Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder joined education partners and the National Museum of Military Vehicles (NMMV) this week to announce the launch of new classroom curricula focused on World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
The project is a collaboration between the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), the NMMV, the University of Wyoming’s Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Program, and four Wyoming teachers. The Daniels Fund supported the initiative with a grant.
“This passion project has been in the making for over a year as part of our initiative to increase patriotism in schools,” Degenfelder said. “As we move toward America’s Semi-Quincentennial, we are excited to share this important content with Wyoming students, further instilling patriotism in future generations.”
The curriculum features short videos, summaries, lesson plans, and links to classroom exercises, developed with input from Wyoming teachers and resources from the Wallop Program. The materials are hosted on the WDE’s Civics Ed Center and are available free of charge to teachers, homeschool families, and other organizations.
“The short videos, summaries, lesson plans, and links to exercises and additional resources will help Wyoming teachers make these conflicts come to life for their students,” said Jean Garrison, Stewart Family Professor of Public Service and director of the Wallop Civic Engagement Program. “They also do an excellent job demonstrating the central role that the United States has played in shaping the world over the last 80 years and the sacrifices our veterans have made to make our freedoms possible.”
Four Wyoming educators contributed to developing the lesson plans: Kate Decker of Greybull Middle School, Allen Doty of Meeteetse School, and Bryce Middelstadt and Aaron Makelky of Kelly Walsh High School. Their participation was funded by the Daniels Fund.
Decker said the program helps students connect history to their own experiences. “Not only does the museum bring these things to life for our students, but it provides so many opportunities for educators to help their kids connect to our service members and our country,” she said.
Makelky, who developed a lesson on World War II technology, praised the opportunity to work directly with the Dubois-based museum. “We are fortunate to have such a rich historical resource in our state, and I am grateful for the time I was able to spend exploring, learning, and asking questions,” he said. “Hopefully my lesson will captivate students and get them interested in learning more about our nation’s history and the amazing museum in our home state.”