Excitement began to build as we gathered in the cafeteria of the Field Museum where we received our name tags and had the opportunity to meet our students for the first time. Jordan, GSA, and Lorca Elementary schools met the Student Board high school volunteers and our incredible staff. Once everybody was together, we played a great ice breaker game where we said our first name and an adjective that starts with the first letter of your name. For example, I introduced myself as Fascinating Frankie. Each person took a turn and much laughter occurred as we all got to know each other.
After the introductions, the main event began: our scavenger hunt! Teams were formed and we reviewed the rules and questions. Everything was going smoothly until we couldn’t find the enormous dinosaur the museum is famously known for. Could it be? Sue was missing! She normally stands grandiosely on the main level of the museum towering over everything, but she was nowhere to be found. After some brilliant investigating from our students we learned she was getting a new home upstairs with all the other dinosaurs. The students were in awe of the actual size of Sue’s real head. In addition, we visited ancient Egypt and posed as mummies with actual mummies! Next, we moved to the ancient Americas where each student had to choose to be a hunter or a gatherer. Once they discovered a fishing game representing how ancient Native Americans would fish, it was almost impossible to tear them away from the monitor.
After finishing the scavenger hunt, we reconvened in the cafeteria for some much-needed grub. We played Pictionary and other games as well as talked with the students about the sports they play and their positions. It was so much fun that the kids didn’t want to leave and we wanted to continue learning more about them. But, it was time to end our adventure for the day. The Field Museum event was an amazing experience for both the high school students and for the elementary students. As goodbyes were said, our time together for the day had ended, but the memories of that day will last forever.
-Frankie Baio, Urban Initiatives Student Board member