Thanks to a little blue friend, third-grade social studies just got a lot more interesting.
Visit Omaha’s visitor services team is inspiring little Omaha ambassadors with the new OMAR Story Program, visiting local third-grade classrooms and reading the book “OMAR Finds a Home.” The book follows OMAR, Omaha’s friendly blue troll, as he visits various Omaha attractions to find a place to live, ultimately discovering the perfect spot under the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge where you can find him today. Omaha Public Schools’ third-grade social studies curriculum covers the history and development of communities. Teachers often incorporate Omaha into their lessons.
As members of Visit Omaha’s visitor services team read the story to each class, students express excitement about recognized attractions, including the Old Market Entertainment District, Omaha Children’s Museum, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Lauritzen Gardens, The Durham Museum, Joslyn Art Museum and Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
If an attraction is new to a student, it sparks interest. Lively post-reading discussions allow students to share their favorite Omaha spots and dream up places OMAR might explore next. So far, Harrison Elementary School and Dundee Elementary have participated.
Through the program, the visitor services team is fostering community pride in Omaha’s next generation, one story at a time. To learn more about OMAR, and to purchase his book, go to https://omarthetroll.com/.