Final Project Blog partnered with alaskaZgal

How can digital resources and effective teaching methods be used to integrate Alaska Native ways of knowing and Western scientific methods in order to create greater understanding of, and interest in, geosciences for students?

Final Project

In the past, Alaska indigenous people always used their resources effectively so that there was little waste. They believed what came from the Earth should go back to the Earth. By ensuring that there was no waste, Native cultures were spiritually at peace with Mother Earth.

Through research and observations, Western scientists came to similar conclusions. They found the Earth to be a fine balance of functioning entities; atmosphere, cryosphere, oceanic, geological and biological systems.

Now both indigenous people and Western scientists are aware of the fragile conditions that the human footprint has created, especially in the North.

Our mission: We realize that humans will participate more readily in more environmentally responsible habits if it is made simple and friendly. Our final project will focus on that concept. Our plan is to reach our students , through the use of Teacher's Domain (TD), as well as other digital resources, how to develop global awareness and Earthly concerns. In turn our students, will work toward establishing a community recycling center which will include several large receptacles placed on school property of recycling for the Fairview Loop community. Hopefully, this process will help them become more aware of good conservation habits to practice at home.


Goal 1- Educate students about climate change and take action


Objective 1: Use TD http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource.ean08.sci.ess.earthwyw.sanature, "Take Action Nature and Your Community", Steps 1-7 Other resources that we plan to use which are designed as interactive kid friendly presentations include: http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/, www.pbskids.org/eekoworld, www.epa.gov/epawaste/education, http://www.clear-air-kids.org.uk/


Step 1- "What's your relationship with the Natural Environments, we will brainstorm the questions with the group. Step 2-"Climate Change in the Arctic", we will watch the video. Step 3-"Scientific Research", we will first watch the video. Then brainstorm answers to the questions together. Step 4-"The Value of Observations", teachers will have answers prepared for student review and discussion. Step 5-'Making Use of Both Native and Western Perspectives", we will first view the video, and then brainstorm questions together. Step 6-"Getting Involved", we will watch a flash interactive. Step 7-"Identify Community Concerns", we will show pictures of environmental concerns in our area, one by one, and offer discussions

Objective 2: Use TD http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource.ean08.sci.ess.earthwyw.sanature, "Take Action Nature and Your Community", Steps 8-12Again, other resources that we plan to use which are designed as interactive kid friendly presentations include: http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/, www.pbskids.org/eekoworld, www.epa.gov.epawaste/education, http://www.clear-air-kids.org.uk/

Step 8-'Research an Environmental Issue", here, we plan to steer the focus to recycling. Step 9-"Brainstorm Solutions", we will watch kid friendly, digital, interactive videos and cartoons shown above to improve the students understanding of recycling. Step 10- "Take Action", here will make a plan. Step 11-"Take Action". here, we plan to put together a play/presentation that the children will take part in and which will be recorded with appropriate releases signed by using a digital camera. We are hoping to, at some point, put this video onto our schools website for parent viewing. Step 12-"Further Exploration", we will use additional websites if needed.

Goal 2- Researching and Raising Money for Recycling Receptacles

Step 1: Contact Valley Community for Recycling (VCR) to find out what we can recycle in our area and how it should be prepared for easier recycling or pick up. Contact VCR through email to request their Recycle Curriculum Kit which includes an informative video on recycling in our state.

Step 2: Contact Alaska Waste to inquire about the cost of having receptacles placed on our school property, as well as the cost to receive at least monthly pick up. Make a plan to fund raise for the amount that we need to cover it.

Step 3: Begin a sales campaign to sell Chico Bags to our parents, parents friends, staff and staffs friends. If it works out to have a fundraiser outside of school, that will be considered as well.

Step 4: Hopefully, with good sales we will have regular recycling being dropped off by community members into our new recycling receptacles which will be placed in our parking lot and regular recycling pick up service being funded.

Goal 3- We are still formulating this plan. Lisa Zanetti aka alaskazgal has contacted an educator in Cooktown, Queenland, Australia. This small community on the east coast north of Cairns. It is populated by indigenous peoples of Australia. Our plan is to communicate with a group of students and community members through the use of digital technology to find out about their environmental issues and concerns. Our students will participate in the process in order to help them to gain information about global concerns on a Southern Hemisphere continent that shares the same large ocean body as Alaska.

Final Blog Reviews

Explore Alaska!
receives

My Best Teacher

Award

I am Fran's fan!

Everyone can find teachers who can communicate in a way where the information they deliver connects with you individually. I know that with my distractibility, it is more difficult for me to connect and retain information when I have to jump back and forth looking for things. Actually, this class did expand my ability to do so. However, when I wasn't sure what I needed to get from any of the particular modules, I would read Explore Alaska! She summarized the information into a easy to read and understand fashion. I wish I would have started reading her blog regularly from the beginning.

Fran also shared pertinent information about villages that are being forced to make relocation choices. The links that were provided to show the impact of those areas were sad. Her discussion about the fact that western scientists and engineers came and put in thermosyphons to keep the ground frozen. The Native individuals who had the Native way of knowing didn't think it would be enough. The Natives were right.

I really liked some of the comparisons and thoughts that Fran shared. In one, she said that thermohaline circulation or ocean conveyor belt was like a cardiovascular system since it was Mother Earth we were talking about. I also enjoyed her reference to a verse in the song Circle of Life with states, "You should never take more than you give." Last but not least, was the connection Fran made between microbes like snow algae being necessary for the existence of ice worms. I have always wondered about ice worms. They Portage Glacier Visitor Center had a display that showed along time ago that I saw as a kid. Fran has had the wonderful experience of seeing them first hand.

GEO Integrations

by Jennifer

Award for Best Links, Websites, Photos and Experiences

As I read through Jennifer's blog, I could tell that not only did she understand the information, but she knew it well enough to connect to her experiences and previous research. She has been some great places, doing some great western science research.

Some of the links that I explored were: Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, Take Aim at Climate Change, Antarctic Sun, Arctic Stories and Alaska Natural Resource and Outdoor Education. Jennifer has had some great experience with kids and science. Since my focus as an intensive needs resource teacher has often been reading and math, which make all other topic of interest or study possible to understand. Many of the links that Jennifer provided will be helpful to dabble in science with my fourth and fifth graders with disabilities.

I am left with two specific paragraphs that make a lot of sense that I will read more in the future. The first, "While there may be confusion and differing perspectives on what the date means - I don't think there is any question that we have a responsibility to care and make decisions grounded in thinking of the future based on the evidence of climate change." And second, "As teachers, community members, parents and citizens, I would like to think we could agree on decisions that make our planet a better place for our grandchildren... or at least one that takes human impact into account. Even with doubts and skepticism and the politics of climate change, it seems ridiculous to deter the progressive inventions of better technology in alternative methods of energy. I now understand or at least accept that new laws, government regulations and licensing has to be a part of the bigger international plan, since humans have to be protected from their own greed." Her last comment was cute, "Yikes - I'm starting to sound like my Father!"

Module IX

Essential Question:

How are climate, terrestrial ice and Alaskan indigenous cultures all connected?

First on a lighter note than this picture portrays, a brief personal story.

As a ten year old, I became an Alaskan transplant (I am not sure where my native lands are, I'm guessing Germany and Sweden, but know no one there), specifically to Anchorage which was around 75,000 people. I learned soon that riding over frost heaves was a blast on a bike, motorcycle, snow machine and any vehicle. In fact, I used to try to always sit in the back of the school bus during spring. It was the closest a kid could get to a carnival ride.

One time after I had gotten my driving permit, I had one of those coveted opportunities to be at the wheel on our way home one day. It just so happened to be the day that we were taking my Dad home from Providence Hospital after having gall bladder surgery. Mind you, this was in the early 1970's so medical technology was less technological. He incision was about six inches long and he was still in a lot of pain. Well, beginning driver and all, did not slow down for the "frost heave" patch on our street. Apparently, that doesn't feel very good right after surgery. I think I might heard a few dirty words, which my Dad never said, that day.

While the total amount of terrestrial water on the Earth is in our oceans, the majority of the fresh water is contained in the higher and lower latitudinal areas especially the North and South Poles. Fresh water comes from higher elevation areas where glaciers and ice sheets have formed. With the warming of our planet, whether it is completely caused by humans burning fossil fuels or not, our fresh water which is locked in ice is melting. Scientists have found evidence of periods of global warming before the industrial revolution by investigating the layers of a section of a tree. They have seen this same type of evidence while looking at layers in ice with sediment in them. However, since the this industrialization period many human activities have increased the Earth's current warming trend.

This module was full of visual evidence of melting snow and ice. When you talk about the reduction of sea ice, the visual is shown by the Arctic Sea boundaries changing from year to year. But, when you talk about the reduction of terrestrial ice, there is many more opportunities for you to see visual evidence of that occurring. From the permafrost ice caves of Tunnel Man, to the ice going out on the Yukon River and the pre and post pictures to glacier's advancement.

See photos below.

The Alaskan indigenous cultures have a challenge

ahead of them. For so many years in the past, they have interacted with nature. They have made observations of the land, the climate, the oceans, the lakes, the rivers and the plant and animal life that survived those particular environmental situations. They have forged a living on the land. Now they have decisions to make. Their land is becoming unstable under the permafrost. The fishing lakes are disappearing into rivers from the melting of permafrost. The rivers are running into the oceans. The oceans climates are becoming to harsh for survival. The sea is moving farther away from the land, making it difficult for the web of life in that area to continue. The rivers have become more fierce at break up with warmer weather causing more melting at the rivers head waters. And, with all of this occurring simultaneously, the sea level will rise and swallow up land that has been part of Alaskan indigenous way of life for many, many centuries. It seems as though it is a disaster. Is it in fact part of a cyclical process of our dear Earth's interaction between the ocean currents, volcanoes, earthquakes, atmospheric processes, rotational processes, all in relations with our big bright star? It truly makes sense that it is being exacerbated by too many humans, too many factories, too many automobiles, too much pollution of our nature water sources and so on.

P.S. After 33 years of entering the Tanana/Nenana Ice Classic I'm wondering if this might be my good luck year.

Module VIII

Essential question:

How are Arctic sea-ice, climate and culture all connected?

Explain and extend: The climate and sea-ice consistency in the Arctic has become very familiar to those cultural members and they have come to rely on the patterns of consistency to help themselves survive, what would be to others a fairly brutal region on our Earth. They were born in the Arctic. They were taught by people who were born in the Arctic, who were also taught by people who were born in the Arctic. They have developed a fascinating and accurate record of the Arctic' climate and sea-ice patterns for as long as they have been living.

They are able to tell that the climate and sea-ice are changing. As more green house gases are being put into our atmosphere, more are being bounced back by the atmosphere causing the Earth to become warmer, which in turn melts more sea-ice. Polar bear are at the top of their food chain, except humans. They teritary consumers because they eat seal. Seal are teritary consumers also, as they eat smaller fish. The smaller fish are the secondary consumer since they phytoplankton which is the bottom of the food change called the producers. In order to have this web of life we need our sun to continue to provide the adequate warmer that all of these animals have become accustom to living within.

If we continue to disregard the signs of global warming that have been recorded by Native cultures and western scientific evidence, the sea-ice could melt, which would increase the temperature of the ocean, which could have an impact on the bottom of the food chain, the producers may not be able to survive and without them the web of life is destroyed. If we were lucky, it might redesign itself. But, the polar bear would not be able to hunt from ice. Their habitat and hunting ground would be gone.

Loss of polar cap ice is concerning because for millions of years our white caps have reflected a certain portion of the sun's rays back into space. Much like the experiment using a heat lamp, water, black and white paper, the polar ice caps are necessary to reflect some of the sun's rays into space in order for the Earth to stay cool and have cooling climate systems. If the ice goes and the oceans are dark, the water will absorb more of the sun's rays, which will inevitably increase temperatures planet wide.

Evaluate: The contents of this module were for a layman scientist, a bit challenging. I needed to have a lab and lab partners to conduct and discuss the experiments in order to help me solidify the concepts.

Module VII

How is Earth's climate connected to its geological, biological and cultural systems?

Explain and Extend: The climate on Earth is created by the interaction between the geological, biological and cosmic processes that coexist. Cultures have been part of those processes since the beginning. While most human cultures have interpreted the beginning of life as they understood it, scientists have found that evidence of the Earth's creation can be followed geologically and biologically.

For the first billion years of the Earth's existence, it was inhabited by anaerobic bacteria called Thermophilus. Meanwhile the plasma bubble or magnetic field protected the Earth from solar winds and cosmic rays. As the Earth continued to form into what it is present day, it released gases, received big hits from icy comets and sustained a simple life form who ate iron and minerals which when it was pooped out, was oxygen. The cyanobacteria through photosynthesis transformed air and life. As the Earth became more habitable for various microbes, they too began to grow. And, now billions and billions of years later as the elements diversified, humans have evolved. The one who designed all of these phenomenal interactions and processes, God, definitely has immense and infinite plan.

As the Earth geological, biological and cosmic processes continue to support life here as we know it. Humans have evolved into a species that have begun to create more greenhouse gases through industrialization and technological advancements. These changes allow cultures to grow and produce. But, we have beginning to see evidence of anthropogenic climates changes. The Earth with its relationship with the cosmos, geological and biological processes was moving forward without intellectual decisions being made by mankind.

Evaluate: This time of the year in Alaska, I start having serious thoughts about a snow free, dry and warm day during which I could saddle up my horse and go riding through a land of beautiful scenery. I think about how nice it would be to have more of a spring during which the grass in the pastures could get started on growing a little early. With a little extra heat like last summer, I could get a tan just from being outside. After living forty-one years in Alaska, I see no point in worrying about skin cancer. But, as I continue through my life, looking back on the past and living in the present, I do need to consider the future. The resources and content of Module VII have given me a greater understanding of the big picture. As well, I have explored resources about what some people are doing to try to make a difference.

Module VI

Mt. Redoubt at sunset

Essential Question: How are the Earth, atmosphere and cultures all connected?

Explain and Extend: Without its atmosphere, the Earth would be vacant of plants and animals. Because of the oceans and the atmosphere here on Earth, cultures have been able to grow and change. The continual interaction between ocean currents and the atmosphere allow for warming and cooling of the planet. Areas that are along the equator have less of a variation in temperature changes, because as the Earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun the middle or belt line of the planet stays closest to the sun. Because of the closer distance to the sun, it seems that those areas would be to hot to be inhabitable. And, it would seem true for the top and bottom of the Earth that they would be uninhabitable due to the cold temperatures. Both areas are inhabitable, but for humans one requires more clothes than the other. Why?

As explained in part three of this module, the wind and weather, the sun is the driving force for creating an inhabitable environment. When the air closest to the Earth is warmed it begins to rise or evaporate. This happens frequently in the tropics along the oceans. Low pressure causes the warm air to rise. In other areas on the oceans high pressure systems carrying cold air begin to sink as it is more dense. Between the ocean currents, high and low pressure systems, climate and location, winds are created to carry the weather in a somewhat predicable patterns or cells.

Because of the consistency in the past of the close interactions between the ocean current, wind and weather, high and low pressure systems and the atmospheric properties that work together, cultures have been able to survive for close to 200,000 years on our planet. The scientific relationship between the sun, oceans, currents, atmosphere, earth's rotation and the jet streams caused by the movement of the Earth along certain latitudes hasn't always given every latitude perfect weather patterns, it has given them enough decent weather patterns to life and flourish up to a point where the Earth's population, now has so many people that the natural patterns and processes can be changed by human technology and carelessness.


Evaluate: During this module, I had the most difficult time understanding the physics in relation to how the cellular changes occurred between the solids, liquids and gases that form our functional, food producing, water yielding, air providing planet. Thermal energy, latent heat of vaporization, discussion and experiments using Celsius, were all simply something that I need more than weeks to solidify the real relationship to where I truly understand it.

I found one of the most interesting points that was made came from an Alaska Native who was a pilot. I knew that the indigenous peoples of our earth have personal relationships with the sky, air, weather, the clouds, the ground, the animals, and on and on. And, I have read books in which the native people discussed some of their experiences. I have also, heard some talk about their experiences with snow pack and ice. But, I hadn't actually heard anyone discuss his spiritual knowledge of the reflections of rainbows and certain looks of the sky and then relating it to wind and weather. The fellow talked about all the things that nature, "sign makers from nature" had shown him about the weather and then he followed with a comment about Western scientific method was helpful to him as well.

Module V

Essential Question:
How are climate, cultures and oceans all connected?









ENGAGE: After teaching first grade for many years, several years back in my career, I am brought back to the science lessons that were so much fun for the kids to ponder. I presented a small closed box to the class and told them that were four things inside the box that are needed for all plants and animals to survive on earth. I would shake the box, in order to let them know that indeed something was inside. We would brainstorm what their ideas were and then I would slowly pull out a small vial of "water". We would then discuss the importance of water for their survival. I would shake the box again. We would brainstorm more ideas. (Comically, over the years they tended to be quite sure that there was some money inside the box.)



As I pulled the next item out of the box, which was a hard dirt clod, they were stumped. "Why do we dirt to survive, Mrs. Ross?" they would say. Well, I explained it was important because it helped us grow our food, and as important, it helped to grow plants that our McDonald's hamburger or chicken nuggets ate before becoming a human food source. When we had much discussion of how "soil" and water were extremely important for us to survive, I shook the box again. But, there was no sound coming from the box. I opened it to show them that there were in fact two scientific things let in that box that, if they did not have them, they would die. They were pretty quick to come up with "air" and with time spent repositioning the box toward the windows, they would be able to come up with "sunshine". Nova states in nicely in a short video called Ingredients for Life: Water provided by Teacher's Domain.





BOTH SOURCES OF FOOD, PLANTS AND ANIMALS,


NEED AIR, SUNLIGHT, SOIL AND WATER TO SURVIVE.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: HOW ARE CLIMATE, CULTURES AND OCEANS ALL CONNECTED?
Without the multiple systems that cause the oceans and the climate to continually sustain warming and cooling, nothing would be able to live on the planet Earth.

EXPLORE:
BUT, WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR FOOD AND WATER SOURCES WHEN OUR CLIMATE GETS TOO WARM OR TOO COLD?


The official word out is that our planet is currently going through a global warming period. In looking back millions of years at the history of the earth, global warming and cooling have both happened before. Many periods occurred before humans were walking on Earth. The more advanced we become in our earth studies and science discoveries, the causes become easier to pin point and identify. In the past warming periods on Earth, when humans were not here, the effects of natural phenomenon such as volcanoes or were responsible. Cooling periods or ice ages, may have been caused by were casued by orbital variations.



The current scientific opinion states that the body of observations give a picture of a warming world and that there is strong evidence that in the last 50 years most of the warming can be attributed to human activities. Are humans the only reason for the climate changes occurring on our Earth? No, but what humans are doing by adding to the greenhouse gases will make our earth's climate change. As the earth is warming our natural water sources are in danger. Currently, with 97% of Earth's water containing salt it is important that we all work together to reduce our contributions to a future without a productive climate cycle.



EXTEND and EVALUATE: It becomes clear that as each day goes on, we need to do what we can to educate our future societal members about the processes that are happening in their everyday lives, which may have a negative impact on their survival by the time they reach their thirties or forties. The following are educational pieces that are available to begin the teaching process.






http://cd7.e2bn.net/e2bn/leas/c99/schools/cd7/website/BluePlanet.htm


http://education.jlab.org/reading/water_cycle.html


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sawater.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/657AC917-D6E3-4E55-AAD1-38119A0ACBB4/0/diag_water_cycle.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.sawater.com.au/SAWater/Education/OurWaterSystems/The%2BWater%2BCycle.htm&h=311&w=500&sz=46&tbnid=OmOr21t4wFsLmM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwater%2Bcycle&hl=en&usg=__3YVWQDSDfReehpgVZV7aEPCfpbw=&ei=ZOOKS86iCpDAsQP8o8SGAw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&ved=0CA8Q9QEwAw

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_cycle


http://www.kidsforsavingearth.org/


http://www.epa.gov/kids/


http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/

Module IV

Essential Question: How do stories of cataclysmic events help inform students about geosciences and cultures?

Definition of student:

-a learned person

-a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

-one who is devoted to learning

-one who attends school

-one who studies or examines in any manner

Sri Lanka 2004

There are several possible ways to look at answering this question.

When the students I work with heard about the recent earthquake in Haiti, some were motivated to find out where Haiti was located. Others were influenced by their parents to become active in various groups; e.g. girl and boy scouts, church groups, etc., in having bake sales, making mittens to sell, or other fundraising activities to raise money to send to the survivors. Probably 80% of the students in my school come from middle income families who have educated their children about natural disasters as they become news. Even in our community where avalanches, tsunamis, earthquakes and flooding can effect anyone on any given day, the children in my school are pretty much protected from the devastation of any occurring in our area, with the exception being if one of their family members is killed by an avalanche while on an outing in the mountains. The volcanoes are close enough that they can drop ash, but chances are, like in the case of one of the most recent Redoubt explosions, not so much ash that they would be greatly impacted. Earthquakes happen all of the time in our area. We could have a large one like in 1964, but the valley would probably not be devastated by a tsunami and damage from the quake would probably be fairly isolated to individual situations. Certainly, the coastline in the Knik Arm would be susceptible to more damage.

(In searching for other teaching aides to help me, I found an interactive website that I can use with my students as a visual teaching assistant to help them to better understand the earth's natural disasters.) http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment//natural-disasters/avalanche-interactive/

If a student were attending school at Sabaragamuwa Affiliated University College in Sri Lanka during the Indian Ocean earthquake that triggered the deadly tsunami, they would have a huge learning curve about the effects of geoscience related phenomenon such as continental plate movement and possible occurrences. That student would be living with the culture to see first hand devastation and death. If they had not lost anything personally, they would be changed forever after being a witness of such great loss. They would feel the emotions related to being with people who had lost someone or something. They would be able to look at the big picture and realize that it could happen all over again, anytime, any day.

In Alaska Native cultures, as well as many, many others, oral histories were told to the continue the knowledge that the elders had gained by all their years and experiences. They included all details that were needed to share about the past when they found a better way to do something and better ways to think about something. In the case of the villagers who settled on river banks, their stories would tell about the years or times that the floods came and what they need to stay safe. Their story would include the things that they learned about flooding cycles, weather predictors and ways of surviving the disaster. Alaska Native cultures who lived in the interior even along rivers would pass on stories about forest fires that were started by lightning which were devastating to their families existence. They would teach their young about watching for weather patterns during low rainfall seasons and how to be cautious if the conditions are just right for a disaster to happen. Lastly, Alaska Native cultures who lived along the coastal mountainous regions would have oral stories that told of times when their people were lost in avalanches or killed due to volcanic eruptions. They, too, would have histories to pass on the students, their children, which would teach them how to be aware of the environment around them, as well as, ways that were more safe to use if those things occurred to them individually.

In the general education system of the United States, stories about a cataclysmic event can help students to develop an interest in the geosciences behind the event. The media gives them some idea of who the peoples are that were affected. Depending on the students level of awareness, they may become apathetic to the situation and want to reach out to the community whose world has been changed. They can then be empowered to do what they can to make a difference. When they become involved, a natural segway is formed for them to establish a knowledge base about the culture and the nature that surrounds that culture.

Module III: Blog

Module III: Part 1- First section


I was born on the panhandle of Nebraska in a town called Sidney. I only lived there for two years, but I have family there still and it is the area where my Dad grew up through his teenage years. The landscape is quite flat, however there are lots of small rolling hills. In American history, it is part of a larger area which were called the plains as the Western movement was occurring. There was lots of prairie grass and buffalo were abundant. As people settled there it became farming country. To this day, my family owns and farms land around Sidney. The elevation typically varies from 4,000-4,800. Wells are used for a water source to irrigate and provide a source of water for humans as well as many farm animals.


The history of the land was well documented on a site that I have listed below.
http://www.geosciences.unl.edu/~tfrank/History%20on%20the%20Rocks/Teachers/Plan%20files/Ford_GeohistNE.pdfE.pdf


I found out that before North America was completely formed that the land where Nebraska is now went through many transformations. For millions of years it was under the ocean and at one point the waters receded and the land between the west coast of North America and the mid-west was all one piece. It stayed that way for many more millions of years. It appears on the link about that at one point the Rocky Mountains were being pushed up higher from the pressure caused by the subduction zone on the west coast of what is now the United States. When this occured, the land in Nebraska became lower than sea level and it became covered with the ocean waters again. The water was coming in from the Arctic Ocean to the north and the Proto-Carribean Sea to the south. Aproximately, 50 million years ago the land became ocean free mammals started to be able to survive the sub-tropical climate. During the middle of the Miocene epoch about 15 million years ago, Nebraska was home to four species of horse, rhinos, elephants, camels, deer and many species of birds. Tragically, 12 million years ago, Yellowstone erupted and all the animals were killed from the ash fall.




EVALUATE:





Module III: P art 1- Second Section





ENGAGE, EXPLORE and EXPLAIN: I spend about two hours checking out Alaska. It amazes me how the indigenous peoples of our state were able to survive no matter where they lived.




One of the spots I visited was the Aleutian Chain. Google earth shows how drastic the subduction zone is along the south, southwest and west side of the land mass and islands. Earthquakes and volcanic action certainly impacted the peoples lives. Volcanic ash would have helped to produce a rich soil for grasses and plants. The abundance of ocean animals would have given them a rich source of meat and vegetables. The winds that are produced through the changes of air currents would have caused them to build homes that were low to the ground. Because of the continuous winds, trees were not able to grow very tall, so the materials that they had to build with would have been limited. Fresh water for drinking was probably not an issue, as rain would have fallen frequently enough for them to collect and save. As well, each isolated group of islands has its own volcano, which would have collected snow and ice in the winter, which would have melted in the spring. Many islands and the main land have rivers that contain fresh water year round.







EXTEND:








































































Fish processing plant and cannery in Old dock on the Aleutian Chain.


Snug Harbor.



I had may more pictures for the section of images with labels, but the time it took me to get these two placed correctly was enough to discourage me to put anymore. There must be a shorter way that I am not aware of doing, because I had to drag these photos from the top of the blog to the bottom, which displaced other photos and then that became a fixing nightmare.

Evaluate: Google Earth is helpful in understanding connections between peoples and places. I have spent so much time with this project of learning that I'm not sure how I could use the activities I've done at the elementary level. Maybe it would be useful for middle or high school.

Module III-Part III

EXPLORE, EXPLORE and EXPLAIN: When the tectonic forces cause plates to collide, there will most likely be an earthquake. Earthquakes occur frequently along all plate intersections where one plate is forcing itself down below another plate. At the intersection, it is called the subduction zone. Volcanic action occurs in these places as well. When the one plate sides below another, the earth's crust that remains on the top is forces to lift and wrinkle, forming mountain ranges.



EXTEND: Addition resources from teacher's domain that I found that would be useful to teach/learn about geological changes on the Earth.

"Glaciated Landscape"

"The Grand Canyon: How it was formed?"

"Exploring the Arctic Seafloor"

"Deep Time and the History of Life"

"Plate Tectonics: Further Evidence"

and many, many more!



I could use these resources with my fourth and fifth graders. They all are intensive needs identified. The visual and auditory part of the these resources would be easier for them to comprehend.


EVALUATE: The materials that I have explored to get to this part of my blog have been especially useful for the same reasons as for my students. They are animated, visual, interactive and auditory.



Module III: Part IV

ENGAGE, EXPLORE AND EXPLAIN: Some Athabaskan peoples are located along the Yukon River. It provides them a way of transportation to and away from places by boat. The river carries there yearly subsistence of fish and provides them with water. These peoples depend on rivers to supply the needs. They also depend on the animals who use the same rivers.

Tlingit peoples have an opportunity to benefit from plants and animals from the land and the sea. They use the moon and the weather to predicate what source of food will be coming available to them next.

The Yupik people also benefit the land and the sea. They use the seasons to show them the beginning of a new food source becoming available. Berries and some fish in the fall, grasses and plants in the spring, fish in the summer, whales and most likely walrus or seal in the fall and winter.

The Inupiaq people depend on some fish from rivers and a lot on ocean fish and mammals.

All the groups hunt moose, caribou, musk ox and bear for sustenance when the animals are close enough to attain. In the past, all the groups use items that are available to them to build shelter for their families.

Cultural connections: If Alaska Natives live by rivers and the ocean, they are susceptible to the possibility of moving their homes if the ocean or river takes over the ground that they are living on. Floods, violent sea storms, heavy rains, etc. can all make a physical landscape change. The Alaska natives that are still living in a subsistence life style have a spiritual connection with their physical environment. They respect the spirits of animals, landforms like rivers, storms and tundra and/or taiga plants.

Example: In Shishmarif, they have had to build a sea wall to protect the homes and businesses. The violent storms are eating away at the land. When the Yukon River flooded Eagle last year, they lost many of their homes and structures. When there is more water in the river than the river can hold, the water fills homes, businesses and churches. The people end up moving to higher ground until the water subsides.

EXTEND: Rural students are challenged by being isolated from the white world that they are being taught history about in history classes. These same students are taught the ways of a subsistence living based on a spiritual relationship. They are taught to respect their elders and when they come to urban or semi-urban areas and go to school, they do not communicate the way of the white world. While there is nothing wrong with there communication style, it can be perceived by a teacher from a different culture, that they are ignoring and ignorant when neither is true.

The Chevak native teachers role is to learn about ways of the white world so that they can help prepare the native students in villages for experiences that they may have outside of the village. The visiting teachers need to do the same, but in reverse. Urban students in Alaska benefit greatly by knowing as much as they can about the Native Alaskan people.

The migrant education program and the bilingual program are the only ones I know about in my school district. My brother's wife works for Alyeska Pipeline. She is an Athabaskan from the Tyonek area. Her current job is to work with high school students to prepare them for applying for good jobs, interviewing skills and ultimately help them attain employment.

A sense of place has to be within each individual person in order for them to feel like they belong. Living close to the land allows individuals to feel the cyclical relationship that humans have with their existence. People that live in an urban area often cannot appreciate the value of a meal, because they do not have a connection with their environment. The Alaska native population has respect for nature. Nature provides them with an existence. The native peoples take from nature, but they always give back to it as well.

Preface to post for Module II:

In the past, I have had a difficult time understanding what all the hoop la is around Facebook, group sites and blogging. Especially, when those forms of communication are negative, hurtful and one-sided. Hog wash, I call it! From my life experiences, I have learned that humans come in varying opinions. Some far right, some far left, when realistically, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Maybe it's simply that I'm just in the middle. But, I'm happy this way. I am seemingly able to make sense of my world.

I spend a lot of my real time outside enjoying my animals and the fresh air. After a long day of teaching, I find, that is the place where my inner spirit finds peace. Hence, forms of communication that require that I sit in front of a dazzling computer brain are not my first choice. Often, the only drive I find for using them is out of necessity; e.g. bank balances.

As I grow and stretch using this blog spot to complete my assignments (necessity), please forgive me if any, or all of my communication is, in fact, hog wash!

Essential Question; How is everything connected from the perspectives of indigenous peoples and Western scientists? What are the advantages to knowing both ways?

Everything is connected simply because the indigenous peoples have and will continue to interact with the plants, animals, weather, water sources and land that the Western scientists are now professing to be understanding based on the scientific processes of study. To groups of different peoples are looking at the same biological, geographical, geological patterns of a land. While it seems that their motivations were similar, I do not see exactly how one could say that their were the same.

One group began this study out their destiny of origination and have fine tuned through observation, trial and error, when and wherever their survival needs could better be met. The basic needs for water, food and shelter were their motivators. But, through all of their previous existence, current existence and future existence, they have and will believe that it is their spiritual connection, which has given them answers when they were needed. The indigenous peoples are in tune with the individual spirits of each and every natural life force with which they coexist. They hold deep respect for nature.

Scientific study has had many Western motivators. I am sure that there are few scientists that have gone out into the Alaskan country side to conduct a study just for their own growth, curiosity and experience. However, since Westerners started influencing our United States, most all of their motivation has had a political agenda. Western scientists have performed millions of scientific studies on our Alaskan nature, that either confirm something that Alaska Natives have felt, noticed, and/or possibly survived. The indigenous peoples have had first hand experiences, since time immemorial, Western scientists have been sent to confirm our nature's state of existence by someone with a political agenda.

So, the connection I see is in the subject of study. The motivations, one being spiritual respect and an intimate relationship with the lands and their inhabitants, and, the second being primarily political agendas, are not very connected at all.

The amounts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), polychorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Arctic haze, and the slight warming trend being documented are alarming to all peoples. The indigenous people's will go on working through issues. Western scientists will go on studying and reporting all the negative stuff to the political group that is backing them.