Explore the Salish Sea - Unit 2: Stormwater

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In Unit 2 of the Explore the Salish Sea curriculum, students will review the water cycle, learn the parts of a watershed, and the effects of erosion and pollution, then learn ways of purifying these waters before they enter our streams and estuaries to safeguard these ecosystems for marine life and us. Each unit in this series contains a detailed unit plan, a slideshow, student journal, and assessments. All elements are adaptable and can be tailored to your local community.

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

Authors: Junior SeaDoctors, Pacific Education Institute, SeaDoc Society, UC Davis Veterinary Medicine

Explore the Salish Sea - Unit 7: Migration

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Migration explores the routes, distances, and purposes for wildlife migration with a special focus on Pacific salmon. This iconic species of the Pacific Northwest has shaped life in Salish Sea watersheds since they first entered rivers and creeks to spawn, bringing their ocean-derived nutrients in reach of land animals, plants, and people. Nearly 1/4 of the nitrogen in the leaves of our giant temperate rainforest trees once swam in the sea as salmon. They are the reason for the great natural wealth of the Salish Sea and beyond. Learning to identify habitat needs based on their specific migrations will empower students to identify ways they can improve salmon habitat near their own schools and possibly design and carry out a salmon habitat improvement project. Reach out to salmon experts in your community for support with this unit and project, from protecting storm drains to raising salmon in the classroom. Share your salmon project story along the way. Your school may just be featured as our next Salish Sea Heroes!

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

Authors: Junior SeaDoctors, Pacific Education Institute, SeaDoc Society, UC Davis Veterinary Medicine

Remix

How are Humans Affecting Water Quality?

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In this lesson students will learn about the human demands of freshwater and how clean drinking water is being impacted. Students will analyze the issues of cause and effect between human activities and water sustainability. Students will demonstrate this knowledge by create a presentation illustrating the effects of human activities on water resources.

Material Type: Lesson Plan, Reading

Authors: Kim Kerns, Lydia Campos

RE Sources, Sustainable Schools -Watersheds and Stormwater

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Students build a watershed model to define what a watershed is, identify the different parts within a watershed, and discover how water moves within a watershed. After learning Best Management Practices and mitigation techniques, students rebuild their models.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Interactive, Lesson, Lesson Plan

Author: Priscilla Brotherton

Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty in Washington State

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The Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty in Washington State instructional materials, have been developed by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in partnership with the Federally Recognized Tribes in Washington State, The curriculum uses an inquiry, place-based and integrated approach.

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study

Authors: Barbara Soots, Washington OSPI OER Project, OSPI Social Studies

Since Time Immemorial: Giving Thanks - A Native American Cultural Tradition

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Lessons about Thanksgiving in elementary classrooms have historically misrepresented the events and people involved in the “first Thanksgiving.” Teachers are looking for guidance in teaching culturally and historically accurate lessons to young children. Updated research and texts supported by primary documents and tribal oral histories allow us to present more accurate representation of the story behind this tradition. The lessons presented here invite students to share their own fall and harvest traditions, and teach students some of the cultural values and traditions of our country’s indigenous peoples. Lessons are designed to be integrated into existing curriculum on fall/autumn, food, harvest, celebrations, and/or salmon prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, but could be taught independently of other curriculum as well. Lessons 1-4 are written for k-3 and should be adapted for developmental appropriateness.

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

Authors: Michi Thacker, Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Science: Salmon and the River

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Native American tribes in Oregon have relied on salmon for thousands of years. Salmon is considered a first food—a food resource that Indigenous people have depended on since time immemorial. This lesson includes four activities to support student learning about this traditional resource. In the first activity students will learn why salmon are essential to the traditional lifeways of Native Americans in Oregon. In the second activity students will evaluate the life cycle of salmon, specifically the importance of salmon returning to their home stream to spawn. In the third activity students will examine the impact of dams on the life cycle of salmon. Finally, students will work in small groups to identify strategies being used to restore the salmon population in Oregon.

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan

Authors: Renée House, April Campbell, Oregon Open Learning

State of Salmon 3rd grade Unit

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This learning sequence is anchored in the phenomena: Salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest are declining. Part of the job of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is to figure out why salmon populations are declining and create plans for how to help increase fish populations. Throughout this unit, students will engage with the phenomenon of Pacific salmon population decline as they explore salmonid species and discover how WDFW raises healthy fish in hatcheries. Students will explore salmonid life cycles and discover patterns among life cycles of plants and animals who interact with salmon. Students will then learn what makes healthy habitats for salmon. They will evaluate solutions to the problems of salmon migration above and below dams and examine salmons’ role in a healthy river system. Students will embark on a virtual field trip (in person field trips also available) to a WDFW fish hatchery to learn about current practices in hatchery management and identify ways the hatchery meets the habitat needs of fish. Finally, students will be called to work as an engineering team and help develop a tool to support salmon recovery by working as conservation engineers.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Data Set, Lesson Plan, Primary Source, Reading, Unit of Study

Authors: Autumn Eckenrod, Washtington Department of Fish and Wildlife