Synopsis

Promoting Sustainability & Environmental Appreciation through Indigenous Wisdom

Sarah Kriebel

This unit was developed for fourth grade students in what is considered a Title 1 Delaware suburban school. Drawing connections between the Indigenous wisdom of Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, and the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware, this unit implements an interdisciplinary approach to science and social studies with Citizen Science applications, field investigations, photography, reading comprehension strategies, and persuasive writing and communication. The goals of the unit are for students to describe the structures of a local plant that support survival, explore the health of our local stream by using leaf packs to observe macroinvertebrates, and explore how and why the Lenni Lenape have used cattails based on their structure. Finally, students will explain how communities can and should respect nature, living in sustainable ways to benefit our environment and community. It is important to note that this unit is a resource for teachers providing activities and background knowledge that support an ongoing work of developing social and environmental activists. Students benefit from access to technology, Indigenous wisdom, and cross-curricular learning opportunities to analyze their observations and multiple perspectives. These practices will help students develop the ability to think analytically and to pose arguments for environmental appreciation.