BHSU outreach program encourages creative, critical thinking skills

Education majors and graduates of Black Hills State University are getting a lesson in lesson planning this summer though the school’s Summer Exploration Institute program.

The outreach program was designed to encourage creative and critical thinking skills in youths, using the Black Hills as a guide. It was designed and directed by Mary Jones, BHSU’s assistant professor of education.

“Instead of just reading the chapters, answering the questions and discussing it, we are putting it into real life and taking it out into the community,” Jones said. She said the BHSU students, most of whom are taking gifted certification classes with her, have worked hard putting together the week-long course, which began Monday.

“We tried to develop this program for children who really should be in gifted programs if South Dakota had them, if it was mandated by the state.”

Teachers in the program include six BHSU education students and graduates who researched and wrote the lesson plans. Two of the six have graduated and have been teaching, and the others will graduate next year. Four are working on their gifted certification, and two are volunteers.

There are 18 SEI students between the ages of 7-1/2 and 12. Most are from the Spearfish area.

“We really wanted them to understand the idea of community service, of understanding the past, the present and the future of the Black Hills, to really be able to take their friends and families and visitors around Spearfish and offer them a different perspective after what they learned,” Jones said.

Heather Doerges of Spearfish said she likes that her 8-year-old daughter, Jane, who is going into the third grade at West Elementary School, gets to be outside while learning.

“I like the fact that kids get to see what they are living in and explore the world around them -- things that they walk by every single day and maybe not pay attention to,” Doerges said.

Jane said she is having fun learning about science and birds and butterflies, and she especially likes wearing her ID badge the university provided to the kids.

“We got to build a butterfly and hummingbird garden, and then we got to build a butterfly house,” she said Tuesday afternoon.

Topics explored include hummingbirds and butterflies, the history of Spearfish Creek, various forms and sources of energy, Native American history, Lakota teepees and camp structures, area landmarks, early education in the Black Hills, and the history of trails, railroads, branding and leather.

The five-day, half-day program includes classroom time on campus and field trips to the Homestake power plant, the D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery and an archaeological experience at Fort Meade. The program concludes Friday with a trip to the one-room schoolhouse on Frawley Ranch and to Western Heritage Center. The curricula developed through SEI for the D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery and Western Heritage Center will be donated to those organizations to use with school groups.

Karen Hartwell of Belle Fourche graduated from BHSU in December and will teach preschool in White River this fall. She is working toward her gifted certification. Hartwell said all of the students contributed to the lesson plans and information sheets that became part of the 60-some page curriculum book the participants received.

“There’s a little part of me in every part of it,” Hartwell said.

She said this was also a great experience for the teachers to get out in the community to raise support.

“That’s something as educators we have to learn to do, so I think it’s been very important for us to get out and get the donations and things we needed.”

Ross Patmore is in his senior year, majoring in elementary education. He volunteered his time for the experience of working with and learning about younger students and to learn about lesson planning and time management.

“It’s been a lot of fun so far and very engaging,” Patmore said.

Like Hartwell, Patmore said it has been a huge project that never would have been realized without community backing through gift certificates, discounts and supplies.

Hartwell said there is a common thread that unites the teachers and the community.

“It’s all about the kids,” she said. “Even for those of us who are working on our credits, it’s still about the kids.”