Final Paperwork

Moon Basics:

Objective: Students will be able to understand the phases of the moon and compare various cultures’ myths about the moon.

Duration: 45min blocks for five-day week.

Materials:
Google Earth, Teacher Domain, Tape record, paper, Google,
Cameras, Smart Board, Laptops, Telephone, Telescopes

Grade 7/8

Understanding Goals:
1.    Understand observable characteristics of the Earth’s moon.
2.    Understand the local and traditional stories that explain natural events.
3.    Understand how local knowledge, culture, and the technologies of various activities influence the development of scientific knowledge.

Monday:
1.     Discuss how people would have thought scientifically about the moon before telescopes were invented. (10min)

2.    Facilitate the discussion towards the idea that people had to make personal observations. Assign students to investigate the moon in a way that people used to a long time ago. Give students the rest of the hour to Google the moon phases. (35min)

Tuesday:
1. Students will share their research and websites will the    class. (10min)

2. Students will write down questions that they have about the moon. (10min)

3. Students will read the Roan and the moon. (20min)
4. Students will share their reactions. (5min)

Wednesday:
Students will listen to the CD of Roan and the moon. (15min)
Students will team into three groups. (5min)
Complete the worksheet of moon questions.  (20min)

Thursday:

1- Read myths about the moon from other cultures; compare to what the students actually observe occurring with the moon. Students do a think –pair-share pm what behaviors or traits the moon has in real life compared to what behavior or trait it was given in each myth.  Have students work in groups to create a chart showing the tools used in each myth and the predicted daily routines of that culture. (20min)

2 - Ask students to brainstorm the main characteristics of the moon myths.  Generate a list of criteria for them to create their own Inupiaq Moon Myth.  Have each students do a quick-write on things they already know and need to find out in order to have all of the criteria met.  Propose an interview of our elders as a method of gaining more information of the Inupiaq technologies and activities.  Have students outline an interview, decide who specifically they want to interview and share this with one other student for peer feedback before completing the actual interview.  Hold a class-wide discussion where students can voice results of their interviews.  Generate a list of tools used, activities performed, methods used from generation to generation to teach or pass on traditions, etc.  Have students return to their quick-write and draw a line of learning under their previous writing.  Have students record their knew knowledge of their culture that will help them in writing their Inupiaq Moon Myth. (15)


Friday:
Reflection and Feedback:

1. Lets students know we will be using the same groups from yesterday. Students have 15min in their groups to make notes that they will share in front of their class.  Students must address three things: (1) explain Inupiaq Myth about the moon (2) explain how different cultures beliefs influence their myths about the moon (3) explain which culture had the best myths about the moon and why. (45min)
observations.


References:

FOSS PLANETARY SCIENCE IMAGES, DATA, AND READINGS
--Discover the moon –Reading
--Lunar Myth 2: Rona in the Moon
Develop at Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley

www.google.com/moon


http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast


http://britastro.org/baa
If you go to the "section finder" and click on any image (like the moon) it takes you to that homepage; there are then a lot of different sections to choose from (the one that breaks down every part of the moon is helpful). Students can use these links--this would be considered incorporating "western science" into the bush....

Spacelink.nasa.gov/index.html

www.wwu.edu/skywise/legends.html#contents

www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/prospector/prospector.html

es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/Things/moon.html

elvis.neep.wisc.edu/neep602/LEC1/trip.html

www.usgs.gov/

tycho.usno.navy.mil/srss.html

tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon
http://search.discoveryeducation.com

http://spikesworld.spike_jamie.com/science/astronomy/index.html


http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.mphase/


http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.moon/


http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.moonorbit/

http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/wlvt07-scitech.earthmoon/


http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/wlvt07-scitech.moonmove/

Blog Review 2

My blog review 2 is on Module V  http://misty-wovenideas.blogspot.com how she was very creative in using YouTube to explain to her students with a balloon and fire how the oceans have the ability to hold most of the heat in our atmosphere today. She even expresses how the animals living in the colder parts of the world can adapt to the slightest change of harsh temperatures.  She also discusses the effects of the warm weather and what it means to animals who are feeding off of each other to survive.

I really enjoyed her piece on the family outings and learning how they can their fish for the long winter months to enjoy them later.  Having a family tradition every year helps bring everyone closer and teaches different ways of appreciating your food. The families will look back at the memories of them fishing, and in time, will have gathered many stories and pictures that reflect these rewarding moments.

I look daily at the family values among the Inupiaq people and listen to the tales about their fishing adventures with great interest.  It builds a strong bond within families when the Elders in this culture share their experiences and knowledge to their youth;  it is always nice to see families embrace in a  way like the Inupiaq people.

Blog Review 1

My blog review 1 is on Module IX  http://alaskameltingpot.blogspot.com how she use the Teacher Domain videos to help students to see different impact of the terrestrial ice and Alaska indigenous cultures all connected. 

She describes how the Tlingit people migrated and settled in Southeast Alaska.  Their stories are only told when the Elders allow them to be told.  This brings back memories about how the  Yupik Elders tell their stories through dancing; how they travelled through waterways and many obstacles to find food to feed their family.

She also uses the Wikipedia websites to access the materials so her classes can gain a better understanding of  how glaciers have impacted the indigenous lifestyles in Alaska.

I have really enjoyed readings for this class. It helps me to relate the certain traditions and values of the Inupiaq culture  to my students in the Northwest Arctic. This class has also given me many different websites to view and use for any subject in the school setting. Thank you alaskameltingpot for all your valuable information. 

Paper Nine!

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

As I look at one of our Northwest Arctic villages, Kivlina, I am able to see that it is experiencing terrestrial ice erosion annually.  The village was formed on the coastline so it would be easier to access the water for hunting wild game and make travel much easier.

Over time the village has encountered a lot of flooding during the break-up seasons; erosion occurs throughout the village where a lot of homes are damaged and destroyed.  

    The village has learned to conserve the water that they are able to drink because the pump is getting destroyed by all of the erosion due to it having to be able to pump in more and more dirt through the filter system.

    The native people are seeing thinner sea ice arriving later and leaving earlier every year on their coastal villages and many more vicious storms with larger waves have occurred to start washing away more of the land that is close to the village homes.  (Even building on higher ground the homes are still not safe.)

    The people in Kivlania have expressed how there is less permafrost to protect the riverbanks from eroding too quickly.  It has become so serious that this village administration is actively looked to relocate to higher ground. The Alaska government has gotten involved in the last decade to see how they are going to save a small village and all the history that goes with it.

    The climate change out here is that the permafrost is melting all over Alaska as a result of rising temperatures, causing land underneath several villages to subside and wash the ground away.

    In Kivilina, subsistence hunting and fishing have been significantly threatened by present climate changes; as a result of these changes the number of whitefish is decreasing and wildlife has been driven to other locations due to the amount of permafrost decreasing.

    The Arctic tundra is very important to the migration of birds and caribou.  The animals migrate from many regions for a new source of food and warm climate for  several months.

    The Arctic tundra habitat cannot move northwest in response to the climate change, as can other ecosystems, due to the Arctic Ocean bordering this region.

    The vegetation does not reproduce fast enough with all of the climate changes in order to feed all of the animals that are counting on that food for survival. 

 Native Alaskans are learning how to adapt to the inconsistent climate  changes by using advanced technology for successful hunting. Using more of the science technology has helped the process of making the winter months a little better in traveling and hunting caribou to feed their families.

The Native people are very connected to their surroundings; they are no longer trying to predict the arctic weather because of the inconsistencies that are vastly occurring in today's climate.

 Native Alaskans in Noorvik will harvest a lot of whitefish, but the Elders and smaller children cannot participate in the fishing because they don’t want them to fall through the ice. When the ice has finally formed the fish have already moved on to a warmer spot in the river or sea. 

Empty fish camps due to all the eroding over the years on the Kobuk River. 

The climate has made life much more negative rather than positive because people are trying to feed their families, and due to the thinning of the ice and drastic climate changes, hunting and fishing that Natives are used to participating in are no longer successful methods; they must find other ways to feed their families while still trying to preserve their culture and pass down the traditions that are unique to them. 

    Investigating the negative impact of the climate changes in the Northwest Arctic villages is a discouraging task; however, in doing so we are able to recognize that we are discussing the homes and lives of many people from distinct cultures and traditions. These are people whose future is already challenged by the modern world, and who now face additional pressure from a changing climate.

Module VIII...and counting :)

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

The climate in the Northwest Arctic region is predominantly continental, with very extreme winters and warm summers, but maritime influences from the nearby Arctic Sea, Chukchi Sea and the Norton Sound.

In the upper Kobuk valleys dominate season, winter is roughly five months long.  During most of this period, temperatures remain consistently near or below zero.  Seasonal lows are between -20 to -60 and cold spells range from -25 to – 40 weather commonly last from about one to three weeks.

On the other extreme, the summer months in the valleys of the Kobuk village span across the months of June through August, where temperatures range from 50 to 80 degrees. 

The Elders in the Arctic explain how the Arctic sea-ice helps bring villages closer to one another because they build their homes inward along the sea in order for subsistence living. The Kobuk river people had to choose their living reasons by social and economic factors. 

The climate changes that occur in our environment determine how much ice will gather in the winter and how much ice will melt in the summer, which then directly affects the amount of fishing and gathering of food that many Native Alaskans partake in as part of their culture.

One thing that remains is the ice conditions for the five long months. The Elders state that there used to be more snow and much colder weather that would last a long time.  During the winter months in rural Alaska, the frozen ground becomes a gateway into the ice roads that lead the Natives to other villages.  Thin ice is a constant threat to the traveler.   Submerged springs, whirlpools, and strong currents can all keep ice from developing normally.  A heavy snow cover can insulate the ice and further slows its growth or causes it to be eroded. 

In summary the Arctic-sea has helped guide a lot of families to stay together and tough it out and others to split and find a warm place and better resources. It is a survival of the mind and the unexpected to come.  It has changed hopes and dreams of even trying to explore all the waterways and really see how the Arctic has changed over time. In the last few decades of global warming issues, the Arctic –sea and people are struggling to survive together as a team.

Paper Seven

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

We are familiar with the Earth’s climate changes that have occurred over the last billion years. We use all of the scientific technology that we can to discover how the universe is constantly changing due to natural causes. 

Left side-(Sand Dunes in the middle of the upper Northwest Arctic covered with snow)
Right side-(Terrain in the Northwest Arctic- between Noorvik and Ambler)---Climate changes.....
 
One of our important aspects in the geological field is the carbon cycle; which helps regulate the required amount of oxygen and carbon that we need in our environment in order for all living things to survive.  

As we grow gardens, plants and other vegetation that helps us exchange carbon back into atmosphere during respiration.

We are also using fossil fuel for burning, coal, oil, natural gas, and gasoline, which are consumed by industrial, automobile and power plants.  Our land is also used for agriculture, deforestation and reforestation. 

When we look back to the last 10,000 years, we can see that the vegetation of our land has changed dramatically. Farms are suffering due to poor seasons that are caused by severe weather conditions. In other parts of the world, glaciers and icebergs are melting at an alarming rate. 

Meteorologists are having a difficult time predicting the next earthquake, volcano eruption, or hurricane because the climate is so unpredictable now.

Our society has also observed environmental changes in our local neighborhoods by inferring those changes through stories told by older generations, and by looking at historical geographical data from the past.

We know that we cannot keep up with the drastically changing climate; however, we are trying our best by enhancing technology, and using our prior knowledge to prepare for those changes.

In conclusion, if we want to reach the goal of being able to determine our climate changes as they occur, then we need to become an extensive partner to the experiential analysis and modeling of present day biological systems.

Essential Question: VI

How are the Earth, atmosphere and cultures all connected?

In my reading from the TD, goggle earth resources, and experiences with Inupiat people I see how we are connected to the Earth in many ways. One of the ways that we have damaged our atmosphere is by the toxins and gases that we release into the Earth atmosphere daily.

Another way we damage the Earth is by polluting our landfills with waste that cannot be recycled and reused. We are also affecting our environment by diminishing forests that are supposed to provide a healthy level of Oxygen for our atmosphere. (The upper Kobuk River frozen.)

Living in the Northwest Arctic, people live off of the land; hunt caribou, seal, whale, moose, and fish. They then pack the meat themselves and prepare the meat naturally to feed their families. Natives use their fish camps to prepare for long winters by smoking fish and canning it.

This is very different than others in the United States who buy meat from farms where animals have been injected with hormones to grow to their full potential.                                                               

People are then consuming hormones that their bodies don’t need. People who consume the fat and meat of contaminated animals are at risk from exposure to high concentrations of toxins.
 

Elders talk about worshiping the Earth for all the resources that it is provided to them; they believe they are connected to the Earth in a spiritual way. Many Native cultures believe that animals give themselves to the Natives so that they can use them for food. (Shungnak drying out caribou skins to make clothing.)
The Inupiat culture also uses animal skin to protect them from the harsh cold and severe weather.  So on the plus side of everything almost every animal part is being used for a good reason. 

After the animal’s skin and meat are used for cold weather gear and food, the Natives will put the carcass of the animal back where they found it as a way of saying thank you and showing respect.

Another spiritual connection to the Earth is shown by the Native Alaskans when they pray over the fish and rivers where they get their best catches. This type of ritual is also a way to express hope for another successful hunt. They also perform Eskimos dances and potlatch to celebrate their successful hunting trips, fishing, and even the passing of another Elder.  

In the Native villages, the weather controls the amount of travel and transportation that people can do. In more civilized areas, people have many modes of transportation and aren’t so limited with their options; however, Native cultures try to keep their tradition by staying secluded, and as a result, their traveling privileges rely on the Earth’s temperatures.

As I have traveled through many Native villages throughout Alaska, I have only seen one-village use windmills for energy. I think that if other villages could incorporate wind power into their daily lives, a more sustainable lifestyle could be given to Native Alaskans. 


I think more people need to use the Earth’s natural energy as a power source to be a greener environment. (The Rainbow Bridge in Selawik--means of travel doing break-up.)

In conclusion, one can see that out in the bush of Alaska the Earth’s resources and atmosphere dictate citizen’s survival. It is important for Native Alaskans to keep their traditions and perform their spiritual rituals to the Earth in order to have a better chance of survival and a plentiful life. In their eyes if you respect the Earth and its resources, and use it wisely, it will give you what you need in life.