Museum on the Move Overview

What is Museum on the Move?

Hey Utah 4th grade teachers! Ever wish that NHMU could come to your classroom? You’re in luck!!

Each year, Museum on the Move visits hundreds of 4th grade classrooms across Utah. As part of the iSEE Collective with generous funding from the State of Utah, we visit Utah Public Schools for free and bring engaging, core-aligned science experiences with real museum fossils, artifacts, and specimens.

Registration for Museum on the Move is by invitation only. When you're on rotation, we'll email the 4th grade teachers to schedule your visit. We use the teacher contacts listed on school websites, so the best way to help us reach you is to ensure those contact lists are up to date! We have some extra availability for 4th grade classes in Spring 2026! Click here to email Museum on the Move and get a link to the request calendar.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions, or scroll down to see our list of topics.

Topics

All Museum on the Move topics follow the same structure:

Introduction to the content
Modeling making observations
Station rotations with museum specimens
Wrap-up discussion

Click the topic titles below to expand and see more details, or click here for a thorough list of specimens and stations for each topic.

Structure and Function: Utah's Plants and Animals

Fossils: Evidence of Utah's Past

What can fossils tell us about Utah's past? Explore ancient habitats and adaptations through fossils both big and small, and across Utah’s incredible range of fossil history.

SEEd Strand 4.1 Organisms functioning in their environment

4.1.1 - Structure and function of organisms

4.1.3 - Stability and change from fossil evidence

4.1.4 - Patterns in rock layers and fossils show change over time

Open configuration options

Artifacts: Utah's People and Cultures

What can we learn about the people who came before us from the things they left behind? Students become archaeologists by exploring artifacts from Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont people.

Grade 4 Social Studies:

Strand 4.1 - Students will understand the relationship between the physical geography in Utah and human life

Standard 4.2.1: Use evidence to make inferences about the geography of the land that would become Utah in the culture of one or more prehistoric or historic Native American cultures

Standard 4.2.3: Use primary sources to compare important aspects of the ways of life of indigenous groups existing within the land now called Utah

Utah Through Rock Patterns

Recently updated! What can patterns in rock layers tell us about how Utah's past environments have changed over time? What do these patterns tell us about Utah’s past environments? Students become geologists by exploring specimens from around Utah while learning to interpret clues about the past.

SEEd Strand 4.1

4.1.4 Patterns in rock layers and fossils show change over time

Our Great Salt Lake

What can the Great Salt Lake tell us about Utah's unique geography? Students explore what makes the Great Salt Lake of regional, national, and global significance using scientific skills of observation and inference.

Social Studies Strand 4.1 Utah's Unique Geography

4.1.3 - Describe how the physical geography of Utah has both negative and positive consequences on our health and safety

Social Studies Strand 4.5 A New Millenia

4.5.3 - Use data and trends to make recommendations for the best sustainable development of Utah’s resources.

SEEd Strand 4.1: Organisms Functioning in their Environment

4.1.1 - Structure and function of organisms

4.1.4 - Relationship between fossils and past environments

Want more?

While you’re waiting for your next Museum on the Move visit, check out these great resources…..

Science and Engineering Practices Videos with guided activities for students
On-Demand classes using Nearpod
Access 3D models of NHMU specimens to observe with your students

For questions and scheduling information about Museum on the Move for 4th grade classes at Utah Public Schools, please email Glynis Bawden, School Outreach and Teacher Professional Development Manager.

For outreach to other grades, please visit iSEE and POPS to find out what organizations serve your grade.

For all other outreach requests, please visit the Community Outreach webpage.

Click here to return to the Museum on the Move landing page