Grant supports Cherokee-infused environmental education
Classroom lessons focusing on Cherokee culture and ecology of the Great Smoky Mountains will expand to schools in seven Western North Carolina counties thanks to a $102,500 grant that the Cherokee Preservation Foundation awarded to Friends of the Smokies.
The funds will support the Seeking Paths in Nature program for the third year running. The program develops curricula for middle and high school students that integrate Cherokee culture and history into existing education programs in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Cherokee Central Schools teachers, members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians and National Park Service staff work together to create the curriculum, also collaborating with teachers to ensure it meets state and national standards as well as STEM requirements. Examples of field trips and lessons include “Cherokee Folklore on the Oconaluftee Trail” and “Using Archaeology to Bring History to Life.”
