Panhandle PBS and an Amarillo educator joined forces to design new school curriculum around a beloved novel, which is now available to teachers nationwide.
Tied to PBS's three Anne of Green Gables movies, Panhandle PBS and Region 16 specialist Allison Silvertooth developed new classroom materials for students in grades 5 to 8.
Following several film and television versions, PBS launched a new series of adaptations of Montgomery's books, beginning with Anne of Green Gables in 2016, then The Good Stars in 2017 and Fire and Dew in 2018.
The 2016 Anne of Green Gables PBS film will air at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 and midnight Dec. 12 on Panhandle PBS.
The lesson plans address American literature, reading, figurative writing, author's craft and other topics, all aligned with Texas state standards.
The plans are now included in a national resource collection in PBS LearningMedia, PBS’s digital content for educators available free of charge to teachers in all subject areas nationwide. Panhandle PBS's material now augments existing video clips and resources about the book and films:
- https://kacv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/l-m-montgomery-lake-of-shining-waters/anne-of-green-gables-arrival/
- https://kacv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/l-m-montgomery-anne-not-a-boy/marilla-matthew-cuthbert-anne-adoption-boy/
- https://kacv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/l-m-montgomery-annes-first-day-of-school/anne-of-green-gables-gilbert-carrots/
- https://kacv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/l-m-montgomery-ice-cream/mrs-lynde-diana-anne-ice-cream/
Support for this project was provided by the Gilliland Family Foundation. Founded by Bill and Sandra Gilliland to give back to a community that has long supported the family, the foundation primarily focuses on the clothing, feeding and education of children from preschool through college. The foundation also has a strong interest in supporting the arts in Amarillo, playing a key role in the building of the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
The foundation's support allowed Panhandle PBS to purchase classroom sets of L.M. Montgomery’s book Anne of Green Gables, DVD sets of the new PBS film, and accompanying support materials for campus/classroom use in Bushland, Fritch, Dimmitt, and Perryton, reaching hundreds of middle school students in these Texas Panhandle communities.
"Thank you so much for the class set of Anne of Green Gables," Sanford-Fritch Junior High teacher Nikki Bass wrote. "Our sixth graders can't wait to dive in and enjoy this and the resources you have helped to provide. We are very grateful for this opportunity and appreciate your generosity."
An additional classroom set is available for checkout through Region 16 Education Service Center.
Montgomery's 1908 book, which spawned a series of sequels, tells the story of Anne Shirley, a precocious young girl taken from an orphanage and placed in the care of the uptight Marilla Cuthbert and her brother, Matthew. It recently ranked No. 11 in PBS's Great American Read project.
