Jill Fornadley
Harpers Ferry Middle School
(WV)
2015 TTEC Cohort
July 15, 2015
I must admit that I am very spoiled in terms of
location for the TTEC summer workshop. I live in the area, and teach a stone’s throw
from the A.T. at Harpers Ferry Middle School. In preparation for the TTEC
summer workshop, I decided to take a day and hike around the Lower Town section
of Harpers Ferry. Obviously, I had done this before both with and without
students, however, not with this particular purpose in mind.
It was very interesting and strange to walk
around the town where I work as a tourist. I played the part to the hilt, too.
I wore a daypack, took pictures, and bought myself an ice cream cone for good
behavior. What I discovered was that if I were hiking the entire A.T., Harpers
Ferry would seem like an oasis to me upon arrival. There is a river that is
safe for recreational use on hot days, restaurants, bars, hostels, churches,
the A.T.C. headquarters (“the psychological halfway point” between Maine and
Georgia!), and even a spa!
Despite hours of exploring and months of
brainstorming, I am still struggling with how exactly to meld the goals of the
TTEC project with my curriculum. My current train of thought involves attempting
to fit it into our civics unit, as there is a component involving obligations
of U.S. citizens- i.e.: voting, jury duty, and civic engagement. I feel as
though the unit I inevitably create can fit under the category of civic
engagement, but creating a more cohesive plan on this front is what I hope to
accomplish within the first day of our workshop.
Other potential ideas (brainstorm list):
- Track how
a bill becomes a law by discussing the history of/problems facing the Trail;
have students determine a law that they deem appropriate for trail
safety/maintenance etc and have them write a bill, and explain to me (via
written assignment) how that would come to be. (Plus letters to
Representatives, meetings with Reps?)
- Prejudice/Bias about teens/West
Virginians (helping out to show that not all teens are disrespectful, and that
WV are not "hillbillies")
- Appalachian cultural exchange; trail
head info
- Health problems of the area (WV is
one of the least healthy states in the US)
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