Educator's Introduction

The curriculum guide encourages students to approach local and regional history as an exercise in problem solving. The materials within introduce historical investigation, analysis, and presentation. Historical source lessons introduce the types of primary sources, and are formatted in a script-like form that can be presented directly to students. The historical source lessons also include sample analyses that illustrate how to interpret each type of source. While we have utilized examples from the Fruit Belt, the lessons and projects may be adapted to fit ANY topic of historical inquiry. Most projects are designed for Grades 4 and up, include optional extensions for secondary students, and offer worksheets in both English and Spanish.

All lessons and projects utilize the Michigan Content Standards and Benchmarks, developed by the Michigan Department of Education, where appropriate. We have adapted the “Happy Apple” icon (borrowed from the Michigan Apple Growers) to signify projects and worksheets for students.


An Introduction to Michiganfruitbelt.org
The online component of the Fruit Belt project, www.michiganfruitbelt.org, contains additional resources and educational links for teachers and students.

The Teacher Resource page features curriculum guide materials, supplementary projects, downloadable lesson plans for a range of skill levels, full-page images, and educational web links. Elementary, Middle School, and High School lessons are based on the Michigan Content Standards and Benchmarks for easy classroom use.

An Online Exhibit features highlights from “World’s Largest”: The Benton Harbor Fruit Market and Southwest Michigan’s Fruit Belt, outlining the history of the region and why it is so special for fruit growing.

The Fruit Belt Research page features the Oral History Archive, which contains a wealth of interviews from men and women involved in fruit growing and related industries. Additional research included on this portion of the site includes US Census statistics for the Fruit Belt for the years 1950-1930, and relevant newspaper clippings.

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Michigan Curriculum Framework (PDF) / CURRICULUM GUIDE MATERIALS

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY / THE HERITAGE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER