Key West Lighthouse Museum
Elementary Student Activities
OBJECTIVES:
- To expose students to the historical significance of the Key West Lighthouse.
- To introduce students to maritime history and the functions of lighthouses.
- To expand students' knowledge of Key West history and life in the late 1800's.
VOCABULARY:
- lighthouse
- oil house
- light keeper
- mariner
- tower
- barometer
- cistern
- reef
- artifacts
- lens
- hurricane
PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES:
- Engage students in a discussion of prior knowledge about lighthouses.
- Discuss the purpose of lighthouses (*To help those on ships determine location and to warn of potential hazards).
- Research lighthouse history (*See Web Site List).
- Create a map of the Florida Keys and its lighthouses.
- Expose students to a variety of related literature (*See Book List).
MUSEUM VISIT:
At the museum, students will learn a general background history of the Key West Lighthouse before exploring the rooms of the Light Keepers' Quarters Museum. There the group will be exposed to photographs, artifacts, and life in Key West's early years. The students will then travel up the 88 spiral stairs to the tower watch room to view Key West and its surrounding waters.
POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES:
- Challenge students to a Lighthouse Museum Crossword or Word Find Puzzle (*See Teacher Resources), or encourage them to create their own puzzles.
- Write a news article about your trip. Be sure to include the "5 W's": Who? What? When? Where? Why? A photograph with caption can complete the headline news!
- Compose friendly letters or postcards for a friend or relative to share their field trip learning experiences.
- Design a brochure telling about the many interesting artifacts and history learned at the Key West Lighthouse Museum. Students can then be encouraged to add colorful drawings with informative captions.
- Take a walk in the light keeper's shoes…Pretend you are the Key West Light Keeper. Keep a journal/diary of your daily experiences…Prepare for the big storm!
- Design a new Lighthouse Service Flag.
- Study weather patterns and local tide charts used for navigation in the Florida Keys.
- Create an Acrostic Poem using the letters from the museum site:
L
I
G
H
T
H
O
U
S
E
WEB SITES:
Florida Lighthouse Association
Florida Lighthouse Page
BOOK LISTS:
Beacons of Light: Lighthouses by Gail Gibbons
Birdie's Lighthouse by Deborah Hopkinson
Keeper of the Light by Patricia Curtis Pfitsch
Keeping the Good Light by Katherine Kirkpatrick
The Lighthouse Children by Syd Hoff
The Lighthouse Dog by Betty Waterson
The Lighthouse Mermaid by Kathleen Karr
The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift
Women of the Lights by Candace Fleming
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