Summary:

Students prepare for a community celebration to share their plant work and information. Time permitting, students continue their plant studies, learning about plant foods from the sea, and food chains and webs.

Before planning the community celebration, read again “The Right Way to Live as an Unanga{” in the Appendix and “Elders and Experts” in the Introduction.

Objectives:

Alaska Standards

To understand the varied growing conditions needed by different plants.

To learn indigenous plants’ names and characteristics.

Science: A. 1, 9, 10, 14; B. 1; D. 1
World Languages: B. 1
Skills for a Healthy life: B. 1, 3

To understand local cultural heritage and stewardship for the environment.

English: A; B. 2, 3; C; D. 2, 3; E
Cultural: A. 3, 4, 5, 6; B. 1, 2; C. 1, 3; D. 1, 3, 4, 5; E. 1, 2
History: B. 1
Arts: A. 3; B. 8

Materials:

• log books
• invitation supplies such as paper, envelopes, poster board, pens, markers, pencils
• all projects from plant study, including Class Herbarium
• large paper to use for whole class project
• paper in 3 colors to make signs for each student to wear
• yarn or pins to hold signs on students
• yarn to make a web (several hundred feet wound into 3 or more balls)

Activities:

ACTIVITY ONE. Students prepare invitations for a community gathering to celebrate and share their work on their plant studies. They complete their projects and practice oral presentations. They review how to behave appropriately when they have guests.

Inside activity
Estimated duration: Invitations: 40-60 minutes in 2 sessions
Project completion: as needed.

Review ways to welcome and show respect for Elders, experts, and other honored guests. Develop suggestions for appropriate behavior. For example, it is the tradition to serve Elders and honored guests or have them go first when serving refreshments. Make sure they have a place to sit. After the Elders come younger guests & very young children. Young people honor the dignity of a celebration by helping out however they can and waiting their turn. These manners are part of learning how to live the right way as human beings.

TIME PERMITTING:

ACTIVITY TWO. Students look at plants from the sea and discuss their uses with Elders and experts.

Inside/outside activity
Estimated duration: 40-60 minutes field observation plus travel time

ACTIVITY THREE. Students make a food web

Inside activity
Estimated duration: 30-40 minutes

For activities that explore food chains and food webs in Alaska, see these Alaska Wildlife Curriculum Teacher’s Guides, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1995. Alaska’s Tundra & Wildlife “Survival Links” and “Tundra Connections.” pages 99-122. Wildlife for the Future has a variety of activities. Alaska Ecology Cards describe what 270 organisms eat and are eaten by, as well as other facts.

There are many activities and explanations of food chains and food webs on the World Wide Web. Turn your browser’s search engine to “food chain” and “food web” to locate resources. These are a few:

http://www.si.edu/sites/educate/troprain/foodchai.htm

http://www.alienexplorer.com/ecology/topic4.html

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/2200/foodchains.htm
   (includes interactive food web work sheet)

http://www.planetpals.com/foodchain.html

Assessment opportunity: Student describes 3 links in a simple food chain from the region to the teacher.

3 Previous | Next | Appendices 47 Return to Table of Contents