History & Social Studies

EXPLORING CENTRAL OREGON: Natural & Human History Driving Course

Course No. SS419b, SS519b

In this diversified driving tour experience, you’ll make your way to at least 18 cultural, historical, and or natural sites in Central Oregon (from Warm Springs to Prineville), where you’ll discover the natural and human history of this area. You will learn about the region’s past, present, and future potential. In addition, you will learn much about the natural fauna and flora of the region as you explore forested trails, volcanic areas, and alpine regions. Along the way, you’ll develop dozens of ideas for bringing the study of Central Oregon to your students.  

This course is appropriate for teachers of all subjects, grades K-12.  Upon registration with the Heritage Institute, the instructor will send the course manual free of charge.  Choose and read an additional text resource from the annotated bibliography on pages 8 & 9 of this syllabus.

The Co-Instructor for this course is Jake Gordon, M.S. Ed.

We advise you to review and download the course syllabus before registering. Syllabus

As a result of taking this course, participants will learn:

  1. The cultural history of Native Americans in Central Oregon, including their lifestyles and their artwork.
  2. The significance of the region’s earliest non-Native American explorers, including Peter Skene Ogden, Nathaniel Wyeth, John C. Fremont, and Alexander M. Drake.
  3. The flora and fauna that are native to the region as you explore natural sites, forested trails, volcanic areas, and alpine regions.
  4. About the Oregon State Park System, and the recreational opportunities provided here.
  5. About the communities that comprise Central Oregon: Warm Springs, Madras, Terrebonne, Redmond, Bend, Sisters, Sunriver, Fort Rock, and Prineville.

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