SCHOOL PROGRAMS

School Tours

Tours for school classes at the museum are provided by trained docents. These can be tailored to meet the teachers' needs. Old town Danville and Alamo cemetary tours are also available. Call 837-3750 to set up a reservation.

February 28 - June 9, 2006

Tassajara One-Room School Program

Each spring third graders from throughout the San Ramon Valley have a special opportunity to participate in a living history program. School marms and school masters provide a school day in 1888 at the Tassajara One-Room School at 1650 Finley Road in the Tassajara Valley.

Designed by Mistress (and former teacher) Joan Kurtz, the students use slates, learn to cipher, recite from a McGuffey Reader and play nineteenth century games. They dress in period clothes as well.

The Tassajara Grammar School, along with its out buildings, served students from 1888 to 1946. This program is sponsored by the Museum of the San Ramon Valley and various underwriters. It is only available for students from the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District manages the building and has generously allowed the Museum to use the school house for this very popular program.

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District owns and maintains the Tassajara School and partners with the museum in this popular program. Financial support from the program comes from class fees, the San Ramon Valley Historical Society, the San Ramon Rotary and Soroptimist International of Alamo-Danville.

Indian Life Program

From October 4 to November 15, 2006 fourth graders will come to the Museum and learn about the Tatcan and Seunen Indians who lived in the San Ramon Valley before European contact. These students, who study California history during their school year, have a chance to hear stories, learn from the Museum displays, pound acorns and play Indian games.

The Indians lived here in this Valley for at least 5000 years. This gives students a chance to hear about the first people who lived in this place.

Museum (@ the Depot) and Old Town Danville Tours

Tours for school classes at the Museum are provided by trained docents as are Old Town Danville tours. These visits can be tailored to class needs in terms of emphasis and length of time; sometimes combined Museum and Old Town tours can be arranged. Call (925) 837-3750 for reservations.

Local History Curriculum for Third Grades

The Museum, in collaboration with the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and the Danville and San Ramon libraries, has produced a curriculum on local history for third grades in the valley. It is called “The San Ramon Valley, Knowing Your Community”. There are thirteen chapters which provide information on the valley and include teacher and student pages, vocabulary, suggested reading and classroom activities, plays, and field trip ideas.

A Passport to the San Ramon Valley is available which provides an opportunity for third grade students to do local history research, supported by their parents. There are eleven locations which students and parents visit during the year. Locations range from the Museum to the Alamo Cemetery to the entrance of Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Topics include the valley’s geology, pre-history, Indians, agriculture, transportation and others. A page which lists these locations is available for visitors at the museum.

Other elements of the curriculum are in the planning stages. These include a California/Valley timeline for all third and fourth grade classes, a local history book (Valley Vignettes) and a history video.

Underwriters for this project include: Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary, San Ramon Rotary, Kiwanis of the San Ramon Valley, Soroptimists of Alamo-Danville, the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation and the Lesher Foundation.

For more information on this unique curriculum project, call the museum at 837-3750. Click to learn more about the passport.