From Sacred to Recreational: Balancing Traditional Indigenous Site Management with the General Public

Abstract

In this unit, we are led by a driving question: What is the value of outdoor spaces? We have used this question in the past with fifth grade students to help prepare them for a kayaking trip on the Verde River that we take at the end of the year. With this unit, I want to use this driving question to connect the students to learning about many places within the four corners region. We can then use the question later in the year to think about the Verde River, and students will have the entire background of this unit to prepare them for that end-of-year work. As a place-based school we believe that repeated exposure to outdoor spaces will help students cultivate a love for our spaces, as well as a sense of stewardship. Therefore, this driving question should help them to frame their thinking throughout the school year.