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The National Parks Workshop promotes science, social studies, character education, and literacy. It includes educator's resources; history of the National Parks; people who made a difference, park profiles and a sample Read, View, Do activity.
Printed and online educational materials created around the film will support formal and informal classroom settings with lesson plans and hands-on learning activities that can be used by a broad range of grades and disciplines. *Some of the lesson plans include: "A Campfire Convention;" "All Aboard! See America First;" and "People Behind the Park." The focus of the materials will be on finding and telling the "untold" stories of one's own community and the creation of student-generated digital media projects incorporating the ideals of the film and the national parks.
The workshops are linked to the standard course of study and will also include the lesson plans with ancillary resources, day trip activities, history of the national parks, people who made a difference in the park system, park profiles and web resources.
A Campfire Conversation
During a private, three-day camping trip in the Yosemite Valley in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt and preservationist John Muir shared their views on wilderness use while "talking freely around the campfire." In this lesson, students will use online tools - as well as the film - to research the backgrounds, experiences, and points of view of both men.
All Aboard! See America First
In this activity, students will work in creative teams to develop a promotional program for a railroad company taking tourists to the National Parks.
Because THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEA is so rich in educational themes and we know that teachers have a limited amount of time, a series of quick, adaptable activities has been developed for classroom use. Each "day trip" will contain a brief overview along with activity ideas you can use to create lessons tailored to your individual class curriculum and teaching style.
Below is a sample daytrip:
Building Human Happiness
During President Obama's campaign and his inaugural address, he recalled a time when thousands of America's youth set out to the woods to work for the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Like Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy, President Obama saw great value in getting young people actively involved in the building of the country. This idea became law with the passing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in March 2009. Both the president and First Lady Michelle Obama have made promoting service work one of their major efforts.
Have students research the New Deal programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps. Discuss with students some of the highlights: FDR's affinity with the outdoors and the national parks, the economic problems of the 1930s, the need to employ as many able bodied citizens as possible, how these dire economic times compare with economic conditions in 2008-09. Then focus the discussion on the Civilian Conservation Corps and how it compares with the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Next have students investigate the details of the national service programs promoted by the Obama administration at the Corporation for National & Community Service at www.nationalservice.gov. They can review the different programs offered and opportunities to become involved in serving their country. Then have them go to USA Freedom Corps Volunteer Network at www.serve.gov to find a service opportunity in their community. Have students form small groups and brainstorm different community service projects they might want to perform. The website at Serve.gov asks students to submit their ideas and their zip code. The website will find several different potential service projects in their area with description and contact information.
Learn about the evolution of the national parks. What began as a radical idea has become a cohesive parks system with a mission to make the parks accessible to all, and to preserve them for future generations.
From John Muir to Theodore Roosevelt, the parks owe their existence to people who were passionate about places of beauty. Learn about the exceptional individuals who fought to preserve America's rich natural treasures.
Learn about your local North Carolina national parks and the National Park Foundation.
Stay connected, get involved and share your own story about your visit to a national park.
Visit the websites of the local parks and participate in some of the interactive activities.
Workshop Participants will learn about the national parks in a variety of learning opportunities. For example, attendees will:
Read a book: The Anchor: P. Moore Proprietor by Blonnie Bunn Wyche
View Ken Burns' Untold Stories or The National Parks: America's Best Ideas
Do activities from the Junior ranger booklets and other developmentally appropriate activities
Attendees will explore the colorful history of each of the major parks featured in the documentary.
CHC's will be awarded to early childhood professionals. PreK-12 public school teachers must receive prior approval from their district to receive CEU's for this workshop.
For More Information:
Pamela W. Hines, PreK-12 Director
10 T. W. Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park, N. C. 27709
(919) 549-7149
phines@unctv.org
Kamona Herring, Outreach Coordinator
10 T. W. Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park, N. C. 27709
(919) 549-7072
kherring@unctv.org
NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEA/For Educators
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