Welcome to
Scotland In Our Backyard
A series of short, fun videos exploring Scottish heritage — made for North Carolina’s kids, families, and classrooms.
🧭 About the Project
Scotland In Our Backyard is a free, engaging video series created for North Carolina’s K–5 classrooms and families. Through colorful storytelling and expert interviews, kids will discover how Scottish culture helped shape our communities — and how traditions like Highland dancing, Gaelic language, piping, and old-time music still echo today.
Each short video includes hands-on learning activities and downloadable guides aligned with NC curriculum standards.
What You'll Find
-
🎥 12 short, vibrant videos (5–8 mins each)
-
🧑🏫 Real experts in music, language, dance, and folklore
-
🖍 Classroom-ready resources for teachers
-
🏡 Activities families can do together
-
🌎 Stories rooted in North Carolina heritage
This project is supported in part by North Carolina Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Watch the Videos
Choose from topics like:
- Scots Gaelic Language with Mairi MacInnes
- Highland Dancing with Georgina Andrew
- Scottish Piping with Cassandra Calo
- Folklore & Storytelling with Folklore Scotland
- NC Old Time Music with William Ritter
- And more!
Each video has its own blog page with learning highlights, printable activities, and discussion questions.
Download the Free Resources
📂 Free Classroom Resources
Each video comes with downloadable resources including:
- Vocabulary & concept review
- Thoughtful discussion prompts
- Hands-on crafts, maps, music, and more
Use these to spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and connect history to lived experience.
This program is supported in part by North Carolina Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, www.nchumanities.org.
📝 Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this video do not necessarily represent those of North Carolina Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
