Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Climate Change, and Effects on Forests

Abstract

As with the unit from last year, my number one objective for this unit is to ensure the students are aware that we are using traditional ecological knowledge in both cultural respects, and from an educational perspective as well, concerning climate change and the effects of it on our forests here in Arizona, and look at how Native elders have used/adjusted in a traditional sense.
Students will be able to:
– Identify traditional ecological uses for adjusting to and taking care of Native forests and
woodlands.
– Identify and explain what TEK and western science have in common and how they are
different.
– Compare and contrast conventional western methods/uses for sustaining Native forests
and woodlands with the TEK approach.
– Explain the importance of incorporating cultural traditional ecological knowledge in a
science classroom setting.
– Write a summary/explanation of the unit in terms of meaning and substance to
themselves.