I forgot to include a link to the National Park Service trunk program in my last post. Here it is
http://www.nps.gov/jeff/forteachers/travelingtrunks.htm
Other trunk titles include "The Cowboys", "Dred Scott", "Classroom Pioneers", and "Gold Miners". This is just the short list. The full list is available at the website listed above.
I also wanted mention that there is a teacher's guide available for the Little House series which includes classroom activities per chapter of each book. I found the guide at my local library.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
National Park Service Trunk
Sorry it has been a while since I have posted...computer problems.
We began reading the "Little House" series of books by Laura Ingells Wilder. At first my girls were none too pleased to sit and listen to me read about life in the "Big Woods" of Wisconsin, but by the middle of the book they were hanging on every word. The second book in the series finds the Ingells family on the prairies of Kansas where they encounter the Plains Indians. The author's birthday was February 8th so in honor of her birthday I ordered a trunk for the National Park Service.
The trunk had to be ordered a month in advance at a cost of $35 which included shipping. When the trunk first arrived we quickly opened every package. My oldest opened one package only to have two buffalo chips fall into her hands. She was not happy. Her sisters and I laughed.
The trunk which is actually a large tool box comes with a teacher's guide, reproduction Indian artifacts, a CD, several books, period photograph, and information on the National Park Service. The teacher's guide is written as a fictional letter from Chief Red Cloud to the students. In the letter Chief Red Cloud tells the students about life as a Plains Indian before they were forced to move to a reservation. His letter describes the artifacts found in the trunk. Each section of the letter is followed by a classroom activity. The first activity has the students locate the states in which the Plains Indians lived. Other activities consist of just a question for the students to answer. There are seventeen classroom activities in all.
Now that I have described the trunk and its contents to you, let me give you my opinion of the trunk.
Pros:
The teacher's guide is easy to use and written in such a manner as to engage the students. The girls really enjoyed exploring the artifacts in the trunk. I believe that they did learn more about the Plains Indians from the information in the teacher's guide and the items in the trunk.
Cons:
A letter to the teacher from the National Park Service that accompanied the trunk states that the trunk is "designed so you may pick and choose those things which will benefit your students." I found this to be a problem. As a homeschool mom I wanted the girls to explore it all not just pick and choose. Unfortunately, the trunk which arrived on the 8th of February has to be returned by the 22nd of February. There is simply not enough time to complete all the activities or explore all the artifacts.
At thirty-five dollars the trunk is a bit pricey for the homeschool environment. It would be perfect for a co-op environment. What I am saying is that it is easier to justify spending thirty-five dollars on the trunk when more than three children will receive the benefits of the trunk.
Finally and I am being picking the medicine wheel in the trunk has the colors displayed incorrectly.
Will I rent another trunk from the Park Service? Yes, I will but only on a special occasion like to commemorate an author's birthday.
Below are pictures of the trunks contents.
We began reading the "Little House" series of books by Laura Ingells Wilder. At first my girls were none too pleased to sit and listen to me read about life in the "Big Woods" of Wisconsin, but by the middle of the book they were hanging on every word. The second book in the series finds the Ingells family on the prairies of Kansas where they encounter the Plains Indians. The author's birthday was February 8th so in honor of her birthday I ordered a trunk for the National Park Service.
The trunk had to be ordered a month in advance at a cost of $35 which included shipping. When the trunk first arrived we quickly opened every package. My oldest opened one package only to have two buffalo chips fall into her hands. She was not happy. Her sisters and I laughed.
The trunk which is actually a large tool box comes with a teacher's guide, reproduction Indian artifacts, a CD, several books, period photograph, and information on the National Park Service. The teacher's guide is written as a fictional letter from Chief Red Cloud to the students. In the letter Chief Red Cloud tells the students about life as a Plains Indian before they were forced to move to a reservation. His letter describes the artifacts found in the trunk. Each section of the letter is followed by a classroom activity. The first activity has the students locate the states in which the Plains Indians lived. Other activities consist of just a question for the students to answer. There are seventeen classroom activities in all.
Now that I have described the trunk and its contents to you, let me give you my opinion of the trunk.
Pros:
The teacher's guide is easy to use and written in such a manner as to engage the students. The girls really enjoyed exploring the artifacts in the trunk. I believe that they did learn more about the Plains Indians from the information in the teacher's guide and the items in the trunk.
Cons:
A letter to the teacher from the National Park Service that accompanied the trunk states that the trunk is "designed so you may pick and choose those things which will benefit your students." I found this to be a problem. As a homeschool mom I wanted the girls to explore it all not just pick and choose. Unfortunately, the trunk which arrived on the 8th of February has to be returned by the 22nd of February. There is simply not enough time to complete all the activities or explore all the artifacts.
At thirty-five dollars the trunk is a bit pricey for the homeschool environment. It would be perfect for a co-op environment. What I am saying is that it is easier to justify spending thirty-five dollars on the trunk when more than three children will receive the benefits of the trunk.
Finally and I am being picking the medicine wheel in the trunk has the colors displayed incorrectly.
Will I rent another trunk from the Park Service? Yes, I will but only on a special occasion like to commemorate an author's birthday.
Below are pictures of the trunks contents.
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