Digital Programs

We know you have many options available for field trips and we are invested in creating affordable, educational, and engaging programming for your students to enhance their e-learning. 

Beyond the listings you see below, we are open to working with you to create programming for your scholastic needs and/or the special needs of your students. For more information or to book a field trip, please contact Britt Boehm, Museum Program Coordinator, at 847-255-1225 or bboehm@ahpd.org. Check back often as we add new, exciting content to our offerings!

About our digital programs:

• All programs run approximately 30 minutes
• All programs will be streamed live using Zoom, Google Meet or whichever platform works best for your classroom
• Programs will be a mix of engaging activities, historical learning, tours of the Museum buildings and question and answer sessions
• All programs are aligned with Illinois state curriculum standards- please reach out if you would like a program specific break down 
• Scheduling can take place Monday- Friday, 9am-4pm, based on mutual availability. Please have at least two options when reaching out to bboehm@ahpd.org to schedule.

Pricing

Payment can be taken by phone with a credit card or by mailed check. Payment must be received before the day of the program.

Our Digital Program Offerings

Early Education (Pre-K through 1st grade)

Harvest Home-- Through a series of short stories, students will become familiar with the reality of the first Thanksgiving, the harvest, and how the holiday evolved into our modern day traditions. 

Stories on the Staircase-- Virtually sitting on the staircase of the historic Banta House, we will read from Nathaniel Banta's A Brownie Primer where it was written! We will then tour the house from a brownie's (or fairy's) perspective, exploring colors, shapes and sounds.

Story Garden Walk-- Using the framework of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit and a virtual walk through the extensive Museum gardens, students will explore nature and develop their senses while exploring the world around them. 

What is a Pioneer? (a version of the in-person Young Pioneers)-- With a virtual visit to the log house, students will learn how pioneers traveled to the Midwest and have a chance to compare and contrast their modern lives with those of pioneer children.

Elementary Age (1st-5th grade)

Apprenticeship: Early Jobs and Business-- Children living 150 years ago had very different opportunities then our students today. A virtual visit to the Coach House helps students to understand both what jobs might have been available to them and how those jobs helped the larger community to operate. 

The Banta Story: Architecture and Invention-- One of the Banta House's claims to fame is that it was the first architect designed home in Arlington Heights! Using detailed shots and behind the scenes virtual tours of the house, students will compare the differences between architect and personal built homes, learn about the Arts and Crafts Movement, and explore the introduction of phone and electric lines in the Village. 

The Banta Story: Family Life in the 1910s-- Learn about the Banta family, an upper-middle class family in Arlington Heights, through the lens of a virtual visit to their house. Students learn about family life as modern conveniences began to enter the home and compare and contrast that to their current lifestyles.  

The Banta Story: Reading between the Lines-- Nathaniel Banta, the original owner of the Banta House had a major impact on the literacy of the community. Not only did he teach 8th grade, he was also the principal of the local school, a publisher and an author whose books became a part of the school district's curriculum. Students will get to see to a portion of one of Banta's 27 published works, discuss how the work is similar or different to modern books they read, explore different literacy career paths and have an opportunity to show off their own writing skills.

Early Families of Arlington Heights-- As you drive through Arlington Heights, you notice that many of the streets are named after the town founders. In this program, we focus on three of the early families: the Miners, the Kennicotts and the Duntons. Using primary and secondary sources straight from the Museum's archives, we explore the early beginnings of Arlington Heights (before it was even called Arlington Heights!) 

The Muller Story: Family Life in the 1890s-- Learn about the Muller family, a prominent upper-middle class family in Arlington Heights, through the lens of a virtual visit to their house. Students learn about family life around the turn of the century and compare and contrast that to their modern lifestyles.  

The Muller Story: Immigration and the German influence-- There was a time in Arlington Heights when you could hear German being spoken in the streets. Students will explore the influence of immigration on the growth of Arlington Heights through the lens of the Muller family, who not only immigrated to the United States themselves, but helped others to immigrate as well. 

The Muller Story: Soda Pop Pioneer-- F. W. Muller was a businessman who built up a soda water business from partial ownership with his half-brother, to owning it himself, to growing it enough to pass on to his sons. Students will celebrate his entrepreneurial spirit by learning about how soda is produced, visiting the, typically off limits, basement factory of the Muller house and exploring how business, community, and family can be intertwined for over 150 years.

The Train Comes to Town-- The most important part of the development of any suburb is it's access to transportation. Using primary sources from the Museum's archives the students will analyze maps, photos and memorabilia to discover how different types of transportation affected the growth and prosperity of Arlington Heights.

What is a Pioneer? (a version of the in-person Movin' West)-- With a virtual visit to the log house, students will learn how pioneers traveled to the Midwest and have a chance to compare and contrast their modern lives with those of pioneer children.

Program Sets

Interested in multiple programs? Each of our 30 minute programs complement each other to become a series of programs to dig deeper into a particular topic. See the below listings for our suggestions or put together your own. The best part? Book them all at the same time for a discount! 

A Story Time Series (Pre-K-1st)

A book for every time of year! Group different stories together to bring life and learning into every season, topic and classroom. Includes:

• Story Garden Walk
• Harvest Home
• Stories on the Staircase

Historic House Tour (K-5th)

Replicate the experience of coming to visit the Museum for a traditional tour of our historic buildings and grounds. Also works a bit like a time machine, to look into different eras in Arlington Height's History. Includes:

• What is a Pioneer?
• Apprenticeship: Early Jobs and Business
• The Muller Story: Family Life in the 1890s
• The Banta Story: Family Life in the 1910s

Early Arlington Heights (1st-5th)

Explore Arlington Heights, originally called Dunton, in its early days. Learn about the community, the individuals, and the beginnings of its growth into the Village we know today.

• Apprenticeship: Early Jobs and Business
• Early Families of Arlington Heights
• The Train Comes to Town

The Muller Story (1st-5th)

Using the Muller family as a lens into the past, students can fully explore every aspect of a family-- where they come from, what their life in America looked like, and their influence on the community they were a part of. 

• The Muller Story: Immigration and the German Influence
• The Muller Story: Soda Pop Pioneer
• The Muller Story: Family Life in the 1890s

The Banta Story (1st-5th)

Using the Banta family as a lens into the past, students can fully explore how one family can influence the community around them-- from housing treads to education.

• The Banta Story: Family Life in the 1910s
• The Banta Story: Architecture and Invention
• The Banta Story: Reading between the Lines