Final Project

Final Project

Essential Question:

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

Comparison of Traditional Native Knowledge and Western Science Comparison:



Source:  Adapted from Sidney Stephens' Handbook for Culturally
Responsive Science Curriculum (Clay Good)
Click to enlarge

Standards and Grade Level Expectations:

I have noted here applicable Standards and Grade Level Expectations.  I would encourage you to follow the links to get more specific information about each Section and/or Standard/GLE.

Alaska State Grade Level Expectations (Grade 6):
Reading: R2.1.1, R2.1.2, R2.1.3, R2.1.5, , R2.2.2, R2.2.3, R2.2.4, R2.5.2, R2.6.1, R2.6.2
Math: N-2, MEA-2, MEA-3, MEA-4, E&C-5, S&P-2, PS-5
Writing: W2.2.4, W2.6.1
Science: SA1.1, SA3.1, SB1.1, SB3.1, SB4.2, SD1.2, SD2.3, SD3.1, SD3.2,SE1.1, SE2.1, SE2.2, SF1.1, SF2.1, SF3.1. SG1, SG3, SG4

Note: Of key significance for the purposes of this project are the SF GLEs:

~ SF- Students develop an understanding of the dynamic relationships among scientific, cultural, social and personal perspectives.
~ SF1 – Students develop an understanding of the interrelationships among individuals, cultures, societies, science and technology.
~ SF2 – Students develop an understanding that some individuals, cultures and societies use other beliefs and methods in addition to scientific methods to describe and understand the world.
~ SF3 – Students develop an understanding of the importance of recording and validating cultural knowledge.

National Science Education Standards:
Some of the Standards addressed are:  Earth and Space Science Education, Science as Inquiry, Unifying Concepts and Processes, and Science in Personal and Social Perspectives.  You can download a free copy of the Standards by clicking here.

National Math Education Standards:
Some of the standards addressed are:  Mathematics as Problem Solving, Mathematics as Reasoning, Mathematical Connections, Computation and Estimation, Patterns and Functions, Geometry, and Measurement.

National Geography Education Standards:

Some of the Standards addressed are:  The World in Spatial Terms, Places and Regions, Physical Systems, Human Systems, Environment and Society, and The Uses of Geography.

Proposal:

In this project, I would like to build upon and expand the scope of my students’ experience with EarthKAM. In summary, EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students) is: “a NASA educational outreach program enabling students, teachers and the public to learn about Earth from the unique perspective of space. During EarthKAM missions (periods the EarthKAM camera is operational), middle school students around the world request photos of specific locations on Earth. The entire collection of EarthKAM images is available in a searchable EarthKAM image archive. This image collection and accompanying learning guides and activities are extraordinary resources to engage students in Earth and space science, geography, social studies, mathematics, communications and art. The project was initiated by Dr. Sally Ride (America’s first woman in space) in 1995 and called KidSat. The KidSat camera flew on three space shuttle flights (STS 76, 81 and 86) to test its feasibility. In 1998, the program was deemed successful and renamed to EarthKAM. The EarthKAM camera flew on two additional space shuttle flights (STS 89 and 99) before moving over to the International Space Station (I.S.S.) in 2001 on Expedition 1. The EarthKAM camera has since been a permanent payload on board the ISS and supports approximately four missions annually. “



Source:  EarthKAM
Click to enlarge

There is a novice friendly User Guide available on line that is worth reviewing, especially the first time you participate in a mission.

Pre-Mission:

Here are some initial resources to implement:

Some EarthKAM pre-mission activities that would be helpful are: 1) Create a Tennis Ball Globe; 2) How to Annotate an Image; 3) How to Caption an Image; 4) Identifying Continents and Oceans; and 5) Latitude and Longitude.

The Teachers' Domain video “Earth System: Satellites" gives a good introduction to the various kinds of satellites that orbit the Earth and the many ways that the information is used.

Discovery Education video: “Space Exploration: International Space Station” gives a good introduction to the I.S.S.

There is an archive of EarthKAM past mission images taken. You can search by location as well as search by participating school. I would encourage you to explore the world at your fingertips.

In order for students to make the connection between what they are doing and the “real world”, I would like to spend some time using Google Earth. Most students are familiar with Google Earth and it can bring the world to your fingertips. It would also be good for students to brainstorm ways that, even in their relatively short lives, weather and climate has impacted them. Weather considerations factor into images requested through EarthKAM and NASA, and successful images.

During the Mission:

An item that will be particularly helpful during the EarthKAM mission is the “Mission Targeting Sheet”. On the Mission Targeting Sheet students will note specific and relevant targeting information such as weather at the location, I.S.S. orbit number, latitude, longitude, and GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Once the image is taken, you can compare your accuracy and whether the image showed what you wanted it to show.

A typical EarthKAM mission is three to four days long, and images become available usually within one day of completion of the specified orbit. Students will use internet resources to communicate with EarthKAM mission center with specific information about photos they request. EarthKAM will link the information with the camera mounted in a window of the I.S.S. EarthKAM links can take you to information about the particular I.S.S. mission and astronauts for each mission, as well as information about the EarthKAM mission center.



Post Mission and Beyond:

Below are some sample images identified and requested by middle school  students on previous EarthKAM missions.



Sakhalin Island, Russia
Source:  EarthKAM

Frozen lake Quinghai Nashan, Northern China
Source:  EarthKAM

Ganges River
Source:  EarthKAM

Due to the limitations of the northern most latitude of the mission orbits, being able to request images in central and northern Alaska are not usually possible.  Therefore, I would recommend using some of the following resources to view glaciation, snow and land cover conditions in those regions.  Google Earth can be a valuable tool for this purpose.  Students can also study images from other areas in the world beyond Alaska to compare traditional native knowledge and western science knowledge, and how the land impacts the lives of cultures, societies and individuals.

I would also recommend using the Google Earth timeline to view variations in the images of a location over the years in the past. Students can locate the latitude and longitude of their successful image request in Google Earth, and then use the “View – Historical Imagery” function to note changes. An extended activity can be for them to write about the changes they note, and then theorize what might have contributed to or caused the changes. Google Earth “Extreme Ice Survey” is also a good resource. Another resource to use would be the USGS “Repeat Photography of Alaskan Glaciers”.

EarthKAM also has a “Student Work Gallery” which has some good extensions beyond the missions developed and implemented by students. Perhaps your students have some material to contribute….

The Discovery Education video “Glaciers and Glaciation” (25 minutes with specific segments varying from one to four minutes) is a resource to assist students in understanding how the glaciers and ice layers develop over time.

The following resources could be helpful to make the cultural connection as we move from the “big picture” from space to how land forms (ice, glaciation, etc.) impact the lives of individuals in communities on all levels (body, mind and soul).


~ Arctic Sea Ice Satellite Observations TD


~ Earth’s Cryosphere: The Arctic


~ NASA – Arctic Sea Ice Extent is Third Lowest on Record


~ NASA – Earth Observatory


~ Melting Permafrost


~ Mountain of Ice: If the Ice Melts


~ Changing Arctic Landscape


~ Losing Permafrost in Alaska 

There are many more resources available.... but the the most valuable resource is the youth of today who are the scientists and inquisitive individuals of tomorrow.  Let your imagination be your guide... with a foot in both traditional native knowledge and western science methods.

Resources:

EarthKAM


Teachers’ Domain


Discovery Education


Wikipedia


Explore Alaska! Alaska Native and Western Perspectives on Earth's Systems


Alaska State Standards and Grade Level Expectations


National Math Standards


National Science Standards


National Geography Standards


Google Earth


U.S.G.S.


N.A.S.A.