Niobrara National Scenic River and the Nebraska Writing Project are excited to release the “Ever Changing Currents lesson series” on March 25, 2021. The lessons can be found at www.nps.gov/niob. This is a set of pre-recorded lessons with guided writing activities. Each lesson includes videos and images of untold stories of the Niobrara River Valley. These videos are interesting and thought provoking as you learn deeper meanings of the things related to the Niobrara River Valley.
These lessons explore the Niobrara National Scenic River through thoughtful historic, cultural, and scientific learning and invite the learner to reflective thinking and expressive compositions for internalizing and making personal the values of the Niobrara National Scenic River and improving writing skills.
Each lesson can be used as a stand-alone or in conjunction with the rest for one week of lesson plans led by National Park Service Park Rangers and National Writing Project Partner Teachers. There are four lessons in the series.
- Mini-lesson about what makes the Niobrara River unique. Features poetry by Langston Hughes and introduces writing about rivers.
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Lesson titled Peoples of the Niobrara River Valley focuses on the caretakers of the Niobrara River from Native Americans, homesteaders/ranchers and outfitters.
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Lesson titled Buffalo Soldiers and Dominant Narratives focuses on the untold story of the Black American Solders, Buffalo Soldiers, who lived and worked at Fort Niobrara on the Niobrara River. Learners examine the dominant and counter narratives of the soldiers along with dominant narratives in their own lives by writing for inquiry and critically analyzing current events.
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Lesson titled Prehistoric Species of the Niobrara River focuses on the rich paleontological resources of the area. This lesson examines a prehistoric species you personify and then examine its experience of changing climate and landscape along the ancient Niobrara River.
Niobrara National Scenic River is one of America’s National Scenic Rivers and a unit of the National Park Service in Valentine, Nebraska. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Facebook (Niobrara National Scenic River) and Instagram (@NiobraraRiverNPS). For more information, please call 402-376-1901 or visit www.nps.gov/niob. Visitor Center hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. Admission is free of charge.