Getting to know Wyoming

The Encampment fourth graders learned a lot about Wyoming last week.

Allen Trent, a University of Wyoming professor of education, presented a two-day study of Wyoming counties, landscapes, people, artists and ways of life called “We Are Wyoming”.

On Nov. 24 the students spent a snowy morning at Brush Creek Work Center.

On Nov. 25, it was classroom work.

Trent, along with Pete Moran, also a professor at UW, designed a standards-based unit about Wyoming.

Encampment is one of nine schools in nine counties that has participated so far, Trent said. He hopes to teach the unit in all 23 counties by May 2015.

The program was funded by the University of Wyoming Everett D. and Elizabeth M. Lantz Distinguished Professorship in Education endowment and was offered at no cost to school districts in Wyoming.

Trent said this is part of his sabbatical project. “I wanted to work with fourth graders around the state in a unit about Wyoming that integrates social studies, art and language arts.”

Students received a sketchbook/journal to record notes, writing and drawings.

Trent talked with the students about Carbon County Tuesday in Brenda Morgan’s fourth grade class.

Savannah Suttee, who has lived in Wyoming all of her life, said she learned about Steamboat, the horse that could not be ridden and that he was on the Wyoming license plate. Savannah said she was surprised to learn that the state fossil was the Knightia, a prehistoric fish. She also learned cottonwood is the state tree. “I had a lot of fun learning,” Savannah said.

Evelyn Carrell, who moved to Wyoming from New Mexico in 2012, said she learned about Wyoming’s cool climate, state fish, state bird, the state flag and explorers. “It’s a very good state and has a lot of good history,” Evelyn said.

The fourth grade students created a mural of Wyoming depicting the 23 counties. Students also designed a Carbon County quarter coin during the class after the session about Carbon County.

“The students reaction to the unit has been fantastic,”Trent said. “They are eager to learn, talk and engage in the activities about our state.”

Trent said he has been impressed with how much the students know about both the state of Wyoming and their local communities.

“The design and implementation of the ‘We Are Wyoming’ project was amazing,” Morgan said. “The students learned about the history of Wyoming and its various symbols through standards-based writing and artwork, but more specifically they learned more about their own county.”

Morgan said the fourth graders were engaged and learning the entire two days of the project.

Trent said this has been a great opportunity to work with the outstanding teachers and students in Wyoming. “I’m excited to be learning so much about Wyoming and its counties and will be excited to share my experiences with the preservice teachers at UW.”

Artwork and writings completed by the students are shared on the website https://sites.google.com/site/wearewyo.