Hi! It’s Tuesday, November 6, 2012 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!
Recommended Websites: See Below
Age Range: Varies
It’s November and in the U.S. learning activities are often themed around the contributions of Native Americans to American history. Here are some science lessons and activities inspired by the same:
ThinkQuest: Native Americans in Science
At this website you’ll find a simple and very brief overview of the ways Native Americans have contributed to Astronomy, Geology, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics that is suitable for all ages/grades. Be sure to click on the image of the “Back Button” to find find similar lists of Native American contributions to Medicine, Invention, Art, the Military, and more.
After reading the above overview, try this activity:
This free classroom lesson and activity (for ages 8-17 or grades 3-12) can be tweaked for homeschoolers. As explained at the website, “Explore the engineering design process by building model canoes from everyday materials and testing their design. The canoes must be able to float for three minutes and, for older students, support a load.” Students then evaluate the effectiveness of their canoes and discuss their findings.
And for those who are looking for content for more advanced learners…
This website, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and several universities, provides a free university-level curriculum (that high school students and accelerated learners may also enjoy) that shows how Indigenous traditions are based on a solid understanding and description of natural phenomena. Topics include: Native and Western Views of Nature, Indigenous Research Methods, Environmental Justice, Indigenous Perspective, and more.
As explained at the website, “Our goal is to avoid romantic cliches and characterizations of Indian people and their traditional knowledge and to present this knowledge as well documented but different in approach from ‘Western science.’ These traditions are based on connection to the natural world, rather than separation from nature–in other words we are working with a science based on relationships, reciprocity and respect rather than solely on exploitation and economic concerns.”
