Oregon Field Guide Education Program

For this project, I worked under contract with Oregon Public Broadcasting to develop curriculum to be used with Oregon Field Guide programs. I reviewed all available episodes, made transcripts for tracking, decided on themes around which to develop a framework, and then selected twenty programs—ten episodes focused on place and ten focused on organisms. I then created activities centered on the themes I had chosen: natural history, careers and interests, experience of place, information, land use, and technology. In addition, I prepared journals for students to use during their “journeys” around the state in doing the activities that accompanied the episodes; I also provided suggestions to educators for follow-up activities to extend the experience.

After completing field testing, I worked with an OPB staff graphic artist in doing the layout. I developed an application form and brochure to advertise the program to educators, and traveled with OPB staff around the state to deliver teacher-education programs to provide orientation and suggestions for use of the curriculum.

The curriculum is printed in combination with materials containing relevant program episodes as:

Title: OREGON FIELD GUIDE Education Program, Extensions for Educators

Author: Rosanna L. Mattingly

Publisher: Oregon Public Broadcasting. Portland, Oregon. 115 pp.

The project was recognized as a Featured Profile in PBS Profiles on the basis of how well it correlates to a National Education Goal, its effectiveness in meeting a local need, and its potential to become a model for other public television stations.

I later developed similar materials for use with additional Oregon Field Guide programs and presented them to educators during workshops that were sponsored by Oregon Public Broadcasting.