Project Overview

This book was created by 6^th grade students at the Genesee Community Charter School as part of a year-long learning expedition on health and the human body. The 6^th grade – the last grade in this k-6 school – has a tradition of undertaking a capstone expedition that contributes to their community and requires significant field research, most often travel to other cities to meet with experts. To see other examples of capstone projects by GCCS students in this archive, see Revitalize Rochester and Give Bees a Chance.

Students in this class were asked by the Rochester Museum and Science Center to create a health exhibition for the museum. All of the student studies over the course of the year contributed toward this service-learning project.

Student investigations in the fall included a study of infectious diseased across history, with case studies of six major epidemics: Athenian Plague, Malaria, Black Plague, Smallpox, Cholera and Yellow Fever. These case studies involved scientific, historical and civic research. In the winter, student work centered on anatomy, physiology and health and nutrition. They produced an exercise video and planned a fund-raising 5K road race, which they sponsored and managed in the spring.

To become experts in exhibition design, students split into four research teams and traveled to four cities with museums that featured exemplary health exhibitions: COSI in Columbus, Ohio; The Carnegie Museum of Science in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The Health Museum in Houston, Texas; and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Denver, Colorado. They interviewed museum presidents, exhibit designers, managers, program designers and coordinators, museum educators, floor staff and museum guests.  They collected research by watching guests and seeing what exhibit features caught their interest for the longest periods of time. They participated in hands-on educational workshops in each museum.

Back in Rochester, students surveyed local constituents to determine their priorities for an exhibition, and began the design process that is documented in this book. The museum will use the recommendations from this book to inform their exhibit design and fabrication. 

See related resources in the library.