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Web of Life

Indigenous Knowledge and the Interconnectedness of Forest Species

Elementary, Middle

Description

This activity focuses on the interconnectedness of forest species and their cultural significance to Indigenous People, highlighting the essential role each species plays in maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Students explore these relationships using the Web of Life – Indigenous Knowledge and the Interconnectedness of Forest Species Catalogue. Students participate in a hands-on activity to explore ecosystem interactions and the intricate web of life within an ecosystem through an entangled ball of twine. This web illustrates the close connections between organisms in an ecosystem, and how changes to one part of the web would impact the entire system.

Following the activity, students engage in a discussion about the interconnectedness of living things and explore how the removal of one species can affect other organisms within an ecosystem.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

The resource is appropriate for grade four to seven students with curriculum links in Science and Social Studies. This activity highlights the cultural importance of various forest species to Indigenous Peoples. The catalogue and flashcards provide interesting facts about each species and support student learning about biodiversity and interdependence within forest ecosystems. The resource includes discussion questions that encourage reflection and understanding of the interconnectedness between species and people.

Relevant Curriculum Units

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        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions.
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        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions
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        • Properties and Uses of Earth Materials: Learning and Living Sustainably
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        • Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment
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        • Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment

Themes Addressed

Ecosystems (2)

  • Appreciating the Natural World
  • Interdependence

Indigenous Knowledge (1)

  • TEK -- Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Land Use & Natural Resources (1)

  • Forests

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