Project Overview
"Learning is Local" equips SUNY Potsdam students to create partnerships here in the North Country or in their hometowns with local museums, historical societies, or libraries to create teaching trunks—thematic kits containing local historical artifacts and primary sources. The lesson materials produced from these partnerships are designed to be adaptable for any grade level and aligned with both the New York State Social Studies Framework and National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) themes.
Faculty Bio
Dr. Marcolina has two decades of experience of infusing local history into her work in K-12 schools throughout New York State. Now, she is training her pre-service teachers to amplify unique local stories by connecting these narratives to all aspects of their curriculum. Believing that local history can both reinvigorate the community and help students' gain a sense of belonging, the "Learning is Local" project aims to empower teachers to create the curricular conditions for their students to write the next chapter of their local community's story.
The story of our nation demonstrates that seemingly insignificant places and people actually matter and can change the course of history. Our students must see themselves as the next chapter of the story of their town.
Department of Teacher Education
Student Mentee
Pandora Gagliano
Questions?
Students interested in participating in this project can contact Dr. Holly Marcolina at marcolhe@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-3427.