Jasmine James

The Science of Salmon

Lesson Plan Ideas…

My lesson plan idea stems from a personal interested in the science of subsistence fishing. I would love to do a whole unit on all things salmon from learning about salmon life cycles, fish management and stream surveys, fish anatomy and traditional subsistence (the science of smoked fish). I have been attempting to incorporate this into High school summer academy for a few summers now and am thrilled at the opportunity to bounce ideas off this cadre. The problem is choosing just one idea and lesson to start with!

Intended audience? Alaska region – grade, course, etc.

Southeast Alaska Region, high school or middle school biology/ecology/life science class.

About how much class time to do this lesson?

One class session (or all summer) with some pre-reading/watching.

What’s the essential question? (is there one?)

“How do humans have an impact on the diversity and stability of ecosystems?”

“Are ecosystems healthy enough to provide resources and essential services?”

“Should the state of Alaska/Federal Government regulate subsistence fishing?”

What source material would students use (include a link or example).

Subsistence Research in Alaska: A Thirty Year Retrospective. Polly Wheeler and Tom Thornton

Haa Atxaayí Haa Kusteeyíx Sitee, Our Food is our Tlingit Way of Life. Excerpts from Oral Interviews. Richard G. Newton and Madonna L. Moss. USDA Forest Service Alaska Region R10-MR-50 May 2009 revision

Resiliency among the Salmon People in the Yukon Delta http://ed.ted.com/featured/Vs2D6GfT

Alaska History and Cultural studies: http://www.akhistorycourse.org/geography/enduring-understandings-and-essential-questions

A brief explanation of “what are the kids going to do?”

TED Ed video & essential questions to establish background knowledge and start conversations in smaller groups. Have groups share their view, compare and contrast. Or… Set up a mock civil dispute trial regarding subsistence fishing. Provide several testimonies which reflect different perspectives and opinions regarding subsistence rights, including those in fish management, fish and game, local indigenous peoples, commercial fishermen, environmentalists, etc.

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Elders Pannel at Goldbelt Heritage Foundation Culture Academy

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) was demonstrated in a multitude of ways throughout this first week of classes. Friday’s session was particularly engaging and impactful. I enjoyed being able to not only learn about but, participate in CTR with guest teachers and through the observation of master teachers speaking to the Goldbelt Heritage Academy. It was a privilege to listen to such powerhouse indigenous educators. The topic of discussion could not have been more perfect for our cohort as the essential question of the session was: “How do we embrace culture and wisdom through our resources?”

Some of the concepts reiterated by many of these master teachers were those of a pedagogy of place. Teaching about and through the culture and world view of the people who inhabit this place. The inter-connectedness of people with their environment and the animals they subsist upon was clear in the way they spoke about being thoughtful in interactions with the environment and resources. Cultural values are the lens through which each elder spoke about resources and their understanding of respect and reciprocity as caretakers of the land and its resources. Indigenous people were and are scientists. Paul Marks spoke about being taught that “Trees are the lungs of the earth”. This is just one example of how indigenous knowledge, that has been passed down for generations, holds scientific knowledge.

The elders also spoke about and demonstrated acknowledgment. Which I feel is an important skill as a teacher. To both listen to an acknowledge the words of others, especially students, and being willing to accept correction.

“Human cultures until very recently were emergent out of places; they were literally grounded in the experience of nature in particular places on the planet. If we indigenize or re-indigenize self-determination, then it will entail a re-ordering of values and signal an effort to live in a manor respective of the power, places, and persons surrounding us.”~ Daniel Wildcat

The opportunity to experience CRT strategies has been fantastic! Especially meeting Paula Savikko and Tina Pasteris. As a Juneauite who’s been involved in education I have seen these two phenomenal teacher’s work in Place-Based and Culturally-Responsive workshops. So it was great to dig into them and discuss the process of building Culturally relevant lessons.

The connections I made to Paula’s, Tina’s and Angie’s math and science lessons were those of context and “grounding your teaching in place”, both characteristics of CRT. Each of the lesson, or investigations were tied to specific geographic locations and involved the community and local culture in some way. Either as partners, or as the audience to bring authenticity and immediate relevance to what was being learned.

The math trails with Tina and the science experiment with Angie had a high level of choice. Which allowed us to draw upon class mates different strengths and background knowledge.

On a personal note (yet totally related!) I had to share this brilliant little man’s creation while camping this weekend.

It’s a fire starter. He collected and constructed on his own based on knowledge from making fire starters from household items in boy scouts last winter.

“All learning should start with what the student and community know and are using in everyday life.” – Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley

SLAM: Artifacts of Intrigue

I absolutely love the State, Library, Archives and Museum (SLAM)! My children and I have been patiently awaiting its opening since the State museum closed for construction in 2014. I appreciated the invitation to slow down and really look at and read about the treasures living in our new museum.

Having recently learned about the resurgence of the art of fish skin sewing I took notice of a number of pieces at the SLAM that were made in this technique. The first piece is an Eskimo fish skin ball, from St. Michael, made of dried fish skin with reinforced tanned leather seams. It’s so simple, yet ingenious at the same time.

The second fish skin piece is a pair of Yupik salmon skin boots from the Lower Yukon. I love the detail added to the seams, trim and boot tops.

Seeing these beautiful functional pieces reminded me of my curiosity about the revived art of skin sewing and led me to further investigation. Below is a great video by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History explaining the process as it is being rediscovered by several Alaskans.

The Essence of Education

I am so grateful for the words shared by our elders, Linda Belardi, Selina Everson and David Katzeek today. There is so much they shared about their life experiences and world view that is directly related to and vitally important for anyone who intends to teacher in Alaska’s schools.

The advice Linda share that resonated with me the most was in regards to the 10 Common Principles by the Coalition of Essential Schools (essentialschoools.org). Linda touched on three of these 10 principles:

Teach children to use their minds well.
Personalization – Know your students.
Schools should have a tone of decency and trust.

Each of these principles feel essential to the teaching profession. As an aspiring science teacher the first principle, teach children to use one’s mind well, is especially applicable. Encourage students to question everything and to provide evidence to support their thoughts and opinions.

Personalization is important in the decision course content and delivery in such a way to create an engaging and safe classroom environment for all. This can only be done well after there is an understating of who your students are, where they are from, the culture that shapes them.

The third principle Linda share, Schools should have a tone of decency and trust, ties to one of the Southeast Alaska four cultural values Wooch. Yax – Balance, Reciprocity and Respect. Within the framework of this Multicultural Education course I feel this is at the core of transformative approach I hope to bring to the classroom.

Selina Everson shared her powerful and heartbreaking life experiences as an individual who experienced the direct impact of boarding schools. Selina and her siblings were a part of a generation stripped of their language who, then in an effort to spare their own children from that pain, did not teach their own children the language. I have heard these feelings of guilt expressed by many indigenous speakers, including my own grandmother. It is this generation that is also a part of the current resurgence of Native culture and language in Alaska. That even after the traumatic events of their lives, still believe and teach respect for all people and all cultures.

David Katzeek shared so much! His passion for the education and encouragement of youth is inspiring. Two themes David reiterated were of building confidence in students and the characteristics of some of his greatest teachers.

David’s words,

“How much my grandparents loved me to plant that seed of knowledge in me. To help me feel good about myself – that is the essence of education”

speak to the importance of acknowledging student’s ability to do and learn anything as a powerful message, that many children do not hear often enough. This acknowledgement of the individual and the belief in the child is something I hope to convey in such a compelling way as expressed by David.

The first characteristic of great teachers David shared were that of great orators or storytellers. Storytellers connect you to what you are learning about and make you a part of the story. Drawing students in and engaging them in the content. The second characteristic David did not explicitly state, but alluded while contrasting his academic survival of high school to his success at the collegiate level. David credits his success to his college professors allowing him to apply what he already knew, drawing on his background as a strength instead of a deficit.

I appreciated the words of all our elders shared with a cohort of aspiring teachers. Especially the words of encouragement as we take on a challenging, but reward profession.

“The most important thing for me. Do all that you can do to build confidence in another human being. Tell them that they are okay, that they are all right, that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that they can’t learn. It’s not easy, but it’s fun.”

Where I am from: Yaakwdaat Kwáan

Where I am From – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires;

I am from Yaakwdaat Kwáan, where the canoes rest, I am Galyáx Kaagwaantaan, L’uknaxh.adí Yadí, child of the coho

I am from glacial carved water ways, ocean surf lullabies, sleeping in the sand floor of canvas tents, fish camp summers
I am from hunters, fishers and berry pickers
I am from dry fish and strawberry fields
I am born of resilience, persistence and cultural resurgence

Reflection: What have I learned from this activity and how might I use the learning strategies and / or technology in my teaching placement?

I learned not everyone one has to be a poet to do this assignment. It was both fun and challenging to illustrate “where I am from” into 6 slides. I enjoyed learning how to use HaikuDeck and can see using it in my teaching placement as a visual representation or distillation of larger conversations.

However, if the intent of the assignment was to share something as intimate to me as where I am from, using stock photos did not work. My home, my culture and who I am can not be found in stock photos. I ended up using mostly photos of my own. Which worked, but made it a longer process than I think intended.