Ecological Place-Based Lesson Ideas

Below, I have briefly summarized some of the lesson ideas that I brainstormed during the course. These place-based lessons/units still need more details added to them, but they are a start.

Water Quality on the Mendenhall River, Above and Below the Sewer Treatment Plant
The water quality of Mendenhall River, above and below the sewer treatment plant, would be tested by the class, who would be looking at a number of different parameters. This unit would be part of a bigger ecology unit in an effort to make it more meaningful for students. We all use the sewer system, but it is easy to forget what happens to the waste once the toilet is flushed, so this unit might help students see how our actions directly affect the ecosystem, sometimes in surprising ways. I thought of this idea partly because I read an article in Discover magazine, a few years ago, that discussed how bacteria growing below sewer-treatment plants tended to be more resistant to antibiotics. I also read a recent article, in National Geographic, that discussed the high levels of chemicals entering our water systems through the sewer. (Note: the photo to the above left was of taken in downtown Juneau. The photo shows the water falling from the newly installed fountain in the park of of Franklin Street).

Unfortunately, I do not think we would have the materials/equipment to test for certain chemicals, but we could still do some quantitative tests of the area. We could probably test the following, above and below the sewer-treatment: resistance of bacteria to certain antibiotics, numbers of fecal coliform bacteria, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, types and quantity of vegetation, protists, and invertebrates. We could probably test for a few other chemicals in the water, but I would need to see what test kits we have access to. If the sewer-treatment plant was willing to give us a tour, that would be really neat. In an effort to give the students an audience, I would need to brainstorm a relevant audience for them to present their finding to.

Comparative Sample Plots:
This project seems somewhat simple, but I thought it might give students an up close view, of a small piece of our ecosystem. Students would be responsible for counting and cataloging the living creatures on two different 1 meter by 1 meter plots of land (or smaller). These creatures would probably mostly include plants and invertebrates (we probably would not do the same for the microorganisms on the plot of land, but we could discuss their importance). In addition, students would need to report on some of the other aspects of the plot, such as soil type, soil pH, amount of water in the soil, elevation, and amount of direct sunlight.

For a project like this, it might make more sense to have students visit their plot on multiple occasions, but this might depend upon how close the plots are to the school. Just for fun, it might be neat to see how the plots have changed from the fall to the spring. This plan definitely needs fleshed out, more, and it would need intertwined with a larger ecology unit to be meaningful for students. (Note: the photo to the above left was taken over on Douglas Island, up above the Sandy Beach area)

Nitrogen In Ground-Soil Experiment:
(Note: I would need to do some more research on this project before doing it with students because I need to learn more about the process of nitrogen fixation by bacteria...specifically what form of nitrogen is formed when bacteria fix nitrogen. If the form is not a nitrate, this experiment would not really make sense to do because the nitrogen might be bound up in a form we could not test for).
One of the high school science standards involves knowledge of geochemical cycles such as the nitrogen cycle. In an effort to make this experiment more applicable to the students, we could do a class experiment where students test the relative nitrate levels in different types of soil around the school. First, we would discuss the nitrogen cycle, and how nitrogen, an important nutrient for plants (and animals, who get their nitrogen directly, or indirectly, from plants), is largely inaccessible for plants, in mosts forms. We would also discuss how nitrogen can be fixed from the atmosphere by bacteria, some of which have formed symbiotic relationships with certain plants, such as legume plants (peas, clovers and lupines, for example). (Note: the photo to the above left is of some lupines and it was taken just outside of Gustavus, Alaska)

The class would sample soil from different locations around Thunder Mountain High School: soil growing around the roots of TMHS's abundant lupines (a type of legume), soil growing around the roots of some other plant (maybe grass), and soil not growing directly around the roots of a plant, but in the same area. We would test the soil for nitrate, a form of nitrogen usable for plants, and we would see if there were any differences in levels of nitrate. I am not sure if we would find any differences, but I am curious to see if we would. As mentioned above, before attempting this experiment with the class, I would need to do some background research on usable types of nitrogen in the soil, to make sure that we weren't testing for the wrong form of nitrogen. I would probably do this experiment at the beginning of the year, as an example experiment to demonstrate the scientific method, thus, it would be a guided one.

First, a Summary of Lessons Learned

Before discussing some of my rough ideas on how to implement place based learning into my classroom, next year, I felt the need to summarize some of the information learned during the course.

For starters, I found it helpful to be introduced to some examples of successful place based education models. I was particularly drawn to the following examples: the air quality study done by students in Boston, the school that tested for PSP in shellfish while studying various types of protists found in their bay, and the STRAW project that featured students planting trees by streams to protect riparian zones. I also appreciated hearing from some of Juneau and Sitka's local teachers about place based education projects they had successfully completed with their students. (Note: the photo to the left was taken on the second day of the course at Auke Rec when a group was learning about barnacle life cycles and ecology)

I was pleased to have the opportunity to learn more about how to use GPS effectively. Next year, I would like to work the use of GPS into a few projects, and now I have a better idea of how to go about this. I must admit, though, I have a long ways to go before I will be fully confident with all that a GPS is capable of...I suppose I should probably spend some more time fiddling around with one.

Hearing from Thomas Thornton about his findings was quite interesting. I am definitely going to need to read his book, " Being and Place Among the Tlingit". I was especially drawn to his discussion of Glacier Bay...I had heard a bit about the geologic history of glacier bay, but Thornton's overview, complete with the descriptive Tlingit names for the area, that changed over time as the area changed, was exciting to learn about. Listening to Thomas Thornton, Marie Olsen, and David Katzeek really got me thinking about how a place is named...with the common European-based tradition of applying place names based on peoples' names (often powerful peoples' names) and the Tlingit people giving descriptive names to an area that really helped one visualize the place. I am glad people are working to preserve the original Tlingit place names. (Note: the photo taken above is of David Katzeek speaking to the group at Auke Rec, on the second day of the course)

The day we went to the Auke Bay was delightful. I felt like I was kid at camp, again, learning new information, while being reminded of how important it is to get students out of the classroom. I had always heard that the Auke people's winter village site was located at Auke recreation site, but to see exactly where it was located, with the insights of Marie Olsen and Richard Carstensen, was fantastic. Marie and Richard walked us around the site, discussed some of the edible plants growing there, and posed interesting questions for us to consider about the area. I could have easily spent the whole day with those two knowledgeable individuals, learning more about the area. (Note: the two photos attached to this paragraph were both taken at the former site of Aanchgaltsoow located at Auke Recreation. The first photo shows course participants looking up at the village site which they found with the help of GPS. The second photo is the view of Auke Bay when looking straight out from the Aanchgaltsoow village site).

In closure, I felt like I learned quite a bit of valuable information from the course, and it was enjoyable, in addition. The experience reminded me of how important it is to make your lessons meaningful to the students, and that one way to do this is to tie the information to the place where students live and care about. My only wish is that we had more time to fit everything into...I would have liked the chance to learn from more of the instructors during the break-out times. (Note: the photo to the left is of a stinging nettle was located at the Aanchgaltsoowvillage site. Stinging nettles were eaten by the Tlingit and were likely intentionally planted at the village).