FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) – The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center features a prop closet and a lending library with resources for teachers to use in class.
According to Lauren Crowe, education specialist at the Fairbanks Alaska Public Lands Information Center (FAPLIC), “It’s literally bursting at the seams. We have so many items.”
The project, led by FAPLIC, is designed to increase the interactivity of children’s learning. “Part of the Alaska Public Lands Information Center’s mission is to educate people about the natural, cultural and historical resources, and we do that through interpretive programs led by both rangers and teachers,” Crowe said.
Teachers in the Fairbanks School District can borrow these materials for free, she explained. “These resources are available to all teachers, kindergarten through high school. It really just depends on the lesson plan that the teachers are working with.”
Props include feathers, stuffed animals and paw replicas, among others. “Some of our most popular props that teachers can borrow include mammal fur and mammal skulls,” Crowe said.
There is also material for a lesson on the Fairbanks Gold Rush, which Crowe says is “common in both history classes and English classes. Teachers often combine it with Jack London’s ‘Call of the Wild.'”
Parents of homeschooled children can also take advantage of these free resources, which include academic materials.
Sometimes props are even sent to rural schools in the 49th state. “The teachers would only have to pay the cost of returning them,” Crowe clarified.
All with the goal of helping students better understand their state. “Our educational program is really focused on Alaska and things that are relevant to students in the region. We put a lot of emphasis on place-based learning here, and when students can connect to their local resources, it helps them care about their environment,” she said.
The Alaska Public Lands Information Center offers workshops for teachers where they can earn professional development credits that count toward renewal of their teaching license.
They also develop customized programs for educators.
Teachers interested in using the Prop Closet and these other resources can find more information here and here.
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