New Bedford ECHO Project - ECHO programs amplify educational benefits, foster greater appreciation of local and national history and the natural environment, and assist communities in maximizing the social benefits of new technologies.

ECHO programs amplify educational benefits, foster greater appreciation of local and national history and the natural environment, and assist communities in maximizing the social benefits of new technologies.

Storytelling and Oral History Disciplinary Focus: English/language arts and Social Studies Curriculum Grade Level: Upper Elementary and Middle Grades 4-8 This upper elementary and middle grades curriculum module explores storytelling, an ancient art that has played a significant role in the development of our world cultures and civilizations. Over the centuries, storytelling has been used to chronicle extraordinary people and events, to transmit information from generation to generation, to teach and to entertain. This curriculum module consists of five Learning Experiences that introduce students to the art, history, and techniques of storytelling. In the first Learning Experience, students learn the basic elements of storytelling. In Learning Experience Two, students create their own story using the basic elements that make the storyline coherent and interesting. In the third Learning Experience, the cultural role of storytelling is introduced and students are asked to compare and contrast stories from different cultures. Learning Experience Four focuses on the cultural tradition of gathering oral history from members of cultural communities and teaches students tools for conducting interviews. In the final Learning Experience, students develop and tell a story using the information they gather in the interviews.

© New Bedford ECHO Project ~ Powered by New Bedford Internet

ECHO programs amplify educational benefits, foster greater appreciation of local and national history and the natural environment, and assist communities in maximizing the social benefits of new technologies.

What is ECHO?

ECHO is an educational and cultural enrichment initiative, annually serving thousands of children and adults in Alaska, Hawaii and Massachusetts. Established by Congress as part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, ECHO brings innovative programs collaboratively produced by the regional cultural institutions to culturally diverse audiences. Read More