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At False Pass School in the Aleutians East Borough School District, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door—and it definitely doesn’t stay on dry land. This year, students explored science through hands-on investigations of the Aleutian environment while also building practical marine safety skills connected to everyday life in a fishing community. Together, these experiences helped students see that what they learn in school matters: it keeps them curious, capable, and prepared.
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“…the Alaska Cultural and Alaska Mathematics Standards combine to create relevant, engaging, and rigorous math learning.”
How long does traveling from Allakaket to Hughes by snow-go vs. boat take? Why is the distance traveled different for these two situations? How much further to go by boat? These are the types of questions Yukon Koyukuk School District (YKSD) students will tackle in math classes as teachers begin using the YKSD Place-based Math Task database. YKSD educators developed this database during spring break Place-based Math workshops. Continue reading ‘YKSD Creates Place-Based Math Task Database’ by Bobbi Jo Erb
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Place-Based Computer Science Curriculum Website: Place-Based Computer Science Curriculum
Place-based education is a philosophy that utilizes the context of student knowledge – culture, location, nature, and history – to connect to curricular and core content within the classroom. Despite numerous articles and studies on the merits of land-based and place-based education in rural Alaska, there is little information regarding a connection between the culture and ecology of this culturally rich land with a substantial computer science curriculum. One can find math modules, art and music units, and ELA lessons that attach to Alaska Native culture through a simple web search, but Computer Science has remained a subject that is primarily in the classroom and focused on materials that do not necessarily connect with the students’ lives outside of school. Continue reading ‘Developing A Place-Based Computer Science Curriculum’ by YKSD Teacher Andrew Bellamy
on The Yukon-Koyukuk School District (YKSD) has sponsored a series of math activities during the 2020-2021 academic year which have been organized around creating place-based math activities for students in the district, as well as advancing teacher’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) 3 development as teachers of mathematics in multi-grade classrooms. The majority of teachers in YKSD are multi-subject educators who teach a variety of subjects, including math as part of their daily work in the classrooms.
The District’s math Specialist, Morris White, has coordinated the support for mathematics in YKSD during the 2020-2021 school year. Under Mr. White’s direction, and with the leadership of the District’s head of Teaching and Learning, Mr. Chane Beam, a series of place-based mathematics activities have been held at the majority of the district’s nine campuses.
Continue reading ‘Place-Based Mathematics in YKSD Leads to Deeper Understanding’ by Morris White
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Discovery Southeast is a Juneau-based non-profit that works in local public schools and provides professional development to educators. Their work “deepens our connection with nature through education and exploration. We introduce children and families to the outdoors, providing the foundation for lifelong interests, skills, and exploration. We promote a better understanding of ourselves, the natural world, and our place in it.” Discovery Southeast’s investment in public schools connects hundreds of school-age students to their local wild areas every school year. Continue reading ‘Respect and Awareness Within Our Local Landscapes’ by Sylvia Madaras at Discovery Southeast