Teacher Resources

School and group programs at ISM Dickson Mounds Museum

Programs are free of charge. Free bus parking is available adjacent to the Museum.

For more information call (309) 547-3721.

Guided School or Group Programs

A Special Place for Learning

Tours. An hour-long guided tour of the museum exhibits is available to groups that make reservations. Tours include two audio visual presentations, interpretation of museum artifacts, and a view of the Illinois River Valley from the museum's observation deck (weather permitting).

Pre-K Through Third Grade. Groups with children aged 4 to 8 may schedule a half-hour tour of the exhibits followed by a half-hour of structured play in the Discovery Center.

Online Resources for Teachers

Lesson Plans

We have developed 196 lesson plans in art, history, anthropology, archaeology and the natural sciences for grades K-12.
Lessons are correlated to the Illinois Learning Standards.

Web Exhibits

Come visit our 23 world famous web "exhibits" such as At Home in Heartland, Geology Online, and Ice Ages. Most of the lesson plans and activities were developed to be used with these exhibits.

Access to the ISM Collections

The Museum has over 10 million objects in its collections, but only a small percent are on display in our exhibits. Gain access here to some of our prize objects, specimens, and works of art.

Online Activities and Games

We have developed 8 online activities or games that cover a wide range of topics.