Our Connection to Place

"No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive." -Mahatma Gandhi

Entrance to Answer Camp Team Classroom. A. Rodriguez

héixwaa: magic, xáat: salmon

This was the first thing that my students at Answer Camp saw as they walked in the door to our classroom. My team teacher and I greeted our students by shaking their hands and repeating, "Welcome héixwaa xáat, welcome héixwaa xáat". Our introduction was generally received with a blank look, a rolling of the eyes, or sometimes with a smirk. Once all of our students were seated we quickly gained our students' attention with a quick shout of, "Héixwaa xáat". This was the beginning of my journey through learning how to be a culturaly responsive educator! Through my experiences as a teacher at Answer Camp I quickly realized that I was also a student. I was like a sponge absorbing all the knowledge that the elders, my colleagues and the students were sharing with me. The realization that although the students that attended this camp were all Alaska Native, they were representatives of cultures and heritages from all over the state. We had students that represented the Tlingit, Inupiaq, Yup'ik, Athabascan, Alutiiq, Aleut, Haida and Tsimshian cultures. I was taken aback by the pride that each student had in their culture and their willingness to learn and support other students as they shared their cultures' history and traditions.

It was very clear to me that in order for each culture to be represented each culture must recognize the other. Without this recognition there would be no differences between cultural groups.
With this knowledge I have been empowered as a teacher to not only help students recognize the significance of having this knowledge in order to help us determine our sense of place but to appreciate the wealth of knowledge that we gain from learning about other cultures and histories. culture map. uaf


Here in southeast Alaska we live within a diverse community that incorporates Alaskan Native, Tongan, Filipino, Hispanic, European as well as many other cultures. As an educator I am invigorated by the idea of finding a way to help my students recognize the significane of the diversity and how it provides us with the opporutnity to learn about others and by recongizing the cultures of others we are able to see the accomplishments of our own cultures.

Answer Camp Students cutting fish. A. Rodriguez

Final Post

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?

Explore:

I am very excited about the knowledge that I have gained during this course along with the array of resources and ideas that I now have to help me create a new program at my school. I am going to be teaching a cultural leadership class with an emphasis on its importance in math and science. This posting will help me to begin planning how to make this class useful and successful to my students! The ideas below would not entail the entire leadership course, but would be weaved into the course throughout the semester.


The following are some questions that will be presented to my students, and through our research, discussions and presenters the students will be able to answer these questions.

What are scientific ways of knowing?
What are Native ways of knowing?
Can both these methods be used to gain knowledge? Why or why not?

What is the benefit of using both methods of knowing?

Engage:

Module 1:

What are scientific ways of knowing?

Many students will be more comfortable brainstorming these types of methods and the use of these methods for understanding science. I will use different scientific questions from the “6-8 Scientific Ways of Knowing” document to get students recognizing that many of our ways of knowing are things that we do naturally (making observations) and others are things that we are taught (deciphering a graph). The use of the TD Resource that shows students how all the parts of the scientific process are used will help show an accurate representation of how science is conducted.

Resources to use with students:

TD Video: Scientific Processes

6-8 Scientific Ways of Knowing

Professional Resources:

The Evidence Base for Science: Scientific Ways of Knowing

Module 2:

What are Native ways of knowing?

For some students this discussion will require more prompting because they have not been exposed to traditional ways of knowing or living and will be very foreign. Having students share their cultural knowledge gained from elders or community members with a discussion about why this knowledge is important will help access prior knowledge to better see the connection to western science. The TD lesson “Alaska Native Ways of Knowing” is a great resource to introduce how these traditional methods are important to cultures throughout our state. I will present students with examples of living an Alaska Native traditional lifestyle or a less traditional “city” lifestyle and how this knowledge is useful with the “Culturally-Based Curriculum Resources”.

Resources to use with students:

Alaska Native Ways of Knowing

Culturally-Based Curriculum Resources

Professional Resources:

Indigenous Knowledge Systems/Alaska Native Ways of Knowing

Culturally-Based Curriculum Resources

Module 3:

Can both these methods be used to gain knowledge? Why or why not?

This module will emphasize the following Venn diagram.



We will discuss the “common ground” section of the diagram and what this means. It is important for students to understand that both traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge can stand alone but by combining these two ways of knowing we are strengthening our knowledge and supporting the certainty of that same knowledge. We are taking this knowledge beyond data and observations and are giving it depth and significance.

Resources to use with students:

TD Video: Steve MacLean: Conservationist

TD Video: An Alaska Native Community Helps Seals

Science and Culture

Professionl Resources:

Culture and Science Education: A Look from the Developing World

Science and Culture


Extend:

What is the benefit of using both methods of knowing?

The students will explore global warming and its effects at a local level by using both methods of knowing to support their research.

The students will create an essential question that will research the topic of global warming and it’s effects on a plant, animal or ecosystem and how this influences a specific Alaskan Native group’s subsistence lifestyle.

Resources to use with students:

TD Video: Alaska Native Teens Help Researchers


Professional Resources:


Lesson Plan Global Warming

Blog Reviews

Blog Reviews

On that note, I want to thank everyone for all of their hard work and the intellectual stimulation that has occurred over the past 6 weeks.

Blog Review One:

"Life in Alaska" by Wayne was very easy to read, well organized and had wonderful images placed throughout his writing. It was apparent that you had put time into truly understanding the topic and included useful images when it was necessary. I did not feel overwhelmed by the information or by the media that you used to support your thoughts. The two images that stood out to me in VII with the image showing the projected ice melt for the Arctic and the image of the polar bear jumping, WOW! Image of ice loss in the Arctic... upsetting; Image of a Polar Bear jumping from floating ice to floating ice... unforgettable; image depicting George W. Bush as clueless... priceless!

I enjoyed exploring the links that you provided and appreciated that you took the time to find other links to share with us. This is something that I wish I would have been comfortable doing sooner.
Lastly, the awards that you gave for the blog pages were great. I enjoyed getting a feel for your sense of humor (adult content intro, who knew)!

Blog Review Two:

"Alaska Melting Pot" by Collauna was very concise and in-depth (although, I was probably a bit biased since I was lucky enough to work with Collauna in Sitka at Answer Camp last summer). I was intrigued and excited by her sharing of information. I loved (and looked forward to) her connection to local Alaska Native history and appreciated her sincerety when discussing the connection to her culture. I looked forward to reading her blogs because I knew the wealth of knowledge that she has to share about traditional methods and her dedication to the Tlingit culture. It was also wonderful to hear another perspective from the Southeast region of our extremely diverse state! Her blog was another great example of the wealth of resources that are available if you take the time to look. One of my favorite postings was her last posting that shared the link to the migration story of the Tlingit people and her personal connection to the Tlingit from the Hoonah area. Thank you for sharing your history with us in order to allow us to expand our knowledge!

Module III

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

Exterme tsunami damage occurred in Seward

Explain:

What defines a cataclysmic event? Is it the number of lives lost? Is it the amount of money needed to reinstate the community to its original state? Or is it a natural event that causes damage on a massive scale? Webster’s Dictionary simply defines it as “a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition; broadly: an event that brings great changes”. Although this definition seems simple, the magnitude of “great changes” really had no context for me until I watched the TD videos and researched some of the different cataclysmic events in Alaska. Here in Alaska we have many examples of cataclysmic events such as the 1964 Earthquake, the 1958 Lituya Bay Tsunami, and the (Katmai National Park) eruption.

Although I spent most of my adolescent life in Southeast Alaska I had never heard much about cataclysmic events in our region - with the exception of the 1964 Anchorage earthquake. As I worked through this module I was oddly enlightened and saddened by the impacts that some of the cataclysmic events that have occurred in Alaska have had on the people, land and cultures surrounding these areas. In particular, the 1964 Earthquake was an event that I did not know much about but was awed by the devastating and on-going effects on not only Anchorage, but the destruction that the resulting tsunamis had on the surrounding coastal communities. I was amazed to learn that the effects of the earthquake were felt in communities such as Kodiak, Seward and Whittier. These communities were overwhelmed by a fast-moving surge of water – or, a tsunami. The implication of such a large-scale earthquake near coastal communities was not understood until this event took place.





An even more impressive find was the cataclysmic event in Lituya Bay. This can only be described as something from an end-of-the-world blockbuster film: A tsunami with a wave 500 meters high. This event is best described by survivors in the BBC Nature Video, Mega Tsunami - Alaskan Super Wave - Amazing Survival.



Through this simulation we can get an idea of how this event took place.

One of the last events I want to discuss is that of the Novarupta eruption that occurred on the Alaska Peninsula. The power of the eruption was heard all the way in Juneau and the negative implications of the ash fall impacted communities such as Kodiak and its surrounding villages. The weight of the ash destroyed many structures as it fell a foot thick. Any living things caught in its path was likely blinded and died from starvation, dehydration, or suffocation. The people of Kodiak were forced to take shelter inside because of the high concentration of ash in the air.

Diagram of Amount of Ash from Novarupta

Extend:

As a new teacher I am always looking for ways to introduce Earth Science topics and the use of cataclysmic events as “lead-ins” to geosciences lessons. These events will grab the students’ attention and provide some context to some geosciences topics. By understanding geosciences at a regional or local level (accessing individual schema and prior knowledge) students will have an appreciation for cataclysmic events that occur in other regions of the world by using comparison. I was astounded at how students could not grasp the magnitude of what happened in regard to the most recent cataclysmic event with the earthquakes in Haiti. With a better understanding of how these geosciences affect the people, landscape and cultures at a local level we can understand the extent of the effects in other parts of the world.

Module IX

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

Mendenhall Glacier Photo: A.Rodriguez


Explain:

Terrestrial ice is frozen fresh-water sources that are being stored in lakes, rivers, snow, permafrost and glaciers – essentially, it is any ice found on land. Terrestrial ice is a very complex system that is dependent on a number of factors including temperature, altitude and precipitation, among others. Some of these factors are directly connected to the changes in climate that are occurring due to green house gases in our atmosphere. The most apparent change that we are seeing is an increase in temperatures around the globe. These increased temperatures are impacting the volume of ice found in different regions of the world and are causing increased melting of many of the terrestrial ice sources.

Earth System: Ice and Global Warming

In particular, regions of Alaska are being greatly affected by the loss of all types of terrestrial ice. For instance, we can see the drastic changes that have occurred to regions in Alaska due to the loss of glacial ice in the video, Documenting Glacial Change. We have felt these impacts close to home here in Juneau with the receding of ice from the Mendenhall Glacier. The loss of ice that is seen in this video from the Extreme Ice Survey is astounding.

For many, terrestrial ice provides a place of recreation such as ice skating, ice fishing, or ice climbing, and is simply a picturesque landscape to enjoy. For others, terrestrial ice provides their communities with resources such as transportation, water and food. In many parts of Alaska this resource provides a cultural connection to the land, animals and traditional way of life.

History shows that these traditional lifestyles were quite different for the elder generations of Alaska Natives. Many of the Northern Alaska Native peoples were a semi-nomadic people. If resources were minimal, or if the land changed so that resources were no longer available, the people would pack up their belongings and move to where the resources were available. Changes in climate, technology, and the land provided opportunities for this movement.

For example, the Inuit people of Alaska (Yup’ik and Inupiaq Eskimos) were traditionally hunters and fisherman and would move to where they found the most abundant resources. With the development of the qajaq, the Inuit were able to extend their hunts to sea mammals, which provided another source of food. The semi-nomadic way of life diminished with Western influence and so different indigenous groups that no longer live their lives as their ancestors once did are being greatly impacted by these drastic changes in the climate (and it’s affect on the volume of terrestrial ice). The Inuit people are feeling the lasting effects of these changes as is described in the article, Heroes of the Environment 2008: Sheila Watt-Cloutier.

Changing Arctic Landscape

Explore:

While working through this Module I was again reminded of my experiences while at a Cryosphere training at Chena Hot Springs last winter. I recalled the brief introduction into permafrost and it’s affects on the regions surrounding Fairbanks and other Arctic communities. I can distinctly remember asking myself, “Permafrost, what in the world is permafrost?” As I left the training I know I was still unsure of the implications of permafrost and what the melting of the permafrost really meant to a community. As I watched the TD videos and the Tunnel Man episodes (which are quite funny considering I have met Dr. Romanovsky and he does not seem like the type to wear tights), I was excited to explore this topic more and to find a way to connect this concept to my students here in Juneau. I am intrigued by the studies that have found the high concentration of methane in terrestrial lakes and the correlation between permafrost melt and methane being a by-product of decomposition of organic matter. Is it possible to find similar effects at the bottom of any lake? Even if permafrost is generally non-existent in our southeast region, are our frozen lakes holding on to methane from other decomposing materials? What conditions are needed for decomposition to occur and for methane to be created in these lakes? These researchers could be my students next year!

Students Measure Changes in Lake Ice and Snow




I think I see the beginning of my final blog in the works!

Module VIII

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

Polar Bear's on Arctic Iceberg

Explain:

The Cryosphere was described by the “National Snow and Ice Data Center” as the places on the earth that scientists describe as regions that are cold enough that water freezes to solid ice or snow. I describe the Cryosphere as the parts of the World that have water in a solid phase such as snow, lake ice, sea ice or glaciers. The Cryosphere has a different significance for each region that it supports, but on a global scale it is essentially our cooling system (or air conditioning if you will). The Cryosphere, or solid water of the world, provides our planet with the ability to maintain the cool temperatures that allow all living things to thrive. It keeps our ocean temperatures consistent and keeps our atmosphere from overheating.

Depending on the whether it is snow or ice, water phase will determine the amount of heat that is absorbed or reflected from the surface of the earth. The absorption of heat is what melts the ice or water of our earth. The reflection, or albedo, is what keeps the temperature of the atmosphere stable. The interactive video, Earth’s Albedo and Global Warming is a perfect example of the effects that the absorption and reflection heat from the earth’s sun can have on the Cryosphere. As we see in the video, liquid water absorbs the most heat from the sun - resulting in increases of sea or lake water temperatures around the globe.




By using on-line research programs such as The Cryosphere Today, we can see the direct effects of the absorption of heat currently taking place in different regions of the world. We can also compare the total area of ice in these regions from earlier dates. We are seeing drastic declines of sea ice in the Arctic. The Arctic sea ice is very important because it is the world’s sensor to the effects of climate change. However, being the world’s sensor is not it’s only function; culturally, Arctic Sea ice provides subsistence hunting grounds and means of travel for many indigenous peoples. The ice allows the indigenous peoples a way to connect the younger generations to their cultural ways of life. The sea ice also provides an ecosytem to many animals including polar bears, whales, walruses and sea lions among many others.



Extend:

Rodriguez Digging a Snow Pit at Chena Hot Springs Photo. S. Cambell

The study of the Cryosphere is something that I was formally introduced to after a training that I attended at Chena Hot Springs last winter. I had informally been studying the Cryosphere while learning about snow hydrology and avalanche safety through University of Alaska Southeast as an undergraduate. I remember being intrigued by the concept of the idea of something called Snow Water Equivalent - or SWE - and how this simple measurement could help us determine the water availability in a particular area. I now have a true appreciation for this knowledge and recognize how this can help researchers determine temperature increase due to ice and snow melt. I also remember how excited I was last year while developing lessons in coordination with the inquiry based science I had been doing all week at the training at Chena Hot Springs and my excitement has been revitalized with the idea of incorporating the Cryosphere into my curriculum.

Polar Bear Picture

Module VII:Earth's Changing Climate

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


Mendenhall Glacier Photo. A. Rodriguez
Explain:

The geological system that has created the planet earth that we know today is an extremely complex and amazing system. This idea is supported in the TD video Life Before Oxygen. Earth has evolved from a system that originally could only support anaerobic organisms and then progressed to an oxygen-rich environment that was potent to the living organisms that existed at that time - many of which retreated to oxygen-free areas such as thermal vents where they are still thriving today. Currently, we have an oxygen-rich atmosphere that is supported by photosynthesis, cyanobacteria, and gas exchange. Our current environment supports dynamic groups of living organisms including bacteria, plants, and animals. Our atmosphere is rich with necessary gases that are created and recycled through our complex atmosphere. All of these processes are directly correlated to how the Earth’s atmosphere changes and in-turn effects our climate change.


Salmon run in Steep Creek Photo A. Rodriguez

Here in Southeast Alaska we have been greatly impacted by the changes in our climate conditions biologically, geologically and culturally. Primarily, if we look at how the climate changes have directly affected our glaciers within Southeast, we see that the changes in increased temperatures in our region are causing Glaciers within our region to quickly recede, which changes the geological and biological conditions of these areas. Some of the impacts can be seen and explained by the video Climate Change Impacts Alaska Glaciers.



Secondly, we can also see the effects of climate change locally with the changes in our precipitation levels within our region. We can see the correlation between our salmon returns and how this relationship controls our commercial and subsistence fishing. Here in Southeast Alaska we greatly depend on our salmon return to provide our residents with not only fish as a food source, but we highly depend on commercial fishing as a major industry within our region as well. We are also seeing an impact in our local deer populations and the health of their offspring. This greatly impacts the residents in our community that depend on subsistence hunting to provide for their families.

These same impacts are being represented throughout different regions of the state. The video Inuit Observations of Climate Change discusses how these same impacts of climate changes are similarly negatively impacting the biological processes of the animals, water, and land in other communities around the state. This in-turn is altering the way of life in many communities and is changing the cultural ways of life for many residents of these communities. Alaska is not the only place in the world feeling the impacts of this climate change. It has been observed that the Moose populations in Minnesota have diminished greatly due to warmer temperatures and diminished forests in that region.



Evaluate:

While exploring the resources available on Teacher’s Domain (TD), I am intrigued by many of the topics that are discussed in the video. This interest then requires me to begin a search on different topics relating to the videos. The TD resource has challenged me to find more information on an array of topics but has given me a way to quickly engage my students with these easy to comprehend videos.