Folklife Resources for Educators

Materials Related to Ecology and Environment

There are 5 titles in this list.

The Catskills: A Sense of Place
by The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Inc.
http://www.catskillcenter.org/index.php/-catskill-center-/our-programs/education/sense-of-place

A series of five curriculum guides designed for grades 3-12 about the natural and cultural features of the Catskill Mountain Region. The five guides include: Module 1: Water Resources of the Catskills (208 p. PDF); Module 2: Geography & Geology of the Catskills (191 p. PDF); Module 3: Ecosystems of the Catskills (231 p. PDF); Module 4: Human History of the Catskills (165 p. PDF); and Module 5: Culture & Arts / Building Catskills Communities (192 p. PDF). Each module contains a bibliography of resource persons, publications, Web sites, and New York State standards-based lesson plans. A printed copy of the modules can be ordered at cost from the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development.

Sponsoring Organization:
Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Inc.
PO Box 504, 43355 Route 28
Arkville NY 12406
(845) 586-2611. ex. 108
http://www.catskillcenter.org/

Dane County Cultural Tour 2002
by Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures
http://csumc.wisc.edu/cmct/DaneCountyTour/

Description of a four-day field trip taken by a classroom of fourth and fifth graders from Randall Elementary School in Madison, Wisconsin, to farming communities, small towns, and suburbs in south central Wisconsin. They visited ethnic communities and occupational sites, met and interviewed folk artists, musicians, and community historians, and documented their experiences through writing and photography. Many of the field reports included were written by students. This site gives an idea of the places they visited, and the traditions and folklore they discovered, and includes a "How We Did It" section for ideas on organizing similar cultural tours.

Sponsoring Organization:
Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures
901 University Bay Drive
Madison WI 53705
(608) 256-4640
http://csumc.wisc.edu/

Other Organizations:
Randall Elementary School
1802 Regent Sreet
Madison Wisconsin 53705
(608) 204-3302
http://www.greatschools.net/wisconsin/madison/877-Randall-Elementary-School/

Living Traditions: Museums Honour the North American Indigenous Games
by Virtual Museum of Canada
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Traditions/English/teachers_corner.html

Activities and background for 8th grade students related to traditional North American indigenous games, such as lacrosse, Eastern Woodland games, archery, longball, paddling and canoe racing traditions, and the tag game known as wolf (or hunter) and moose (or caribou). The site also includes information about the North American Indigenous Games, a multi-sport event involving indigenous athletes.

Sponsoring Organization:
Virtual Museum of Canada
15 Eddy Street, 15-4-A
Gatineau, Quebec, Canada K1A OM5
(819) 994-1200
http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/index-eng.jsp

Pass It On: Cultural Traditions of the Lower Eastern Shore
by Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art
http://www.wardmuseum.org/Education/TeachersandStudents/TeacherTrainingResources/PassItOnK12CurriculumActivity/tabid/583/Default.aspx

K-12 curriculum and activity guide to the cultural life, history, landscape, and traditions of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. Curriculum units with lesson plans and activities include: I) Following the Water (19 pp. PDF); II) Living Off the Land (36 pp. PDF); III) Sporting and Playing (14 pp. PDF) ; and IV) Folklore and Folklife (32 pp. PDF). There is also a map of the Eastern Shore, a glossary of terms, a bibliography for further research, and links to audio and video clips. The curriculum has been synchronized with Maryland state content standards for Social Studies, and can be used for classes in History, Geography, Science, Economics, and Art.

Sponsoring Organization:
Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art
909 South Schumaker Drive
Salisbury MD 21804
(410) 742-4988
http://www.wardmuseum.org/

Plum Stone Dice Game
by Illinois State Museum
http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/pdfs/re_dice.pdf

Activity geared to students in grades 4-8 in which they learn some background about the Native American plum stone dice game and also the rules for playing it. Addresses the Illinois State Board of Education Goals and Standards. (3 p. PDF)

Sponsoring Organization:
MuseumLink Illinois
1011 East Ash Street
Springfield IL 62703
(217) 782-7475
http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/

Other Organizations:
Illinois State Museum
502 South Spring Street
Springfield IL 62706-5000
(217) 782-7386
http://www.museum.state.il.us/