 PER PERSON
This class takes place at the Rural School and expands considerably on the two-hour Rural School class. Students will be able to 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 the 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
Overland Trails: $12.00 PER PERSON
Kick off the school year with the adventure of a lifetime – traveling the trails! Students will start the day learn about the Overland Trails and the reasons behind the Great Migration, then pack up their own hand carts and hit the trails. Teamwork and communication will be key on the journey, and students will learn about the hardships faced by the early travelers of the trails through firsthand journal readings. Midday there will be a meal prepared over an open fire as students get time to rest and reflect before finishing the journey. Weather-appropriate, layered clothing and closed-toed shoes are required. Long pants are suggested.
The maximum capacity for this class is 60 students in one session. Maximum 1 adult per 5 students. School staff will receive a discounted rate of $9.00.
Pioneer Living: $12.00 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 the preparation of the noon meal, with each student helping to prepare a stew, corn gems, churn butter, and corn cob jelly, using a wood cookstove 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 $9.00.
