Lessons & Units

A database of lessons and units searchable by content and cultural standards, cultural region and grade level. More units will be available soon. You can use Acrobat Reader to look at the PDF version of the Cover Sheet for the Units and Self-Assessment for Cultural Standards in Practice.

Animal Classification for Yup'ik Region

Science Standards:

A-12 - Distinguish the patterns of similarity and differences in the living world in order to understand the diversity of life and understand the theories that describe the importance of diversity for species and ecosystems

A-14 - Understand the interdependence between living things and their environments

B - 1 - Use the processes of science; these processes include observing, classifying, measuring, interpreting data, inferring, communicating, controlling variables, developing models and theories, hypothesizing, predicting and experimenting

Skills and Knowledge:

Know that some animals and plants are alike in the way they look and in the things they do, and others are very different from one another.

Know that animals eat plants or other animals for food

Be able to sort and classify animals using different criteria

Cultural Standards: A -6 -Live a life in accordance with the cultural values and traditions of the local community and integrate them into their everyday behavior

Skills and Knowledge:

Yup'ik Values

• All animals are respected
• A child/boy will become a successful hunter.
• Sharing is important
• Every part of the animal can be used in a respectful manner.

Yup'ik Beliefs

• Each animal has a spirit.
• When you first catch an edible animal it is given away to an elder or elders to strengthen the new hunter's skills.
• When you first catch an inedible or edible animal a feast is held to ensure successful hunting.
• Bones were gathered and buried so the animals would know they were well taken care of.
• Animals can hear, see and know how you feel about them.

Lesson Outline

Gear ups (brainstorm) (ideas for the lessons) 

1. Bring in fur clothing.
2. Bring in elders to speak about animal stories, clothing, food, how to care for, values, nutrition and health, etc.
3. Watch an animal cartoon. Real and not real discussion.
4. Cut out animal pictures from magazines or draw your favorite animal. Tell why.
5. Bring in food to identify the type
6. Animal identification game: by animals sounds.
7. Brainstorm: list any animals they can think of. Classify by local, zoo, domestic, wild, tame, pet, ocean, land, air, etc.
8. Read a story with several animals in it.

Activities (brainstorm) (Ideas for the Lesson)

A. Classify animals into edible and inedible in your local area.

B. Tell or read stories about respecting animals.

C. Classify animals by real and make-believe.

D. Use a dichotomous key to classify various fur scraps.

E. Classify animals by their color.

F. Classify animals by the sounds they make.

G. Classify animals by their habitat: land, water, air.

H. Classify animals by their movement.

I. Match baby animals to their parents. Develop vocabulary with names.

J. Graph the animals, by a picture, to show what season they are found.

Resources/Materials Needed for the Lesson.

A. Several different kinds of fur.

B. Various pictures of animals.

C. Cartoons with animals.

D. Magazines with animals in them.

E. Nature Scope: Amazing Mammals Part I & II

F. Nature Scope: Birds, Birds, Birds

G. Alaska's Tundra & Wildlife: Alaska Wildlife Curriculum Teacher's Guide

H. AIMS: Spring into Math and Science K-1

I. Elders from the community.

J. Books of all different kinds of animals in them.

Sample Lesson

Theme: Animal Classification

Focus: Classifying Animals in the Local Area

Concept: Animals eat plants or other animals for food

Materials Needed for the Lesson:

Cooked or dried moose, seal, and goose meat
Pictures of animals
Fur scraps markers
poster paper
scissors
glue

Vocabulary:

edible, inedible, animal names from the fur scraps and pictures.

Gear up:

The students will be able to use their five senses to identify the three types of food they are eating: moose, seal, and geese.

Explore:

Classify animals into edible and inedible by identifying animal fur.

Generalize:

How did you know which animals were edible and which ones were not edible?

What kind of animals do you eat?

What is the color of the animal?

When was the last time you ate that animal?

When can you hunt that animal?

Assessment:

Given pictures of animals are the students able to separate them in to edible and inedible.

Extension Activities

To follow the sample lesson given.

Teachers can pick and choose to meet the needs of the student or their area.

Done: Classify animals into edible and inedible in your local area.

Classify animals by real and make-believe.

Use a dichotomous key to classify various fur scraps.

Classify animals by their color.

Classify animals by the sounds they make.

Classify animals by their habitat: land, water, air.

Classify animals by their movement.

Match baby animals to their parents.

Graph the animals, by a picture, to show what season they are found

Identify and classify animal crackers into groups.

Classify animals that work for people and those that do not.

Classify animals that are wild and tame.

Sing songs about animals.

Read books about animals.

Make an animal out of scrap animal fur.

Make an animal mobile.

Guessing game: What am I?

List the types of homes these animals would live in.

Tell what time of the year would that animal be seen

Make an animal diorama.

Paint an animal mural.

Make an animal shaped books.

Make a picture journal of animals they have seen.

Math animals games (counting)

Animal plays.

Handbook for Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum by Sidney Stephens
Excerpt: "The information and insights contained in this document will be of interest to anyone involved in bringing local knowledge to bear in school curriculum. Drawing upon the efforts of many people over a period of several years, Sidney Stephens has managed to distill and synthesize the critical ingredients for making the teaching of science relevant and meaningful in culturally adaptable ways."