Project Westward
Waters
Educational Service Unit # 2, the Eastern Nebraska
Distance Learning Consortium, Wayne State College, and their
partners, have developed project "Westward Waters". Westward
Waters is an extensive staff content enrichment program that will
deliver extensive American History content to K-12 American History
educators in over 40 school districts in eastern Nebraska.
This content will be delivered by national award winning
historical experts thus ensuring a depth of understanding about the
significance of Western Waters in the history of this great nation.
Specifically, this project will follow the three themes
outlined by the visions of Thomas Jefferson in reference to
the Louisiana Purchase. First, the significance of Native
American People, their connection to the water ways of the west,
their culture, and their impact on the growth of the Nation.
Second, an extensive investigation of the importance of the
Missouri River to the explorations of Lewis and Clark. And
finally, the roles of the Platte River and other waterways in the
expansion and transportation to the western regions of the
country.
Project Westward Waters
will have a significant impact on ENDLC service area teachers and
has potential to be disseminated to any other teacher of American
History that has access to the Internet. Project Westward
Waters has four major goals that include:
- Form a cadre of K-12 teachers dedicated to
the delivery of American History curriculum that actively engages
ALL learners.
- Through the delivery of graduate level
courses work by Wayne State College, Westward Waters will Improve
the content knowledge of Nebraska teachers responsible for the
instruction of American History.
- Develop lesson plans that are rich in
content, centered in student participation, and are seamlessly
aligned with the Nebraska and National American History Standards
that will be posted to an on-line and searchable
database.
- Develop on-line college level courses for
delivery to any individual interested in American History content
beyond the period of the grant.
