Songs from the Heritage Corridor
In 1997, Sally received grants from the Topsfield Foundation, the Quinebaug-Shetucket National Heritage Corridor and the Connecticut Council for the Arts to write songs based on primary history sources in Northeast Connecticut. She then took these songs into nine fourth grade classrooms in three schools in the area. The students learned the songs, then studied primary sources, point of view and oral history. Finally, as a class, they collected an oral history from which they choose a story to turn into a song. On May 20, 1998, all 180 4th graders joined forces to present a concert of Songs from the Heritage Corridor. It was a moving event and convinced the Corridor's Executive Director to push for funding of a CD of the songs.
Sally has
recently completed the CD as well as a curriculum guide. Historian,
Thomas Beardsley, and classroom teacher, Sandy Anderson. co-authored the guide
which will be made available for free to all Grade 3-8 teachers in the
Corridor. The guide and CD are now ready for distribution..