September, 2000

Dear Educators:

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the staff at EDCO Publishing, Inc. sincerely hope that you will use and enjoy the “Great STATE, Great PARKS, Great HISTORY!” program being provided free-of-charge for you and your students by the DNR. This exciting package, which is part of the DNR’s Millennium Education Project - Do L.A.P.’s™ for Michigan -
Learn from the past, Appreciate the present, Preserve our outdoor heritage,
has been developed by former and current elementary educators.

Aligned with the Michigan Curriculum Framework, the program will help you meet your curriculum objectives while helping to better prepare your students for the MEAP tests.

The DNR’s Millennium Education Project has a simple message for Michigan’s youth and families: It’s great fun to be in Michigan’s great outdoors! To get that message out, we have designed materials that help fourth graders learn more about Michigan History and our awesome natural resources by focusing on State Parks.

We have developed materials that are easy to use and do not require additional preparation time for already busy fourth grade teachers. The materials are also designed to supplement and complement any program you might already be teaching.

We are eager to obtain your feedback about the DNR’s Millennium Education Project. You could help by taking a few moments to fill out the program evaluation form and asking your students to complete the student questionnaires. Your comments will enable us to make adjustments in future editions of the program.

Additionally, we would like to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum materials. A pre-test and post-test for two of the units of study - Straits State Park and We Are the DNR - are included in this packet. We encourage you to teach either or both of these units to your class. Students should complete the tests before and after the units are taught. You may wish to duplicate the attached answer sheet for your students. To ensure the integrity of the evaluation, it would be helpful if the pages in the student booklet highlighting these two units were taught, and students had the opportunity to complete selected CONNECT-IT™ activities for each unit. Please see the Answer Key page of this packet for these activities and the directions for completing the recording form.

We hope you will mail the completed recording form, along with your evaluation form and student questionnaires to EDCO Publishing, Inc., in the enclosed envelope or submit them in the Teachers Section of the DNR Website at www.dnr.state.mi.us. In order to improve future materials, we would appreciate receiving this information by March 15, 2001. To show our appreciation for participating, each teacher who returns the materials will receive a special classroom gift (this gift will not be the same as last year’s) compliments of the DNR and EDCO Publishing, Inc.

A short video highlighting the program and introducing the animated L.A.P.’s Leaders was sent to your principal last fall. We hope you have had the opportunity to watch it. It makes a great presentation for a P.T.O. meeting, an open house or during parent-teacher conferences. A limited number of videos are still available by calling: 1-888-510-3326.

Watch for information about a “Great STATE, Great PARKS, Great HISTORY!” in-service at your Intermediate School District and please visit the Teachers Page and encourage your students to visit the interactive Kids Page on the DNR website at www.dnr.state.mi.us. State Parks from the program will be featured on the site.

Thank you for taking the time to consider involving your students in this exciting new program. Enjoy the new Capitol unit, Capitol poster and Michigan Music cassette added this year. We believe both you and your students will enjoy the classroom and take-home activities, and find the material helpful in learning about Michigan’s history and our unparalleled natural resources. Do L.A.P.’s for Michigan...and be sure to mail us the enclosed postcard to reserve student booklets, maps and other consumables for the 2001-2002 school year and to receive program updates and information about the upcoming Kids in the Park program.

Sincerely,