The Alaska Partnership for Teacher Enhancement is proud to present the Summer 2005 Institutes.

These standards-based institutes have been developed as highly interactive so educators may explore new and different ways to develop curriculum and instruction that address real life Alaskan issues while improving leadership and teaching behaviors so that all students can achieve academic excellence.

How do we develop community-focused history/social studies curriculum that also addresses standards? That is the question the 2005 Summer History/Social Studies Institute will address. Rather than address this in the abstract, we will be exploring the community of Chevak, a Cup'ik Eskimo village on the western tundra that borders the Bering Sea.

Among many activities we will visit historic village sites, camp at a fish camp, listen to Elders' stories about history of the Cup'ik people and the area, learn about the governmental structure of the community, and examine the mixed wage-subsistence economy. Participants will create a framework for their own community study that they can use and complete in their own classrooms. The following is a list of equipment suggested for your village experience.

Host Community: Chevak, Alaska
Chevak is located on the north bank of the Niglikfak River, 17 miles east of Hooper Bay in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Chevak is a Cup'ik Eskimo village. Alaska Natives represent 93% of the population of Chevak, and commercial fishing and subsistence activities are an important part of the local culture. Employment in Chevak is peak in the summer with construction projects and Bureau of Land Management fire fighting, but declines to a few full-time positions during the winter months. Incomes are supplemented by subsistence activities and handicrafts. Salmon, seal, walrus, clams and waterfowl are harvested. There is one school located in the community, which is attended by approximately 300 students.

Chevak and the Kashunamiut School District is the host for Alaska Partnership for Teacher Enhancement Summer 2005 History/Social Studies Institute.

Information from the Alaska Dept. of Community & Economic Development-Alaska Community Database Online.

Whether camping on the tundra, working in a fish camp, listening to elders' stories about the history of their village and native traditions or learning about stellar navigation and subsistence cycles, the institutes promise to provide unique learning experiences that are enriching and enlightening for all who attend. All content institutes will be hosted in Alaska villages, based on the Alaska state content standards and taught through a variety of innovative classroom and practical experiences.

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