Tracing our roots through the living memory of food-An Inquiry into Ethnoecology and Identity

Abstract

With the topic of ethnoecology of Indigenous foods, I want my 2nd graders to be able to trace
one food or ingredient that connects them to their ancestral identity. This inquiry-based social studies unit will require students to analyze food systems and how they impact their daily diet.
They will also examine how diets and foods have changed over time due to historical events,
colonization and forced assimilation.
I want students to be able to trace their Indigenous roots by closely examining the ingredients or food of their choice and the role that it plays in their identity, ancestral connection, culture, traditions, or environment. Students will become social citizens as they explore this topic more deeply, beginning with an examination of the current food systems and reflecting on how they engage with and relate to food today.
Through inquiry based learning my 2nd grade students will look closely at food production and consumption systems that are currently available to them. In this process, I want students to examine and understand the global geographical connections to food and how their food choices are shaped by geography, economics, and ecology. They will need to reflect on how the flow of food makes its way into their daily meals and diets.