History Topics and Lesson Series for the Rocky Mountain Floristic Region’s states and provinces are intended as supplements to approved public school teaching resources.  Each of 10 series begins with a foundation of “food and shelter (ethnobotanics),” linked over time by transportation, healthcare and education, and governance – the latter often provided initially by religious organizations and later solidified by political/public oversight (& taxation).  Today our West (of the 100th Meridian) gives evidence that “America the Melting Pot,” where the melding of cultures was championed for 200 years, has given way to a celebration of cultural differences.  We honor this evolution.  Four levels (preschool, elementary, middle and senior school) of materials are to be found, the latter 2 providing independent “fact checking” via a cultural AI emoji: either female or male, Indigenous or Pacific/Asian, African America, Hispanic, or European immigrant views.  Native American related topics are presented separately, parallel to the views of the latter 4 groups’ arrival post-1780 often depicted from a male, white, eastern (Toronto or Boston) and war-centric perspective.  The latter, wars, teach us that their first victim is truth; this is always an issue, but perhaps more so today because of Artificial Intelligence pulling from tainted histories.  Our Lesson Series presents a different perspective: diverse, ethnobotanical, and extinction challenging.  There is no charge for the use of these new materials.

Photos and pdfs have been enhanced via Image/fx that also may be reused free of charge (each unique and no copyrights exist).  These are provided by ATT Resources as a contribution to PLC, as are the links to the PNW Herbaria Consortium (of Rocky Mountain Flora, that does not include Arizona, Nevada, or Hawaii. Our writers include those who taught state history in the 1960s and those teaching in public schools today in the 2020s … with nothing much changed in the intervening 60 years.  “We find no requirement that teachers learn state history, only that they must teach it.”  (URLs below.)  The one constant is that students enjoy reading of people like themselves (social, religious, regional); others’ stories of the past seem irrelevant, and interest is often lost … quickly.

Homeschool Teachers: A state/province’s 10 Lesson Series are an enjoyable 45 – 90 hours of reading, exercises, and research ending with a “Completion Record” that will certify a student’s course/lessons completion.  Under development, both the Herbaria Consortium and PLC may someday receive royalties (acting as databases) for an “app” for teachers and students that will measure a host of course metrics … making use of these materials even easier.  Until then, we hope you find these complimentary materials useful on an honorary basis. Life’s tasks require skill, knowledge and ability, complemented by effort and interest.  States and provinces have responsibilities, education being primary as the US Constitution does not mention the word “education;” hence 70% have mandates to teach state/province history.  We believe sparking the interest of students is essential in teaching history and hope you agree our materials accomplish this goal.

https://www.historians.org/perspectives-article/the-historical-memories-of-students/

https://www.historians.org/perspectives-article/revitalizing-state-history-in-the-classroom/

Comments/contributions are always welcome, contact us via email: info@plc215.org