Course Participants

Ernestine Hayes
Born in Juneau, she is a member of the Wolf House of the Kaagwaantaan clan of the Lingit. She is assistant professor of English at the University of Alaska Southeast, where she teaches composition, creative writing, and Native American literature. She is the grandmother of four children. ehhayes@uas.alaska.edu

Dave Sather
I am currently employed in Sleetmute with the Kuspuk School District. Previously I taught in Holden Village in Washington state and in Kokhanok, AK. I went to college at Pacific University in Oregon. I recently got married and have a 6 month daughter. I am also in the midst of finishing my Master's in Educational Leadership and I hope to remain in Alaska. dsather@kuspuk.org

Matt Hunter
I’m a life-long Sitka, Alaska resident in my 5th year teaching math and physics at Mt. Edgecumbe High School. I graduated St. Olaf College in 2005 and UAS in 2006. I volunteer with Sitka Mountain Rescue and Sitka Fire Department. I enjoy hiking, bicycling, kayaking, flying, and researching local history. matth@mehs.us

Esther Gust
I teach 2nd grade in Barrow. This is my 2nd year of teaching. I am originally from New Stuyahok located in Southwest Alaska on the beautiful Nushagak River. I am half Yupik Eskimo and half Athabaskin Indian. My family we live off the land. Every summer we pack up our things and go to fish camp where we put up fish and gather plants for the long cold winters. esther.gust@nsbsd.org

Konrad Mittelstadt
For the past 15 years or so I have been teaching science at Hanshew Middle School in Los Anchorage. I also work as a Fisheries Biologist on the Nushagak river out in beautiful Bristol Bay. My family and I live in Indian Creek Valley a short drive south of Los Anchorage. konnie@alaska.net

Eric Ellefson
I am teaching in Tununak - a small Yup'ik village on the Bering Coast. I am currently in my second year teaching out here and teach 7-12 grade math, social studies, and writing. eric_ellefson@lksd.org

Alicia Weaver
I teach in Quinhagak, Alaska. I currently teach reading to grades 1-5 and third grade math. I am originally from Canton, Ohio and this is my first time in Alaska. I am a first year teacher and just did some subbing before this year. alicia_weaver@lksd.org

Dan Adair
I live in Nikiski and was born in Colorado. I love nature and helping others. I teach high school; Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology and Physical Science. Also, I am the head track coach. I have a wife and two dogs. A black and yellow lab. dadair@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

Martha Gould-Lehe
Upper Kuskokwim Athabaskin of the Caribou People Clan, I was born in Medfra, Alaska and grew up mostly around McGrath. My father was a gold miner and I have trapped and hunted. I have lived in the Aleutians, Bristol Bay, the Interior and for the last 28 years, Anchorage. I have taught 22 years, all in ASD. I including 8 years at math-science summer camp for rural Alaska Native students grades 7-9. I have taught in the Indian Ed. Program in Anchorage for several years as well. Gould-Lehe_Martha@asdk12.org

Janet Reed
This is my 15th year teaching and my 12th doing so in Alaska. I taught K-3 students in the Denali Borough School district for many years. Now I teach for the Chugach School District: first in Tatitlek and now in Valdez for their Extension School. jbirdreed@gmail.com

Cheryl Williams
I have taught in the Mat-Su Valley for 13 years. I am currently at Palmer High School. I have taught a variety of classes - earth science, biology, ecology, physical science etc. Currently I am teaching chemistry, biology and integrated science 1. cherylann@gci.net

Sabrina Sutton
I have been teaching on Kodiak for 12 years...born and raised on the island. I am teaching 5th grade this year; began in a K-3 village; 2 years in 6th grade; 8 years in kindergarten; 1 year in 2nd and now in 5th. I am active in the education community, especially in the realm of placed based learning. I am a Kodiak Native-with roots to the island from both parents. Sabrina.Sutton@kodiakschools.org

Amy Peeke
This is my second year teaching middle school and high school science Gambell, AK. I love teaching in the village, and I am very excited to be out here for a second year. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, and I have lived in Alaska for the past six years. I love the outdoors and enjoy hiking, camping, and rock climbing in my free time. APeeke@gam.bssd.org

Alison Larson
I live in Kenai, Alaska. I am a life-long Alaskan enjoying what this state has to offer. I teach at an alternative high school and am working on 6 years here—I love this school! I am currently teaching math & science, though other subjects can include health, art, creative writing, and computer science. alarson@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

Cheryl Emerson
I joyfully teach 6th & 7th grade special services at Kenai Middle School on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula. This is year twenty of teaching and each day is still new and fresh. livefully3@aol.com

Kristina Owens
I teach math and science to 5th and 6th graders at Fireweed Academy (a KPBSD charter school) in Homer, Alaska. I also teach a multi-grade (3rd – 6th) theme studies class. Fireweed Academy is based on the theme immersion model, with our current theme being systems. We change themes each quarter. This is my 11th year at Fireweed Academy and my 12th year as a teacher. KOwens@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

Kathy East
I live in Kenai, Alaska with my two black labs. I am the curriculum director at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska. I have taught pre-K through college subjects including algebra, astronomy, physics, earth science, and integrated science. I currently develop and deliver STEM curriculum along with running simulated space missions workshops at the Challenger center. mukluckathy@yahoo.com

Tommy Gossard
I am from Cooper Landing School on the Kenai Peninsula. We are located at the mouth of the Kenai River in the mountains, 100 miles south of Anchorage. I am the only teacher in our small school which encompasses kindergarten – 12th grade. TGossard@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

Tyler Orbison
I live in Sitka, Alaska, and teach third grade for the Sitka School District. I teach all subjects but the ones that I am most interested in are Science and Social Studies. Since I've lived my whole life in Alaska, I love teaching anything related to this state. orbisont@mail.ssd.k12.ak.us

Doug Armstrong
I have taught English in Japan for two years and spent six years teaching science and math in two different Alaska bush villages. Five of those years were in Tuluksak, up the Kuskokwim River from Bethel and one year in Atqasuk, 50 miles south of Barrow. I started teaching science at Kenai Central High School in 2009. dbrazofuerte@yahoo.com

Marilyn Burgess
I have been the science department at Wrangell High School since 2007. I have taught in Alaska since 1989 - first in Gustavus for 14 years, then in Klawock, then Floyd Dryden Middle School in Juneau and now here. We still call Gustavus home. mburgess@wrangellschools.org

Kevin Hamrick
I have lived in Juneau about 18 years and have been with the JSD for 16, the other two I taught in the village of Chevak. I have coached the bears football, wrestling and track teams and currently coach my son's cub football team. I have taught Business, Science, Math, PE, Health, Computers. I currently am enjoying my first year teaching middle school math and science in Juneau and like the change from high school. ham028@ymail.com

Carolyn Rudzinski
I currently teach 7th grade science and wildlife biology at Romig Middle School in Anchorage. I've lived in Anchorage for five years. Before coming to Alaska, I lived in California, New York and Wisconsin. When I'm not working, I love getting outside to go hiking and skiing with my family. rudzinski_carolyn@asdk12.org

Lila Lee Little
Lila grew up between Homer, Alaska (summers) and Hilo, Hawaii (winters). She studied philosophy and English at Whitman College and earned her Master's in Education and Special Education from Manhattanville College. She taught two years in Greenwich, Connecticut before returning to her childhood home of Anchor Point, where she has been teaching middle school language arts and science for three years. This year, she also teaches 2nd and 3rd grade science and social studies. lilaleelittle@gmail.com

Tim Bauer
Hometown: Anacortes, WA, College: University of Maine-Orono, Major: Secondary Education/English, Teaching Experience: American Literature--Salpointe Catholic High School, Tucson, Eighth Grade English-- Champlain, New York, Eighth Grade English-- Tucson (Public School), Generalist Teacher (4th-12th Grade)-- Adak, Alaska, Hobbies: Basketball, photography, a little hunting and fishing. yeats2332@yahoo.com

Sandi Pahlke
I am an 8th grade teacher at Floyd Dryden Middle School in Juneau. I have taught in the Juneau School District for 18 years and love middle schoolers! This year I am teaching Earth Science and U.S. History. I am enjoying the challenge of trying to find connections between the two disciplines and am always looking for new ideas to make learning relevant and exciting for my students. pahlkemom1@me.com

James White
I’m a born and raised Alaskan. I currently teach at Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School, the same school I attended to as a adolescent in Juneau, where I teach 7th and 8th Grade Mathematics and General Science. I first taught on Saipan in the Northern Marianas. I earned my Masters Degree from the UAS in 2007. I spent two years teaching at a Junior High School in Auckland, New Zealand where I taught Mathematics, Business, Science, P. E., and Photography. james.e.b.white@gmail.com

Bobbi Anne Barnowsky-Crouch
I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. At 18, I ran off to college in Northern CA and never went back to Vegas. Now 20 years later, I have made Alaska my home. I am a life long learner working on my second master’s degree in education in mathematics. Currently, I teach 9 different classes in math and science at Old Harbor School. msbarnowsky@yahoo.com

Dave Wages
I live in Kodiak were I teach 6th grade science and math. I have been here 7 years, preceded by 2 years in Saint Mary’s, Alaska, before that 1 year in Bethel and prior to that, Southern California. My wife and 2 young kids love Kodiak and we have no plans to move. david@wages.com

Kristen Kuehl
I am a new teacher in Alaska, but not new to Alaska! I grew up in Ketchikan, Alaska, the daughter of two teachers. Last year I taught in Homer and this year, my second, I am teaching chemistry and forensic science at East High in Anchorage. When I am not teaching or learning how to teach, I enjoy fishing, kayaking, and playing soccer. Kuehl_kristen01@asdk12.org

Winsor Demore
Born in Montana, raised in Colorado, I am now living and working in Anchorage as a middle-school science teacher. I have 3 kids of my own, all furry and four-legged, and most of my free time revolves around them one way or another! demore_winsor@asdk12.org

Dominic (Nick) Pader
Born and raised in Seattle, I had never lived more than 10 miles form the spot I was born until I moved to Stebbins AK. After teaching for 6 years in Lynnwood WA, my wife and I moved to AK in 04. I teach high school science. We have taught in Stebbins, Dillingham and currently, Barrow AK. We spend our summers at our house in Ketchikan. We have a daughter Lilly, 2 1/2, and our second daughter, Katie due in January. I enjoy family time, especially in the outdoors. nick.pader@nsbsd.org

Jesse Bjorkman
I live and teach in Nikiski. I teach 7th grade World History and Geography and 8th grade U.S. History. Land use is a common through-line my classes. For thousands of years people have been making decisions on how to use land and those decisions in Alaska are still unfolding! JBjorkman@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

Tracy R. Pulido
I am a farmer in North Pole and I raise over 200 kinds of hardy perennials which I sell at the farmer's market. In the winter, I am forced to teach home economics at North Pole Middle School, in order to afford my farming habit. I have been teaching Home Ec for 2 years and before that I was a high school English teacher for 6 years in Fairbanks. I used to trap in the Wrangels about 30 miles from Nebesna and also between Ruby and Galena. I was born in Wisconsin and came up here in 1980 because it was the farthest I could drive from Wisconsin.
tracy.pulido@k12northstar.org

Welcome!

Inua II VanZyle by permission

Picture a modern Iñupiaq hunter, dressed in white, scanning the horizon out on the Arctic sea-ice. Got the image?

Now picture a white lab-coat-clad modern climate scientist, clipboard in hand, monitoring a device that measures tiny traces of carbon dioxide.

Though these two images seem disparate, they are also harmonious. Bringing these two images into clearer resolution is the focus of this course.

Whether it's the weather, the ocean, the atmosphere, the land or the life on Earth, this course explores many of the myriad connections shared between different cultures and the planet's big systems. And it's easy to do because Everything is Connected!
 

Course Description 
Consider the Essential Question that guides the entire course:
How can teachers use digital resources, community resources and effective teaching methods, integrating Alaska Native ways of knowing with Western scientific methods to create greater student interest in, and understanding of, the geosciences?

This 10-module course fuses elements of physical and natural sciences with aspects of social sciences by integrating traditional Alaska Native knowledge with Western scientific perspectives on a variety of geoscience topics from earthquakes to climate change.

The course is designed to be useful to teachers from across a wide spectrum of grade levels and specialties. All are welcome and most should feel comfortable with the content and media presented in this course.

As an online course, new information technologies and media are embedded throughout. Central to the design of this online course is the exclusive use of free software popularly used on the web by students of all ages. 

This first module is designed to familiarize you with the basic content, timeline, methods and protocols, as well as introduce you to our primary resource for this course--Teachers' Domain, a library of digital resources designed by WGBH for teachers. We will also learn how to create our own blogs and explore the planet using Google Earth.

Throughout the course, videos and interactive media provided by Teachers Domain are featured alongside Google Earth and other cultural and geo-information-rich sources. All course information is presented as a blog and participants respond each week by creating their own blog for their assignments.

Course Overview 
Western science provides useful information for measuring trends to better understand natural phenomena. But for thousands of years, traditional Alaska Native knowledge has provided the information and technologies necessary for humans to survive and thrive in some of the harshest, most unforgiving environments on Earth. This collective wealth of knowledge has existed for centuries and has been transmitted traditionally by oration and stories, passed down from generation to generation.

Just as modern Alaska Native peoples wisely incorporated modern scientific knowledge and technologies into their cultures, modern scientists are wisely taking into account the wealth of knowledge and on-the-ground experience that Alaska Native peoples have regarding the natural history and phenomena of places under study. This is particularly important as the Arctic is in the forefront of climate change, for reasons we will explore in the course.

If you live in Alaska, chances are you're living in an area that was settled thousands of years ago, and may still be used today, by Alaska's indigenous peoples. This course seeks to explore the natural sciences of these places in the context of those who've lived there since time immemorial. 

Participants in this course will explore the realms of scientists and indigenous people at the intersection of their shared interests in the Earth and its processes.

Click on the image below for an insightful view of this intersection.

Traditional Native Knowledge 
and Western Science

Click on image to enlarge.

Diagram adapted from Handbook for Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum

Getting Started

If you are taking this course for credit, Here’s how it works:

1. If you are reading this, you are at the Explore Alaska! - Alaska Native and Western Perspectives on Earth's Systems blog.  You may want to bookmark it for easy access.

2. Read and review all materials and media for each week’s module. You’ll find each module section posted in Course Module menu in the upper right corner of this page. Each week, a new blog (module) will be posted.

3. Follow instructions to set up your Teachers' Domain and Blogger accounts. 
4. Respond to the 3 Questions and 3 Colleagues assignment for each module in your own blog.

5. Over the course of the course, prepare a Final Project Plan for your final blog post - incorporating themes, information and media presented in this course.  It can be a lesson, unit, presentation or some other product that is appropriate to your professional position.

Note: Throughout each module, you will find several Explain/Extend/Evaluate questions. These  questions are intended only to focus content and help guide the learner. 

You are NOT expected to respond to these questions in your blog. But please consider each question in light of your understanding, experience and context.

Your blog is due 8:00 am each Monday, for the module the week prior. Each week, I will read your blog, score it and respond to it in the moderated comments section of your blog.  

Note: Your score and my comments are not for public viewing, so when you are setting up your blog, please be certain to select Moderated Comments in the Settings menu in Blogger.

Technology Requirements

As an online course, participants will benefit from using current hardware, software and a quality internet provider with sufficient bandwidth to support timely video downloads.
 

You will need to create some user accounts and download some plug-ins, if you don't already have them. The good news is, all software and accounts required for this course are free and easy to use.
 

User Accounts Required:

• Teachers' Domain 
• Blogger 
• email (Gmail is recommended, but not required for Blogger)

Downloads and Plug-ins 

• Google Earth

Weekly Blog Criteria

3 Questions & 3 Colleagues

3 Questions

Each weekly blog response should answer these three standard questions for each module. While there are no single correct or proper answers to the questions posed, there are many insightful, researched, informed, practical, creative and thorough answers.

1. Explain: What new learning or reflections have you taken from this module?

2. Extend: How might you use this week’ information and resources in your lessons?

3. Evaluate: How useful, insightful or relevant are this module’s information and resources?

Alongside your writing, blogs should also include appropriate images and links to related resources.

3 Colleagues
Participants are also expected each week to view, comment on, and link to three other course participants' blogs at the end of each of your weekly blog posts.

While you may find favorites and want to include them each week in your blog, it is also good to include a variety of colleagues’ blogs over the course of the course, of course.

Note: Throughout each module, you will find several
Explain/Extend/Evaluate questions. These questions are
intended only to focus content and help guide the learner.

You are NOT expected to respond to these questions in your blog.
But please consider each question in light of your understanding,
experience and context.

Final Project Criteria

The Essential Question guiding your Final Project is the same as the Essential Question for this entire course:

How can teachers use digital resources, community resources and effective teaching methods, integrating Alaska Native ways of knowing with Western scientific methods to create greater student interest in, and understanding of, the geosciences?

Throughout this course, participants explore the realms of scientists and indigenous peoples at the intersection of their common interest in understanding the Earth and its processes.

Using resources presented in this course (though not limited to), participants will complete a final project that suits their professional purposes. A classroom lesson, unit of instruction, presentation, video, peer training or even a community event are just some of the possibilities for your final project.

Your final blog entry will be a representation of your final project that describes your objectives, goals and rationale (what you're doing, where you're going and why), including links to resources used in the Final Project.

Evaluation and Grading

Substance, style and personalization matters! 
Each blog is evaluated from these three perspectives:

1. Substance: How well does the author address the assignment for each module?
2. Style: How well does the author apply professional principles including writing, design, use of images, links and videos?   
3. Personalization: How well does the author apply the course learning, resources and other media in their professional practices? 

 The following qualities are also appreciated when evaluating blogs.

• Clarity, brevity and accuracy in writing.
• Creativity, completeness and attention to detail.
• Timeliness and professionalism.

Good-Better-Best 
Blogs are awarded 7-10 points for each weekly posting, based on the above criteria. This scale is based upon fundamental expectations for a professional educator.

• Good - (7+ points) Assignment demonstrates emerging skills and basic understanding. Room for growth or effort.

• Better - (8+ points) Assignment demonstrates near-mastery of content and skills. Shows close attention to details and processes.

• Best - (9+ points) Assignment demonstrates consistent use of high-level skills.  Excellence in effort and execution throughout.

Grading

A  90-100 points

B  80-89

C  70-79

D  60-69

Failing grade for less than 60 points

• 90 points for Weekly Blog Responses  (10 points x 9 blogs) 
• 10 points for Final Project Blog 
• Participants can track their score weekly.
• Participants are encouraged to make timely revisions to improve score.

Sailing the C's to Better Blogging

A few words about better blogging. Among other things, blogging is writing. However, it's writing in a very public way. Unlike a personal journal or diary, blogs are open to the world and should reflect an awareness of a potentially much larger and critical audience.

It is highly recommended that you compose and edit your blog posts offline in the writing program of your choice. When you're satisfied your writing meets professional educator standards, copy and paste your post into your blog.

Sailing the C's to Better Blogging

Clear - Blog writing should be easy to read and understand.

Concise - Good writing in general is spare, simple and direct. This is arguably even more true for online writing. Try to aim for 3-5 brief paragraphs per post.

Confidentiality - Carefully consider what kind personal information is appropriate to include in your blog. Blog profile settings offer a wide variety of features to help you best decide who and what others should know about a blog's author.

Comments - Consider how you want others to interact with your blog. From zero comments to an open forum, comments sections add richness as well as liabilities for bloggers. I recommend using moderated comments that are only displayed with your approval.

Credible - Personal opinions can have considerable merit, especially when based on personal knowledge and experience.
Otherwise, reason, research and resources should be employed to support personal views.

Creative - Blogs are an excellent medium for personal creativity. The themes you choose to feature, the kinds of other media you include, the writing style you employ and the layout and visual appeal you design are just some of the creative arenas for you to explore and master.

Contrast - Visual appeal and readability are enhanced by using contrasting fonts, colors and elements. Selecting the wrong font color may be all it takes to keep someone from reading otherwise brilliant writing.

Clean - Blogs can become cluttered with visually distracting images and features. Keep your blogs visually tidy. Besides looking better, they are more useful for others whom you'd like to visit your blog.

Credit - Good ideas and images deserve and/or require proper credit - even your own.

Captions - Unless it is absolutely obvious, images should have some kind of caption to help make conceptual connections more clear.

Context - Images should relate obviously to the topic at hand.

Connected - Including excellent links and having others link to your blog makes it more powerful and more connected.