In 2015 and 2016, I was hired to lead a team of incredible educators in writing a unique curriculum for the State Fair of Texas. The result was a robust, standards-based set of activities that integrated core subjects with the arts for grades 4-12.
As lead editor, it was my job to design a vision that would allow children who visited the State Fair of Texas to be fully engaged in meaningful and fun activities. Rounding out the team were Krissi Oden (visual arts), Christina Beck (high school science and English), Brea Ratliff (secondary math), Georgiana Howard (history), and Tenille Shade (history and tech), along with a brilliant graphic designer.
We developed a lesson plan/activity setup that was easily readable: each lesson/activity included a map with directions for where to go, "Before You Go" reminders, any materials needed, and "After the Fair" to ensure that children could apply the knowledge they gained.
As an educator who had experienced times when children could not rely on adults for support/enthusiasm with educational activities, I made sure that the "Student Edition" of each lesson was only 1-2 pages (so it could be printed on one sheet front and back) and exclusively had instructions that could be followed without adult assistance.
In total, we crafted 88 lessons for grades 4-12, including Texas history, math all the way to calculus, physics, earth science, poetry, all forms of art, and more! The lessons invited children to do exciting activities as they navigated the various areas of the Fair (identified by Fair executives), such as the Midway, Fried Food, the Butter Sculpture, landscape design, and the various animals that occupied the barns.
Visit the Texas State Fair Curriculum.
