What is Story of Your Place?
Story of Your Place (SoYP) is a new statewide K-12 geography education curriculum developed by Alder Creek Community Forest (ACCF) and the Center for Geography Education in Oregon (C-GEO). SoYP follows the broad approach of inquiry-based learning, as applied via the National Geographic Society’s Geo-Inquiry model and focusing on the concept of place.
We have prepared a worked example applying SoYP guiding questions to the ACCF site in southern Douglas County in order to illustrate details on the step by step SoYP process, with a resultant ArcGIS StoryMap. We have also produced starter resources on applicable standards and learning activities. Finally, here is a March 2020 presentation you may view.
Please contact ACCF for clarification on SoYP or if you have any related questions.
Places bring geography to life. Places connect us to our world.
From ACCF worked example presentation
Is SoYP for me?
SoYP can connect to, and integrate, a variety of K-12 subjects and applies to a wide range of learning standards. Teachers in the natural sciences, social sciences, English language arts, mathematics, and physical education will find benefit from participating.
SoYP includes classroom, computer lab, and field components, and spans history to technology to build diverse skills among teachers and students. Teacher participants will cultivate these skills, including technical components such as GLOBE and ArcGIS, via regular professional development events and one-on-one consultations.
Development of SoYP for three years starting 2019-20 is generously funded by the Gray Family Foundation. In 2019-20 SoYP will be piloted by ACCF and the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub in Douglas County, then in summer 2020 C-GEO will sponsor a statewide training institute in Douglas County and launch followup support across Oregon. ACCF, the STEAM Hub, and C-GEO will provide support and training events through at least 2021-22, to make sure that participating teachers can readily do SoYP and the student learning experience is fun and worthwhile.
How do I get started?
To get started, contact ACCF. We will help you get trained, and help you select activities and plan a schedule that works for you and your class.
Once you have gotten started, you will add your place to the ACCF site via a SoYP form. The ACCF site team will provide support via these general instructions.