These books were the culmination of collaborative research with assistance from the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum, as well as the Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives. The project was also supported by the Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska Schools grant (PITAAS). The resources for teaching arose from the study of place-based curriculum and culturally responsive teaching in an Alaskan context. It is our hope that these resources wil find their way to classrooms across the state. Please feel free to forward this message.
Click here to find out more about our project-based approach to designing our own histories of Alaska.
Read student reflections about what this assignment taught them about project-based learning.
Alaska’s West Coast: Thriving on the Tundra
Student authors include Jimmy Andrew, Heidi Brook, Tim Higginbotham, Ed Hunter, Andrew Israelsen and Tyler Thomas. It features a basic introduction to the region of Western Alaska – its geography, peoples, culture, and history – and contains six detailed lesson plans intended to serve as models of culturally responsive teaching. Free at iTunes
Arctic Alaska: Life at the Top of the World
An interactive look into the northernmost region of the United States — a place where the harsh and sometimes unforgiving environment demands a resilient spirit. In a land at the mercy of the extreme weather, with months of endless daylight and darkness, learn how the Inupiat people have thrived since time immemorial. It was written by Tyson Alteri, Katy Crane, Laura Beth Drake, Mischa Jackson, Katie Kroko and Lucas Guenther. Free at iTunes
An Outsider View of Interior Alaska
Interior Alaska includes a general introduction to the geographical, cultural, and historical aspects of the region, followed by content-specific lessons and activities that meet Alaska’s content and cultural curriculum standards. The authors include teachers of the following disciplines: Electra Gardinier (Social Studies), Ruth Hogle (Music), Meghan Johnson (Music), Joe Lewis (English and Art), David Sheakley-Early (Art, Tlingit Language, and Biology), and Cecelia Westman (Social Studies). Free at iTunes
Southwest Alaska: Where the Sea Breaks Its Back
Written by Matt Bowes, Lindsay Clark, Ryan Hickel, Shivani Kakde, Erin Popek and Chris Won. Southwest Alaska is a place where one can rarely get far from the sea. We hope within these pages you can hear an echo of long traveling, white waves crashing onto windswept, dark shores of Aleutian beaches. Free at iTunes
From Silt to Salt: A Multicultural Teaching Guide to Southcentral Alaska
Sophia Butler, Jerry Demmert, Shaun Nesheim, Meghan O’Leary, Reuben Seidl, and Mason Shearer, have written this book for those interested in Alaska, particularly educators. It includes lesson plans focusing on place-based and multicultural education as well as a detailed introduction to Southcentral Alaska, the most populated and varied region in the state. Free at iTunes
Southeast Alaska: Close to Nature’s Heart
This volume tells the story of Southeast Alaska – its geography, peoples, culture, and history – and includes seven interactive lesson plans focusing on place-based and multicultural education. This book is authored by University of Alaska Southeast Masters in Teaching students Kluonie Frey, Katie Halvorson, Jasmine James, Matt Smith, Devin Tatro, Shannon Velez and Ioana Ward. Free at iTunes
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Alaska’s West Coast- Thriving on the Tundra 2.5 MB
Arctic Alaska Life at the Top of the World 3.7 MB
An Outsider View of Interior Alaska 3.1 MB
Southwest Alaska- Where the Sea Breaks its Back 3.6M
From Silt to Salt- Southcentral Alaska 2.1 MB
Southeast Alaska- Close to Natures Heart 2.2 MB
