Service Learning Project

I think a service learning project can incorporate many different areas not just in literacy with children as a learning project might typically have. Any group that has a need to be met by working with faculty and students can provide an opportunity for a service learning project. The Lake James project is unique because we are working with different parameters. We aren't involved in the field at the lake with the lake people with the exception of two lake residents. We do have opportunities for research and writing in a different way. I agree with whoever mentioned in class that using this different approach provides another viewpoint. We are outsiders helping put together insider information.

The unifying theme for our service learning project is Lake James, but it is also the people that had lived there in the early years and made it into the community that it is today. Jim and Flaime gave a great overview on Lake James. Giving us the subjects with folders of some information is a good start on trying to figure out what is needed. I think we also need some boundaries or an idea of the parameters in this project. Four of the subject areas deal with either certain people or groups of people. What are the time frames of research on these people? Are we dealing with pre-Lake James settlement up to the 1940's as an example?

How much early history do Jim and Flaime want? Are each of the folder subjects going to be a chapter that they want in their book? Is the surveyor Riley going to be a chapter or will he just be part of an early history chapter? Or does that depend on how much can be found on Riley?

If we wrote about a person traveling about Lake James in a story format visting each folder subject area, maybe the person could visit an old-timer while visiting the lake to hear the story about Riley and the Indians and any other events that didn't line up in time with the bands, trains and camps. We could even use one of the family members from the two families that are in the folders.

It seems like there are several different ways to write the information, but it really should be what Jim and Flaime are planning for their end product. I think once we have some more guidelines especially since we are on a time crunch, it will help everything flow smoother hopefully into the same direction. I plan on bringing some questions tomorrow for the first night of research.