Longleaf Elementary School’s 2nd Grade Excel Class, under the direction of teacher Susan Hamlett created their own Pocket Museum for their school featuring animals from the Hattiesburg Zoo. “We really focused the majority of our last nine-week class time creating this project,” said Hamlett.
Each of the 36 students worked both together and independently to create the Longleaf Elementary Pocket Museum. Students spent time reviewing and reading through both the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum’s and Hattiesburg Zoo’s websites to make sure the assignment would be perfect. Each student submitted a list of the top five animals they would like to highlight and when their final animal was determined, they researched animal facts and information on their habitats. Students then created a mini display of their animal using clay. Mrs. Hamlett took the students outside so they could collect items found in their animal’s habitat including sticks, rocks, grass, leaves and hay. Their individual displays were housed in recycled altoids containers and were accompanied by the animal’s fact sheet and a larger clay version of their featured animal.
All 36 displays were then placed onto glass shelves at the front of the school, thus creating their own Pocket Museum. The students and their teacher created an “I Spy” and “photo-op” for the pocket museum so that other students would be able to enjoy a play aspect at the museum in addition to the educational components.
Photo by Abigail Smith
On Friday, April 14 Mrs. Hamlett’s class took a field trip to both the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum and the Hattiesburg Zoo, where their creations will be on display for all guests to the zoo to enjoy. “We are so proud and honored by the work of these students,” said Jeremy Cumpton, Director of Conservation, Education and Wildlife at the Hattiesburg Zoo. “We can’t thank Mrs. Hamlett enough for teaching her students about our Zoo residents and the importance of educating people of all ages about wildlife and conservation efforts.” “I am sure this is a class projects these students will never forget,” said Cumpton.
The students’ work will be on display in the Hattiesburg Zoo’s Asbury Building, and will be there for viewing through Sunday, April 23. Viewing the display does require Zoo admission.
