Introduction
The History of Wisconsin through
Integrated Student Creations was organized out of a pride for
Wisconsin, its people, and its students. It is an attempt to help make Wisconsin
history come alive for Wisconsin teachers, students, and parents by integrating
skills across the curriculum with a special focus on the arts. We hope you will
enjoy it and share it.
History, music, art and critical thinking are the main elements of
emphasis in the project. Through the joy, the challenge, the insight of music
and art, history comes alive in a pleasurable way. Activities for critical
thinking accompany each section of the project to further enhance learning not
only about Wisconsin, but about preparation for a life of learning through
critical analysis and an enjoyment of the arts.
Although the project could function as a unit itself, we do not intend to
have Wisconsin History through Integrated Student Creations used as the
required 4th grade Wisconsin History unit by itself. Indeed, factual
information is not included in terms of chapter and text. Rather, we’ve used
the same type of references that teachers have used for years in recording
information about Wisconsin (see references). We hope that teachers will pick
and choose and decide on their own what is appropriate to supplement what they
are already doing. In the same
regard, we hope that teachers encourage students to take activities, music, and
art home to share with their parents. In this way, we hope the joy of the arts
and history becomes community/family /individually recognized.
The project is not meant to be rigid in any way or a “magic formula”
for teaching Wisconsin history. Although many activities are included, we honor
all the publications regarding the topic, and of course, all the wonderful
activities teachers, students, and parents create on their own. We celebrate
anything pleasurable for we believe students need to have fun in order to learn.
In this thinking, we urge everyone to write their own strategies for teaching
Wisconsin history.
The following sections have been created:
1.
Wisconsin
2. Lumbering in Wisconsin
3. Wisconsin Agriculture
4.
American Indians
5.
Wisconsin Cities
6.
EAA
The
song at the beginning of each section serves as the focus for that section. The
songs were written by Mario Friedel, 4th grade teacher with help from
students in Rosendale, Ripon, and Oneida schools. The songs were produced by
Mario and Sherry Friedel and recorded with students from many parts of
Wisconsin. Words to the songs are included in each section. The content of the
songs reflects the nature of the section. The song tapes and the booklet are
meant to be used together.
Each
section also includes art work by Don Kloetzke, well-known Wisconsin wildlife
artist and 1992 Ducks Unlimited artist of the year. This artwork
consists of illustrations relevant to the section, as well as activities meant
to stimulate student enjoyment, imagination, and attention to art as an
expressive medium. These activities include artistic scenes of song verse,
missing part fill-ins, and picture finds. We think it is a nice opportunity to
celebrate art and learn from a well-known Wisconsin artist, best known for his
unique portrayal of wildlife and its natural settings.
Finally,
each section includes four to six activities created by David Boers, Professor
of Graduate Education at Marian College of Fond du Lac. These activities were
written to accommodate different skill levels and interest areas. In each
section, critical thinking increases as a focus for each activity offered. Words
in bold print throughout all activities highlight the type of thinking
reflected in the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Words underlined
through all activities are to highlight vocabulary development. Teachers
can decide how they want to deal with vocabulary development. A
“Wisconsin Concert” is referred to but not explained fully. It is hoped that
students will choose to conduct their own Wisconsin concert using either the
songs presented in each section, their own songs, or both. The song tapes
include the music without words in case students would like to use the melody
for their own songs. A school-wide concert including parents is the intended
culmination activity. In all of this, the teachers and the students should be
the owners of decisions on what can/should occur. If priorities of time and
curriculum inhibit what can be done, we hope happiness and enthusiasm won’t.
In
the end, we hope that all 4th grade teachers, music and art
specialist, parents and all others interested will use the Wisconsin
Integrated History Project. It has been created especially for you, the
students, and their parents.
Enjoy!
We would like to extend
our appreciation to all the teachers who responded to our survey and who took the
time to write ideas and conference with us regarding the nature of this project.
Your ideas make up the direction for what is here. Surely, your input (because
you are there) makes all the difference.
Special
thanks to Sherry, Tony and Elliot Friedel, Linda Schink-Boers and Gabriel and
Lucinda Boers, who acted as editors and typists and additional artists on the
project. Their patience, support and technical assistance are much appreciated.
Special thanks also to Don Kloetzke for his creative ideas in illustrating the
project.
WISC
2
Like WISC 1, WISC 2
was developed out of a pride for Wisconsin, its people, and its students. Adding
six more units to the original work in WISC 1, WISC 2 continues to
make Wisconsin history come alive for Wisconsin teachers, students, and families
by integrating skills across the curriculum with a special focus on the arts. We
hope you will enjoy it and share it.
History, music, art, and critical thinking continue to be the central
areas of focus. Through the joy, the challenge, the insight of music and art,
history comes alive in a pleasurable way. Additional focus is placed on active,
cooperative, prideful interaction that is designed to enhance the fun of
learning and the probing of natural curiosity. All of this collective emphasis
is intended to be evident in the activities that accompany each unit.
Although WISC 2 could function as a unit itself, it is meant to be
used as a supplement to the existing units already being used in each of the
content areas. Even though factual information is easily found in the songs and
the activities, it is not included as chapter and text. This does not prevent
classes from using WISC 2 as total units; however, we would support using
the same types of references that teachers have been using for years. We would
encourage classes to use the references cited as foundation for WISC 2.
Our hope is that teachers will pick and choose and decide on their own what is
appropriate to supplement what they are already doing in school. In the same
regard, we hope that teachers encourage students to take history, music, art,
and critical thinking home to share with their families and friends. In this
way, we hope that joy of learning becomes individually/family/community
recognized.
As in WISC 1, fundamental themes of family, compassion, respect,
and dignity are interwoven throughout the activities. These, along with themes
of pride in personal reflection and accomplishment, are meant to be viewed in a
global sense to provide optimistic satisfaction of a child’s right to a
hopeful future. We hope these themes will serve as an overriding importance as
adults and children work together. Teachers will perceive other, more subtle,
themes, such as respect for the environment, as work in the activities unfolds.
The following units were created for WISC 1:
1. Wisconsin
2. Lumbering in Wisconsin
3. Wisconsin Agriculture
4.
American
Indians
5.
Wisconsin Cities
6.
EAA
The
following units were created for WISC 2:
1. Glaciers in Wisconsin
2.
River Highways
3. Explorers of Wisconsin
4.
The Polka
5.
WI Women
6.
WI Government
The
songs at the beginning of each unit serve as the focus of the unit. Songs were
written by Mario and Sherry Friedel, with Janet Macklin, Neenah Public School
teacher. Mario, formerly of Ripon Public Schools, currently a principal in the
Lady-Smith Hawkins School District, recorded the songs at Friedeljuice Recording
Studios. Words to the songs and sheet music are included in the workbook for
each unit. The song tapes and the workbook are meant to be used together. Side
A of the tape includes music and lyrics. Side B includes just the
music. Students are encouraged to use Side B not only for listening
pleasure but to create their own lyrics.
Art
throughout the project has been a collaborative effort sharing the talents of
several people. Graphic artist Laurel Herman and middle school teacher Linda
Owens, both of Nashville, collaborated with Jeff Owens of the University of
Memphis and polka band artist and musician Tuba Dan Jerebak of Ripon, Wisconsin,
to illustrate the cover and individual units. This artwork consists of
illustrations relevant to the unit, as well as activities meant to stimulate
student enjoyment, imagination, and attention to art as an expressive medium.
These activities include artistic scenes of song verses, missing part fill-ins,
and a picture find. The intention is to celebrate art while learning history
though critical thinking.
The
workbook, written by David Boers, Professor of Graduate Education at Marian
College, provides four to eight activities for each of the six units. These
activities were written to accommodate different skill levels and interest
areas. In each unit, critical thinking increases as a focus for each activity
offered. Words in bold print throughout all activities highlight the type
of thinking reflected in the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Words underlined
through all activities are to highlight vocabulary development. Complete lists
of both appear by unit in the back of the workbook. It is left to the teachers
to decide if/how these lists should be used. A “Wisconsin Polka Concert” is
referred to but not explained fully. It is hoped that students will choose to
conduct their own Wisconsin Polka Concert using “Polka Rock,” their own
songs, or songs referred to in the activities. A school/community-wide concert
including families is the intended culmination activity. In all of this, the
teachers and the students should be the owners of decisions on what can/could
occur. If priorities of time and curriculum inhibit what can be done, we hope
happiness and enthusiasm won’t. In the end, we hope that 4th grade
teachers, music specialist, art specialists, and all interested students and
adults will use both WISC 1 and WISC 2. They have been created
especially for you.
Enjoy!
Click HERE to
get a printable version of the order form.
Telephone
(920) 748-2825
Postal address
WISC Publications
816 Newbury St.
Ripon, WI 54971
Electronic mail
General Information: dboers@itol.com
Webmasters: Nick Studt, Gabe Boers
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