Prairie Voices: 

Iowa Heritage Curriculum

Prairie Voices: An Iowa Heritage Curriculum is a nationally award winning curriculum developed by the State Historical Society of Iowa.  In 1996 the curriculum was presented to the teachers of Iowa and distributed free to every K-12 school building in the state and to every public library in Iowa. Prairie Voices consists of a 600 page teacher's guide with 55 lesson plans, activities, fun facts, a colorful 15-foot timeline, and strategies for using the curriculum in the classroom. The curriculum is multi-disciplinary. 

Extensions and adaptations are included in each lesson plan so that the information can be used in K-12 classrooms. Supplemental materials are produced each year.  

The text for all of  the Prairie Voices lesson plans will be on-line eventually. Photos and other primary sources will be added over time. 

Section 1:  Using the Curriculum

Introduction

Section 2:  Using Local History

Brief Overview of Iowa History 

Iowa Local History Guide: A Teachers Guide

Reflections of Yesterday: Processes for Investigating Local History

Section 3: Lesson Plans

I. The Land

• Natural Resources

• Landforms of Iowa

• The Delicate Balance-Iowa's Natural Resources

• The Art and Soul of the Land

• The Land-Plants and Animals

• Crinoids-Flowers of the Iowa Seas

• Sense of Place-No River is too Wide

• Sense of Place-Red Tail Ridge Wetland Study Project

• Sense of Place-Interdisciplinary Wilderness Unit

II. The Built Environment

• Housing

• Exploring Community Development-Architectural Styles

• A Walk Down Main Street-Looking at Your Town

III. Native People

• Archaeology and Prehistoric Native Americans

• People for the Land-Native Americans in Iowa

IV. Migration and Interaction

• Getting from Place to Place

• Where People Come From

• Names

• African-American Iowans

• Hispanics in Iowa

• German Immigrants Move to Iowa

• Abbie Gardner Sharp Cabin

• Quilting-A Pioneer Craft

• The Mormon Trail Through Iowa

• Iowa and the Civil War

• Out of the Mud-Pulling Iowa into the Auto Age

• How Women Got the Vote-The Story of Carrie Lane Chapman Catt

V. Organization and Communities

• A System of Rules

• Territory and Statehood of Iowa

• You Gotta Know the Territory

• Montauk Historic Site

• Plum Grove Historic Site

• Education in Iowa

• Iowa's One-Room Schools

• Sense of Place-Our School

• Community Development-Investigating Local History

• Sense of Place-Change for the Future

• Fine Arts and Culture

• Spare Time and Recreation

• Health, Hygiene, Sanitation, and Privacy

VI. Work

• Making a Living

• Badges of Pride-Labor in Iowa

• Agriculture-Farming and More

• Iowa Farm Women-More Than a Way of Life #1

• Iowa Farm Women-More Than a Way of Life #2

• We've Gotcha Covered-Iowa Insurance Story

VI. Folklife

• Folklife Guide

• Understanding Folklife and Folklore

• Family Folklore

• Folk Groups and Community Folklife

• Additional Folklife Information and Activities

• Folk Music

• Rites of Passage

• Victorian Celebrations

• The "Write Sport"

• Foodways

• Clothing

Section 4: Fun Facts

• Historical Moments Fact Sheets

• Quick Iowa Facts

• Iowa Facts Worksheet

• Fun Iowa Facts

• Puzzle Page

• Map of Iowa

Section 5: Resources

• List of Iowa Governors

• Recommended Readings in Iowa History

• Iowa History Bibliography

• The Goldfinch Index

• Iowa Heritage Illustrated Issues List

• The Annals of Iowa Issues List

• Education Web Links

Section 6: Timeline

• Annotated Timeline of Iowa History