{"id":613,"date":"2021-05-24T16:44:06","date_gmt":"2021-05-24T16:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/tpswesternregion\/?p=613"},"modified":"2021-05-24T16:44:06","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T16:44:06","slug":"tps-western-region-impacts-rural-alaska-with-teaching-strategies-and-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/tpswesternregion\/tps-western-region-impacts-rural-alaska-with-teaching-strategies-and-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"TPS Western Region Impacts Rural Alaska with Teaching Strategies and Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

The TPS Western Region awarded<\/span> a grant<\/span><\/a> to the Bering Strait School District, located in Unalakleet, Alaska. This granting opportunity gathered 19 educators from the school district that spans nearly 80,000 square miles and is almost 100% Alaskan Native Inupiat, Yup\u2019ik and Siberian Yupik Eskimo. <\/span><\/p>\n

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View of Nome, Alaska from workshop venue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To put the size of 80,000 square miles into perspective, it\u2019s roughly the size of Minnesota. To add to this, most of the schools are only accessible by small bush aircraft because of the lack of roads and vast wilderness. One person had to come by boat due to the high winds.<\/span><\/p>\n

I like that although we may sometimes seem isolated from the rest of the world, these sources allow us to explore the world around us. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

-6th grade teacher, Shishmaref, Alaska<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Many of our students lack exposure to what some people take for granted. Having museum type documents available for them to browse is an exciting new experience.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

-Elementary\/Middle school teacher, Koyuk, Alaska\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This being an extremely remote and rural part of the United States, professional development programs can be few and far between, especially for social studies. The TPS Regional programs help the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program remain active in communities throughout the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though remote, Alaska is a place of immense beauty and wonder.<\/em><\/h4>\n
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Bering Sea was across the street from the TPS workshop. from the TPS workshop.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 2-day workshop was titled, <\/span>Explore, Engage, Create: Integrating TPS Methods and Materials into BSSD Curriculum<\/span><\/i>, and was held on September 23-24, 2017 in Nome, Alaska. The main goal was to provide professional development for educators on how to use the Library of Congress website and provide primary source teaching strategies to be used in their classrooms. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both days were filled with Alaskan and other primary sources from the Library of Congress and a multitude of classroom activities and historical thinking, literacy, and inquiry strategies. Teachers in attendance quickly discovered the benefits of primary sources and instructional strategies presented.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Workshop<\/h3>\n

You can view the <\/span>2-day wiki<\/span><\/a> which includes all of the activities and resources that were used here. <\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the Strategies Taught<\/span><\/h3>\n