Course Syllabus

Science Summer Institute 2005

Akiachak, Alaska

July 12th to July 20th, 2005

Travel Dates are: July 11th and July 21st, 2005

SEE BELOW FOR THE SYLLABUS OF THE 2005 SCIENCE INSTITUTE

*SYLLABUS

*Please note: Planned events may change due to weather and/or instructor discretion

Day 1 - July 11

Participants arrive; settle in, overview of the course, walking tour of Akiachak. Discuss water in the village of Akiachak.

Day 2 – July 12

Discussion of general natural history, specialized tools used in biological investigations, and animal evidence. Introduction to Kagen Mixers, natural history lessons in the classroom, and the importance of data collection and analysis by their students. Elder led lesson on tracking and the history/socio-economics of the lower Kuskokwim Region. Classroom bottle biology lessons.

Day 3 - July 13

Plant collection around the village. Introduction to plants including classification, physiology, and structure. Discussion of energy flow in ecosystems and food science. Plant activities for the classroom and field trips, food science experiments, and ethnobotony. Elder led lesson on native plant use.

Day 4 – July 14

Camping trip on tundra. Introduction to Alaskan weather and navigation, including GPS, magnetic compass. Discussion of weather activities for the classroom and field trips. Elder led lesson weather prediction and navigation.

Day 5 – July 15

Introduction to water and its importance to life and the water cycle. Simple chemical test for water quality.

Day 6 – July 16

Church services, possible visit to Moravian Orphanage, and work on assignments.

Day 7 - July 17

Introduction to fish as an organism: their anatomy and physiology. Fish dissection and classroom activities on salmon life cycle. Subsistence fishing and preparing fish with local fisherman.

Day 8 - July 18

Introduction to landforms and landscapes and what influences them: fire, ecological succession, rivers and watersheds. Maps and watershed activities in the classrooms.

Day 9 – July 19

Completion of food safety experiments. Introduction to traditional foods and methods of food preservation. Plant crafts and traditional use of plants.

Day 10 – July 20

Introduction to cycles in nature and the importance of decomposition and organisms that aid in decomposition. Bottle biology for decomposition. Potlatch with native elders. Pack up.

Day 11 – July 21

© Copyright 2001, University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Drive • Anchorage, Alaska • 99508

The contents of this website were developed and fully funded under a $6.5m grant from the U.S. Department of Education, however, they do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education or endorsement by the Federal Government.