Teacher ideas for using the app
The Museum Tour app can be used in the classroom, in the museum, or both. It works especially well for inquiry-based learning, station rotations, and compare/contrast activities.
Key idea: if you select WWI or WWII as a tour filter, the app automatically builds a tour that includes all displays related to that war—so you get a complete route with minimal prep.
Quick Start: Build a Lesson-Ready Tour in 3 Steps
Step 1 — Pick your focus
Choose a theme in the app filters (for example WWI or WWII).
Step 2 — Let the app build the route
When you select WWI (or WWII), the app automatically includes all displays specifically related to that war, creating a complete tour route.
Step 3 — Decide how students will work
Choose one format:
- Whole class: teacher-led walkthrough (projector/smartboard)
- Pairs/small groups: students explore and answer prompts
- Stations: groups rotate through set stops and report back
Use the App in the Classroom (Before or After the Museum)
Option A — 15-minute “Preview Warm-Up”
Use the app to preview 5–8 stops. This reduces “first time in a museum” confusion and makes the on-site visit more meaningful.
Teacher script (short):
“Today you’re going to investigate artifacts like historians. Your job is to use evidence from what you see and read to support your answers.”
Option B — Small Group Inquiry (30–45 minutes)
Students work in groups of 2–4. Each group is assigned:
- a war focus (WWI or WWII), or
- a theme (medical care, communication, daily life, remembrance, technology).
Each group reports back with:
- 1 artifact that surprised them
- 1 problem soldiers faced
- 1 piece of evidence that supports their claim
Option C — Post-Visit Reflection (20 minutes)
Students revisit 3 stops and answer:
What did you notice in the museum that you missed the first time?
What did this change about your understanding of war?
What questions do you still have?
Use the App in the Museum (Self-Guided Walk-Around)
To use the tour in the museum, visitors must connect to the Museum Guest Wi-Fi network. No password is required, but students will need to select the network on their device.
Format 1 — “Museum Lab” (best for most classes)
- Students explore in groups using the app
- Teacher circulates and coaches
- Groups complete short prompts and report back
Suggested timing:
- 10 min: orientation + expectations
- 30–40 min: exploration
- 10 min: quick group share-out
Format 2 — Stations (excellent for larger groups)
Set 4–6 stations. Each station has:
- 2–3 app stops
- 1 task question
- 1 “evidence” requirement (quote a detail from the display)
Station prompt example:
“What does this display suggest about the biggest challenge soldiers faced here? Give one piece of evidence.”
Format 3 — Guided Intro + App Exploration (hybrid)
A guide gives a short introduction. Then the app takes over for exploration. This keeps structure and student agency.
WWI and WWII Activities That Actually Work
Activity 1 — Compare & Contrast (pairs)
Assign half the class WWI, half WWII. Each pair must find:
- 1 display that shows technology
- 1 display that shows daily life
- 1 display that shows risk or hardship
Share-out question:
“What changed between WWI and WWII, and what stayed the same?”
Activity 2 — Evidence-Based Claim (small groups)
Students write one claim:
“In WWI/WWII, the most serious challenge for soldiers was ______.”
They must support it with:
- two pieces of evidence from two different displays
- one counterpoint (something that complicates the claim)
Activity 3 — Artifact Detective (quick + fun)
At one stop, students answer:
- What do you think this is?
- Who used it?
- What problem did it solve?
- What makes you say that? (cite a detail)
Activity 4 — Moral/Memory Lens (older students)
Choose one remembrance-related display and ask:
- Who is being remembered, and how?
- What values does the display suggest the Regiment wants to preserve?
- What would be remembered differently today?
Question Bank (Copy/Paste for Worksheets)
- What do you notice first? Why?
- What evidence shows this was used in real conditions (not parade-ground conditions)?
- What does this tell you about daily life for soldiers?
- What problem was this designed to solve?
- What risks does this display suggest soldiers faced?
- What does this tell you about technology at the time?
- What is missing from this story? What questions remain?
- What surprised you, and why?
- Choose one display and explain how it connects to Canada’s role in the war.
- If you could ask the person who used this one question, what would it be?
Student Instructions (Copy/Paste)
Before you arrive
- Install the Museum Tour app on your phone/tablet.
- Bring headphones if you prefer quiet reading/listening.
- Bring a charged device (or a small power bank if you have one).
In the museum
- Stay with your group.
- Connect to the Museum Guest Wi-Fi network (no password required).
- Open the app and select the tour focus your teacher assigns (for example WWI or WWII).
- At each stop, read the description and answer the worksheet question using evidence from the display.
- Keep voices low and be respectful—this is a memorial space.
Your goal
You’re not collecting points. You’re collecting evidence.
Sample Letter to Parents/Guardians (Copy/Paste)
Subject: Museum Visit — Optional Use of Student Phones/Tablets for Learning
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Our class will be visiting the 48th Highlanders Museum in Toronto on [DATE].
During the visit, students may use their phone or tablet for an educational activity using the Museum Tour app. The app provides museum information and helps students navigate assigned displays as part of a guided learning task.
Students who bring a device should:
install the Museum Tour app in advance using the school-provided link
bring a charged device (and headphones if preferred)
Device use will be limited to the assigned learning activity, and students will remain supervised by staff/teachers.
If your child will not be bringing a device, they will be paired with classmates or provided an alternate method to complete the activity.
Sincerely,
[TEACHER NAME]
[SCHOOL / CONTACT INFO]
School Deployment Tips (Practical Stuff)
If students are using their own phones (BYOD)
- Ask students to install the app before the trip (home Wi-Fi is faster and calmer).
- Plan 5 minutes on arrival for everyone to join the Museum Guest Wi-Fi (no password required).
- Bring 2–3 printed copies of the worksheet for students who forget devices.
If you’re using school iPads/tablets
- Install the app on all devices at least a day before.
- Test one full tour route on school Wi-Fi.
- On arrival, connect all devices to the Museum Guest Wi-Fi (no password required).
- If possible, assign devices to groups and label them (Group 1, Group 2, etc.).
Classroom management tips
- Put students in groups of 2–4. Solo students drift. Groups stay focused.
- Assign roles: Reader / Navigator / Recorder / Reporter.
- Give time checks: “You should be at Stop 3 by 10:30.”