The purpose of this project is to develop a K-12 science curriculum that reflects Alaska Native beliefs, values and understandings of the natural world and science education standards. Research involving Alaska Native learners over the past two decades shows that Alaska Native learners excel in learning environments that integrate cultural knowledge (Freed & Samson, 2002; Coladarci, 1983; Reyhner, 1991). CRRC believes that a culturally-based natural resource science curriculum would enhance Alaska Native students’ education and motivation to pursue post secondary degrees and careers in the sciences and natural resource management.
There is strong need for the proposed K-12 Natural Science Curriculum Project. The courses CRRC developed previous to this project were designed for Alaska Native students of the Chugach Region. The success of that program prompted UAF to approach CRRC and suggest opening up the courses statewide. As previously stated, it became apparent that CRRC needed to be more proactive in addressing the needs of Alaska Native students by motivating them to take an interest in science and to continue their education in the sciences. This led to the concept of developing a K-12 natural resource science curriculum based on Alaska Native Indigenous knowledge and traditional Western science. In order to make such an endeavor interesting and inviting to Alaska Native students, the curriculum would have to include components from the community and the local culture in a meaningful inquiry-based approach. The primary audience will be the K-12 students of the Chugach Region. The broader statewide Alaska Native community may also be served by this project through the development of this K-12 standards based science curriculum.
The goal of the project is to develop a K-12 standards based science curriculum integrating natural resource management and regional Indigenous knowledge. The curriculum will be made available to all schools in the Chugach Region in hard copy and electronic format. In order to achieve this goal CRRC has identified the following objectives:
Objective 1:
Develop K-12 standards based science curriculum integrating regional natural resource management and Indigenous knowledge. (Year 1 and Year 2)
Objective 2:
Post electronic K-12 standards based science curriculum integrating natural resource management and Indigenous science knowledge. (Year 3)
Objective 3:
Ascertain educator and secondary students’ perceptions of curriculum via pre and post surveys conducted before and after they pilot the curriculum developed by CRRC. (Year 2 and Year 3)
