Final Project

I teach fifth grade and our school has recently integrated a great deal of technology into our school system. This allows my students to use our fully functionally Dell computer lab a few times a week, our rolling IPAD card each Friday and our rolling MacBook lab each Thursday. So to keep my students using these wonderful tools, I’ve created a research and report lesson for them. After they do the research they will be creating an essay on the research question.

Research Question: How does climate change affect Kodiak Island and what can I do to educate our community on climate change?

Teacher will begin the research lesson with a quick video on what climate change is:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/global-warming-environment/way-forward-climate.html

and then students will visit this website to “play” around.
http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html


Teacher Provided Questions to begin inquiry:

What is permafrost?
What is climate change?
What is an ice age?
How does wind affect our island?
How did the elders predict weather and climate change in the past years?

Teacher Provided Websites:

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/3949#b3
http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ean08.sci.ess.earthsys.inpassage/
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ean08.sci.ess.watcyc.bakedalaska/
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/index.html


After students have filled in the teacher created research form, they can begin to create the framework for their essay.

Essay Guidelines:
Now that you understand what climate change is, you are going to create an essay on how to inform the community of Kodiak about changes we can make locally. You must be persuasive in your essay and convince someone (mayor, local agencies, school board, etc.) what can be done to aid in this global concern.

Teachers can use the following rubric to score the completed essays:
www.readwritethink.org/files/.../PersuasiveWritingScoringGuide.pdf


Extended Activities:
http://www.teachablemoment.org/elementary/earthday.html
http://online.nwf.org/site/PageNavigator/ClimateClassroom/cc_about_climateclassroom
http://www.climatechangeeducation.org/k-12_schools/curriculum/elementary_school.html

Module 9

Each module informs me of the changes that have been occurring for quite some time now. In fact for nearly all of my life we have been experiencing some sort of climate change. I have been listening to news reports about the concern of the permafrost topic, but without much interest on my part. After reading through the information and viewing the videos and sites, I have to say I have learned a great deal. I didn’t know that the melting permafrost could do so much devastation to our earth; for instance the “melting” coastlines and the sinking tundra. I had no idea! I have now made many connections to what we have read and been exposed to in the past modules and the importance being aware of the repercussions that humans have done to our environments. We have changed as a society immensely since I was born in the 70’s. From wood stoves to the dependent use of fuel back to the use of wood stoves. I also can see how the possession of an automobile would be a “privilege” and now each family has 1 or 2 or more! We—humans--- are reeking havoc on our world and I can now see it through this course more than ever!

I would love to create an age appropriate lesson on the climate change for my students. I absolutely love Teachers Domain and the great short clips that I can share with my students that are scientific based. I am feeling a final project coming on……..

Ice age, melting glacial ice, melting permafrost, sea levels rising; these are just a few of the things that I have learned about more in depth with this module. I didn’t realize that our state, our people are being tested to traumatically. This module was a great culmination to previous modules.

Module 8

This module has similar resources as the last one. We are beginning to see the documented climate changes that are close to home—The Arctic. I am beginning to make the connections between how the melting of our arctic ice is really a warming process. I am also feeling more confident in teaching my fifth graders about the climate change in which we are.
I will do the science experiment with the ice cubes and the water in a glass to show my students about the rising sea levels. Living on an island, we need to understand the repercussions of the glacial meltdowns. I can also make connections between the people of Shishmaraf and the coastline that is deteriorating. As I think I may have referred to before, in the old village of Afognak, their graveyard was initially placed on a point of land that has deteriorated within the past hundred years or so. The old wooden coffins are falling into the ocean. My question is—did the elders or native peoples of Afognak see the coastlines being eaten up as we do today?

I am currently on the Native Education Curriculum Committee in our school district. Some of the duties of this committee is to integrate local place based learning with lessons that are relevant to issue we are seeing today. Of great concern is global warming and I feel I can now give to this committee more with the knowledge that I’ve gained.

Module 7

Alaskan Natives and also other inhabitants around the arctic poles are noticing many affects of the climate change. Beginning with the Inuit in northern Canada on the island, I was impressed with the organization of climate changes they were doing within the community. It becomes an eye-opening experience when seen in this form. Some things that stuck out to me were the ones; more flies; different insects; quicker meltdown; and shorter hunting seasons.

La’ona’s video was very interesting. Her interest in mapping the contaminated sites throughout the rivers in the Interior seems very logical. The tools that she has available to her, GPS, computers, etc. enable her to track the contaminated sites from human pollution. All of the information that she and her coworkers have collected are placed into a GIS database so that the communities in which they have worked with can access this information for their use as well as for La’ona’s. It is also important for tracking this global climate change.

I enjoyed watching the students tracking the changes in the tundra. I feel it is important for them to train the local children because they are the ones who are seeing the change on a daily basis. I would love to involve our local students with the climate changes within my community.

As for involving students in authentic scientific research, we do. Our district is in its 13th year of Rural Science Fairs. The students follow the scientific method and come up with a unique traditional scientific subject and ask a question…. do the research and through a science fair they will prove whether their hypothesis was true or not. I have been involved with the science camps that have occurred throughout the summer where the elders are invited to spark the interest and questions that would evolve into the projects. Nothing more exciting than watching an elder sitting on the beach doing experiments with students!!!

I have enjoyed all the videos in this portion of Module 7. We were able to see how children have taken ownership n their communities to document the climate changes….as well as the community as a whole….as well as a doctoral student… many with the same goal.

I am learning so much with all the videos and presentations and readings that this course has offered to me. I can’t even imagine what the earliest earth looked like, even with the vivid descriptions. No oxygen? Bacteria that lived without the presence of oxygen? Wow? And when oxygen was finally introduced with the ancient creatures these non-oxygen organisms looked for places to hide and live where oxygen wasn’t present. It almost sounds sci-fi to me!!! These creatures made oxygen just like or present day plants/ greenery do—photosynthesis. With the introduction of oxygen into our atmosphere, animals and eventually humans were able to live.

Microbes in the arctic usually hibernate and the creation of CO2 doesn’t occur. However, with the change in the climate and the weather, our permafrost isn’t happening at the depths it once was making it possible for these microbes to keep producing this gas right on through the winter. With the increase of CO2 we are looking at more greenhouse affects on our earth.

A positive feedback loop is something that scientists would like to research more about and understand better. One that is happening within our state is the topic I previously mentioned. Here we have microbes making more nutrients in which the plants flourish. As these microbes stay awake throughout the winter because of their extra cushioning—snow---they give more nutrients to the land in which makes the trees and shrubs grow more. Now we are looking at a much different types of ecosystem where there once was nothing.

One thing about viewing these topics each week is my own fear factor. I am not a scientist, nor a person who tracks this type of change. Therefore when I read or view something that shows such drastic changes, I worry….

We have millions of stars within our galaxy that I just learned were made from the elements overcrowding and then blowing up from the heaviness of the iron. That was a mouthful! We also have millions of galaxies within our universe. All of this information takes me back to the statement I made earlier—I worry!
So I am going to reiterate what I just read and watched and see if it makes more sense to me—the earth was created millions of years ago by the explosions of star/stars. The radioactive or microwaves in the atmosphere reassembled into what we call earth. At first, non-oxygen organisms inhabited earth and eventually when oxygen was introduced, these bacteria fled to deep dark hot places. I think I got it!

As for sharing all of this information with students, I’m not sure mine are old enough or that our community would appreciate their teachers teaching the Big Bang Theory… instead of the traditional religious theory. On another note, I would love to see videos shared with older students.

When discussing the creation of our planet, there are many tales or stories that some cultures hold in regards to the creation of parts of the earth. Locally, we know of Raven and the sun stories. We also know of locally the puffins and the salmon and I’m sure that the Eskimos have some sort of stories about the creation of something.

Module 6: The world of weather and science

Wow—after reading through the text and watching the YouTube video—I am just stunned and confused. I didn’t realize the relationship between the different temperatures and water. I can see now how the weather is very important and how we can track it. However, sometimes it is very unpredictable at times.

Well…as for the differences between the jet streams and the wind and weather it all comes down to hot and cold. I was thoroughly confused when watching the videos and reading the slides at understanding the way the weather is affecting the different areas of the earth. I will say that when using digital resources, I enjoy the videos more than the slide shows. I think it’s because someone may be talking to me other than me having to read the slides and being thoroughly confused at the vocabulary and terminology that I haven’t even used for what seems like forever!

In reflecting on the information in this portion of Module 6, I am sure of a few things. When it comes to cold water and warm water ---the Walker cell was explained well for me. I can say that the forces were clear. The cold water from the ocean floor is pushed up and exchanged with the warm water at the edge of the coastline. (Which I was shocked to know…but it makes incredible sense.) I have also made connections between weather and how the ocean plays a huge part of this. I live on an island, in fact I have an ocean view and watch the huge waves take control of our island life. The difficult thing for me was understanding the jargon of this lesson. I did rewatch the YouTube video and read through the slideshow from PBS a few times to try and understand the content….I am still confused!!!

Module 6: Part 1

The Arctic is a wasteland for horrible pollution layovers. It seems to me that the pollution is gravitating to the poles and the Arctic is getting the most of it. The wind is proving to be one of the major factors of this pollution. We are getting the smoke and pollution from faraway cities and is caused by tiny particles. I am so shocked from watching the videos of the after affects of this. Beginning with the contamination of the food sources so many relies on for existence.

This stems from the moms who nourish themselves with the contaminated meat from the top of the food chains to the infants born with the most strangest levels of PSB. It boggles my mind and it really hurts me to know the people who still exist from the land and the land is not being kind to them. Where do we lay the blame? There are parents who truly believe that survival is from the land and the land is not being treated right.

These videos really hit me---and I was saddened by that. I was really affected by the sole existence of the whaling that many northern tribes rely on---from Greenland through Canada to our homeland in Alaska.

How can the industrialized societies help? This is a question much further in their hands than ours. How can they help with pollution? I was very shocked that they travelled to Alaska to compare the levels of air (Alaska supposedly being the most clean) and what disappointment or reality it was to them.


Aviation is very important to the life we live in Alaska. Having been raised on an island I am aware of that vital existence. I have also been a resident in a village on our island with my initial year of teaching. Aviation brought me my groceries and the fuel we needed when the village ran out and the barge was weeks from arrival. Being an Alaskan aviator is also very unique in it’s trade. They also get paid on the jobs/work that they perform so when the weather isn’t great…they don’t fly and therefore don’t get paid.

Being a pilot of native heritage---knowing the lay of the land and the way of the winds is imminent. Native pilots have been trained at the way the weather holds onto the day or days ahead of them. Watching the winds and taking the time to really watch the tides and weather patterns that have been imbedded into them is what they hold as an asset. These are traditional ways of knowing the weather that have been bestowed on them from their elders.

When I viewed the bush pilot video- I immediately thought of my husband. He is a fisherman who watches the weather ---before a trip----and really knows the weather patterns. He also has many digital devices on his vessel to help and aide him in his career. To a bush pilot, I believe it’s important to have the proper gear to help with their manual flight and also their gear use flight. By this I mean---being able to see what is happening and what they can’t see visually but can see with the equipment.

We have seen how times are changing and how the weather patterns are changing. Like I have said before, my husband watches the weather each night and sits and wonders where the patterns are coming from.

Module 5: part 1

In traditional native ways, the people would use the moon and the tides to determine what was available for use/ to eat. The video talked about the size of the moon- and I find that interesting because on my island the elders talk about the tides and seasons differently. Mainly they talk about how the animals would “talk” to them, therefore they knew what animals were available.

The ocean is extremely important to all Alaska Natives. As, Lucille Davis (a relative of mine) discussed, salmon was the ultimate food for us natives on the island during the summer time. Lucy grew up in Karluk, the village that my mother did too. In fact, my grandfather had the largest smokehouse in that village with the capacity to smoke a thousand fish for the village. It was bigger than their banya! It was also about no waste---whatever wasn’t used was used for the garden or also placed back into the ocean as feed for other animals.

Where I come from, we have many cultural resources…the ocean and the land as well as the sky. Hunting comes in all sources, but allow us to survive and prosper. I was born in the 70’s and heard of the changes as a child and now see them as an adult. Our island in the 70’s was known as the King Crab capital of the world. We had the most abundant amount of King Crab. I could recall as a child, going to the docks and watching the crab crawling up the pilings. Now we are not allowed to subsistence catch but one! BUT one!!! Was it the change in climate or the mismanagement of the amount of catch? Ask an elder in our area and it was the mismanagement----of all things that are becoming scarce.

I believe that the value of using Teachers’ Domain in learning shares both avenues-western and native. We get to see the value of the elders voice and it incorporates the experience and education of the professional folk too.

Module 4: Google Earth

Well, I did download Google Earth and spent some time figuring out how to measure distance…with little success. I did however; find success in straight-line measurement. So my mileage is probably short because I could only do straight lines with a bit of success. Okay, I calculated 1495.19 miles on the archipelago. I began with the last bit of the state before it broke into islands. I also came up with 4682.09 miles for the Aleutian Trench.
I use Google Earth with my students on their IPADS each week and it is very successful. I have one student who recently moved from Tennessee and was able to locate her old home and share it with the class---what a great teaching tool!

Module 4: Earthquakes and Tsunamis

The tectonic forces that caused the earthquake were with the Pacific Plate sub ducting under Alaska. This pressure caused the earthquake to happen. After watching the video of Valdez I began to make connections to the hometown of my grandmother-Afognak village. The devastation from this earthquake caused a tsunami that destroyed her village. Just as Valdez relocated, the people from the village of Afognak relocated to the villages of Port Lions and Ouzinkie.

You can still walk through the old Village of Afognak and see many houses still standing. At one time I walked through to see the town store and post office in the lagoon.

People have used this experience to be more aware of earthquakes and tsunamis. In our town of Kodiak there are tsunami warning alarms throughout. Each and every Wednesday we have tests of these alarms at 2:00 p.m. to ensure they are working and ready to go. If the alarms go off at any other time, we know it’s business and not a testing time.

I have taught many lessons from the ATEP (Alaska Tsunami Education Program) to show my students about the 1964 Earthquake and Tsunami. We have viewed elder interviews and read stories that relate to this topic. I feel it is vital that our students know the importance of being educated about earthquakes and tsunamis---we do live on an island!!!

Module 4: Cultural Connections Part 1

I really enjoyed watching all three of the videos. I can say there are plenty of similarities between the people of Hawaii and the people of Alaska. We share the “island” living and the coastline eating. It is always neat to watch the similarities between the East Coast and the Pacific Ocean. We are full of fisherman and fishing lifestyles. I didn’t realize there were whaling ports in Massachusetts? That shows how little I know about the East Coast.
The differences between Massachusetts and the island lifestyles are the population make-up. The Massachusetts folk are a Heinz 57 of culture and diversity. Most of the Hawaiian footage was that of Hawaiians, as well as the footage from Alaska. I also felt that my hometown, Kodiak, fits in well with the Nanwalek culture and people.

EXTEND
• What other cultures do you know that live in the shadow of volcanoes?
• How does living on volcanic islands influence culture?
• What other related stories do you know?
When I think of volcanoes----I think of countries with many islands. Of course we have the Hawaiian islands, The Aleutian Islands, and….what came to mind for me was the Indonesian Islands. Perhaps it’s been the current happenings over in that area of the world, but I thought of them first. I also think of the Filipino People who are close and would be affected by the volcanic activity.
I live on an island that is shadowed by volcanoes regularly. With the constant worry of volcanic activity (most recently Mount Redoubt) on our island we are always prepared. Our ancestors have done a great job of teaching us, through storytelling) how important it is to be prepared. With the introduction of websites as http://www.avo.alaska.edu/
We are very fortunate to be able to monitor activity. In fact, when Kevin Costner was making the movie, The Guardian, he chose not to come to Kodiak with fear he may be stuck!

Science can impact indigenous cultures and their way of life in both positive and negative ways. Through modern day monitoring we are able to inform citizens very quickly of things as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunami warnings. For this, we are quite fortunate. However, when we talk about interrupting religious areas to build stations, we are not taking into consideration the history and the importance of their way of life. Often, things happen for a reason---as my grandmother instilled into me. Science is a way of life---it has always been. Nowadays we just don’t do it by watching the weather, or watching the tides, or the constellations in the sky.
I am also fortunate to have spent some time in Hawaii and watch the way their stories have shaped their lives…. just as my heritage has shown me.

Quick story: My husband and I spent a week on Rarotonga, Cook Island for our honeymoon. We flew down and met the most remarkable lady, Peta. Peta was a native to the island. She was of simple existence, such as myself, and couldn’t comprehend the lifestyles of those who visited her island. We spent the week getting to know each other very well and when we departed, her last words to me were---thank you for being my friend, North Pacific Islander. Although we were of two different worlds, we were of very similar beliefs. We had become friends through our similar values of being Pacific Islanders.

Module III: Landscapes of Life

I am beginning to recall information from my college days in a science course at UAF: Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Glaciers. Throughout my life--I haven’t been strong with the area of science....I was so excited to begin to teach place-based learning and it allowed me to shine with my LOCAL experiences...and as I reviewed the resources we were assigned this week, It also brought back a lot of stories that were told while I was growing up in Kodiak. My family was affected by the 1964 Alaska Earthquake and the devastation that was to follow on Kodiak Island. The whole IDEA of a tsunami WAS/IS real for my family as they all were involved in the 1964 Kodiak Tsunami.

On another note, throughout the past few years, many teachers within our school district (and other districts) have been field testing some awesome teaching units in the Alaska Tsunami Education Program. This was a grant funded project through the University of Alaska Fairbanks that really brought to light the whole world of earthquakes and tsunamis. (The website is listed under great resources.)

And when we talk about erosion and landscape changes, we see it in Kodiak quite regularly. We are an island in the Gulf of Alaska and we are in the midst of a lot of tidal activity and change. In fact, the two villages in which my families were born/raised are experiencing such change. My mom was born on the westside of our island in a village called---Karluk.

As a child I remember visiting my grandparents home and seeing the historical buildings throughout the many faces of the village. Well, to put it blankly---much of Karluk has FALLEN into the lagoon. The old village was built on the side that experiences a lot of wind and tide change. The erosion has caused the OLD side to fall into the lagoon. And to relate to my mom’s side of the family--my dad’s village is experiencing much of the same landscape changes. In fact the area or POINT that was named for it’s purpose---Graveyard Point----is now eroding so that the buried are beginning to fall into the water. Both places I speak of are experiencing erosion problems.....ones that the originators had no idea of. That makes me wonder-----has erosion increased? Or did people assume that building so far off the coast would allow for SECURITY? 

When I talk with students about erosion and change with the landscapes around our island---I bring up two particular locations. These are the Buskin River and the Pasagshak River. These two locations are great salmon fishing rivers where people are often found from May until September. The discussion we often have include--WHY DO THE MOUTHS OF THE RIVERS LOOK DIFFERENT EVERY YEAR? Each of these rivers hang off of the main waters and do not have shelter to protect their shores....therefore the mouths change each year....great discussion on erosion and landscape,etc.

Great Resources

This website has ALOT of information about educating children about earthquakes and tsunamis. It has great resources and lessons.
http://www.aktsunami.com/



This website is connected to one of our local native corporations, Afognak Native Corporation. They have began to fund and develop lessons that incorporate history and language. You will see lessons/ units to teach on local earthquakes and tsunamis.
http://www.afognak.org/education/index.php

The Village of Afognak after the 1964 Tsunami

Downtown Kodiak 1964

Module II: Everything is Connected

On Kodiak Island we find many teachers who hold values similar to those of Dustin Madden. In fact, I feel I am one of those teachers.  Before I go any further, I will give a little background of myself...a little bit more than the short bio. I was born in Kodiak as both of my parents were born on the island. I am of native decendents--which the location and name has changed over the years. I grew up knowing that I was Aleut...because that was what we were told. However, as an adult I have learned that I am also Alutiiq. Growing up in Kodiak, (This is really taking a step for me to admit), I was embarrassed of being native. Our island had already been "westernized" and the stereotypical native was that of one I didn't associate myself with. It wasn't until I GREW up and went to UAF that I felt a sense of belonging within myself to the native I knew I was. (Thanks to Kay Thomas of Rural Student Services at UAF!) From there I became involved within my community and as I followed my dream of education---I became involved with ARSI (the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative). I am very familiar with the Alaska Native Ways of Knowing. So, getting back to the subject....I am in full agreement with Dustin on this one. 

Now I have given credit to one college adviser who helped me to DISCOVER myself, but I also want to acknowledge the people who helped me understand the western ways of doing things. Both worlds exist and we need educators to teach us how to be successful in both worlds.

I am an active member on the IEA parent/teacher board, I am on the Board of Directors within our Native Educators Association ( NEAR) and a decendent of three local native corporations---but does that mean I know how to do it all? Absolutely not! What I do know what to do that can help to provide learning and career opportunities for my/ all students within my community is NETWORKING. I may not know the answers but by all means I will get them for whoever asks. That takes me to an annual function that our Native Educators provide during new teacher inservice for ALL new teachers--(but with the focus on new village teachers on our island) and that is a potluck we provide. It began about 10 years ago with our board providing a nice opportunity for our local agencies to introduce themselves and what they could provide for our village/ new teachers. It was a hit!!! It has continued--not as strong as initially, but with heart. I feel that when you educate the teachers who will then go back to their villages and be advocates for their students, it's a win-win situation.
This reminds me of something that was mentioned in this module---the Kodiak Island Rural Science Fair. Back in 1999, I was involved with the implementation (due to the ARSI funding) of the initial Dig Afognak Science Camp. What a great thing! The initial funding came from the ARSI grant which cycled between all 5 regions to implement such camps. It was phenomenal! We had elders--in their own words teaching children about the traditional ways of knowing. It became a hit! It lead to some great science fair projects--even one that went to Albuquerque for a final prize! Teachers should hold the role of making those connections and giving their students the tools of making those connections for themselves. We watched in those camps as students realized the way things used to be and how to understand WHY they did the things they talked about AND watching them do them. For example:  we had elders teaching children how to catch animals with traps made from slate rocks; students discovering what types of fur made better winter gear; which driftwood smoked better fish, etc. Through these experiences students from all over the island were able to work with elders and for many years we had McGrath science guru--Alan Dick participate in our science camps and fairs. Allowing students to use what they know, what their elders can teach them and apply to western ways is the learning curve our students need.

Favorite Place to Be

As a child, I was highly influenced by my grandmother. She was born on Afognak Island and grew up in the village that was eventually destroyed by the 1964 Great Tsunami. Years passed before I was given the opportunity to walk on the dirt roads of the village that once hosted my grandmother and ancestors past. The smell of the summer fruit growing on the bushes and the sweet smell of the ocean tides pulling in the fruitful plates. I could visualize her running through the boardwalks and up the sides of the mountain with her many siblings. When I think of my favorite place to be----it is on Afognak Island between Aleut Town and Russian Village.