Using Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound as a case study, students will recognize how ecosystems, species, human impact and climate change are interconnected. To restore and maintain the ongoing health of the coastal ocean environment students need to understand its species and habitats, the impact of human activities on this biodiversity, and adaptation actions to succeed despite the effects of climate change. The lessons in this resource will help students to make informed decisions as the future stewards of our planet.
The eight lessons are:
Lesson 1: Sense of Place - Students will locate Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound on a map and recognize the watershed. They will explore the concept of regeneration and reflection to the themes of this lesson
Lesson 2: Species and Habitat - Students will explore the biodiversity of Átl’ka7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound and how species are interdependent.
Lesson 3: Survival Needs - Students will describe biotic and abiotic factors necessary for life on Earth by comparing kelp ecosystems in Átl’ka7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts /Howe Sound to other kelp forests. They will learn about the Indigenous views of spirituality and their connection to all ecosystems and life itself.
Lesson 4: Stewardship and Governance - Students identify the cultural and economic benefits of Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound.
Lesson 5 – Clean Water - Students will investigate the history of water quality in Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound. They will recognize non-human species need for clean water and learn the importance of water to Indigenous communities.
Lesson 6: Climate Change and Oceanography - Students will examine direct and indirect impacts of climate change on Átl’ka7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound and explore individual and community responses to climate change in this community
Lesson 7: Marine Protected Areas - Students will locate the marine protected areas in Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound, know the purpose of these areas, and think critically about how MPA’s preserve biodiversity and support regeneration.
Lesson 8: The Future of Átl’ka7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound – Students will learn about Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound’s Biosphere designation and what it means, culturally, socially, and environmentally, for these areas.
Each lesson follows the same format throughout the kit with Critical Questions and Reflections built into the Activities section. The kit follows the overarching theme of Regeneration, integrating decolonization practices with scientific, conservation, and Indigenous knowledge. The Thought Book component prompts students to journal on regeneration and consider its connection to each lesson’s focus. Through reflection, students will consider their role in decolonization and climate action and be encouraged to become changemakers within their community. Finally, each lesson ends with ways to Take Action.
Teachers can use the resource to address science, social studies and geography classes to emphasize how the link between ecosystems, species, human impact and climate change are interconnected
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Very Good | The resource provides critical questions with engaging activities informed by Western Science and Traditional Knowledge. The resource follows the overarching theme of regeneration, integrating decolonization practices with scientific, conservation and Indigenous knowledge. Following colonization and years of destructive human activity, such as industrial and coastal development, efforts are currently underway by government, industry groups, and local communities to transition the Sound’s marine ecosystem from crisis to recovery. Indigenous communities, in particular, are working hard to restore life and traditional practices for generations to come. The thought book component prompts students to journal on regeneration and consider its connection to each lesson’s focus. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
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Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | Pressure from population growth, tourism, and development is impacting the marine environment throughout the Sound. Increased collaborative efforts to protect and restore this area, with a focus on species, habitats, and cultural and traditional areas is necessary. Furthermore, climate change has impacted every environment in Átl’ka7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts /Howe Sound, and coordinated actions by communities, industry groups, and government, are needed to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. |
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
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Respects Complexity | Very Good | Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound is a coastal fjord ecosystem in the Salish Sea. It is a vital area to First Nation communities, providing natural resources that allowed Indigenous peoples to thrive for generations before colonization. Following colonization and years of destructive human activity, such as industrial and coastal development, efforts are currently underway by government, industry groups, and local communities to transition the Sound’s marine ecosystem from crisis to recovery. Indigenous communities, in particular, are workinghard to restore life and traditional practices for generations to come.To restore and maintain the ongoing health of the coastal ocean environment we need to understand its species and habitats, the impact of human activities on this biodiversity, and adaptation actions to succeed despite the effects of climate change. |
Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
Acting on Learning | Good | Each lesson ends with ways to Take Action. Educators and students are invited to create their own actions, acknowledging that those provided may not be accessible or applicable to all. The publisher recognizes that individual action should be coupled with systemic change but aims to engage students through active approaches and creative problem solving. |
Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
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Values Education | Good | The Thought Book component prompts students to journal on regeneration and consider its connection to each lesson’s focus. Through reflection, students will consider their role in decolonization and climate action and be encouraged to become changemakers within their community. Students will also write a report, preparing a thoughtful and evidence-based case for why Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound, or a region near you, should be designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and organize a debate |
Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
Empathy & Respect for Humans | Good | The resource emphasizes that years of destructive human activity, such as industrial and coastal development, harm First Nations communities and infiltrate the natural ecosystems that sustain their traditional way of life. Indigenous communities, in particular, are working hard to restore life and traditional practices in this ecosystem for future generations. |
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
Personal Affinity with Earth | Very Good | The resource invites students to take part in outdoor experiences such as participating in a shoreline cleanup. |
Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
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Locally-Focused Learning | Good | Students are encouraged to become change makers within their community. Some of the suggested activities take place outside in the community such as a shoreline clean up and marking storm drains. |
Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
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Past, Present & Future | Very Good | |
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. |
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Open-Ended Instruction | Good | The resource aims to empower students through active approaches and creative problem solving. Students are encouraged to share their opinions during discussions, reflections in their journal entries, and during Take Action projects. They voice their opinions during a debate and participate in a conversation with their peers about the environmental impact of protecting green space. |
Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
Integrated Learning | Good | The curriculum connections, outline Big Ideas in both Science and Social Studies courses, detailing which lessons connect to which Ideas. Please note that although this resource is developed with a focus on aligning to the BC curriculum, there exists a lot of overlap across provincial curricula making this kit applicable throughout Canada. |
Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
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Inquiry Learning | Satisfactory | Students are provided with critical questions to ponder at the beginning of the lessons. |
Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
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Differentiated Instruction | Good | The resource includes a variety of instructional approaches. They invite students to assist in a citizen science group and share their sightings, organize a debate, prepare a report with evidence on a marine species, brainstorm how to protect green spaces, write a summative comparison of the two environments, focusing on the ecosystems’ ability to sustain life, reflect in their thought book, calculate their ecological footprint and more. |
Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
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Experiential Learning | Satisfactory | Authentic learning experiences are suggested if the teacher chooses to do so. |
Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
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Cooperative Learning | Good | Some group work is suggested such as: As a class, students will brainstorm the importance of water. Then, break into small groups (of four or five) and assign each group a ‘top reason’ that water is the most important resource on earth. Students will create an argument supporting why their assigned reason is the most important. |
Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
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Assessment & Evaluation | Satisfactory | There are no explicit tools for assessment provided. Teachers could use the reflective journal pieces for assessing student learning as well as posters/ reports/presentations students completed in some of the other activities. |
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
Peer Teaching | Good | Students will start a conversation with their peers about the environmental impact of their actions and how to protect green space. |
Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
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Case Studies | Very Good | Using Átl’ka7tsem/ Txwnéwu7ts/ Howe Sound as a case study, students can recognize how ecosystems, species, human impact, and climate change are interconnected. |
Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
Locus of Control | Satisfactory | |
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. |