Curriculum Unit
Sarah Kriebel
Promoting Sustainability & Environmental Appreciation through Indigenous Wisdom
Title Author
KEY LEARNING, ENDURING UNDERSTANDING, ETC.
Students will identify and describe the structures of a local plant (or animal) that support survival and growth. Students will explore how and why the Lenni Lenape have used various plants, including cattails, based on the structure of the plant. Through field investigations and/or virtual field trips, students will explore the health of our local stream and search for evidence of macroinvertebrates and other living structures within our outdoor classroom using leaf pack mesh bags. Students will explain how communities can and should respect nature and live in a sustainable way that benefits our environment and community.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S) for the UNIT
What is an environment? Who is in our environment? How do we (all) survive and thrive? How do we respond to and change our environment? How can we respectfully make use of our plant relatives based on their structure and composition in sustainable ways?
CONCEPT A CONCEPT B CONCEPT C
Our relatives, such as the cattail, serve multiple purposes.
Conduct an experiment to examine the health of local stream.
Structures of plants and animals support survival.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS A ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS B ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS C
How can we respectfully make use of our plant relatives based on their structure and composition in sustainable ways?
How do we respond to and change our environment?
What is an environment? Who is in our environment? How do we (all) survive and thrive?
VOCABULARY A VOCABULARY A VOCABULARY A
Relatives, cattails, Indigenous, sustainable, respect
Macroinvertebrates, organisms, pH
Environment, survival, structure, symmetry
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/MATERIAL/TEXT/FILM/RESOURCES
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions, 2015. Stroud Water Research Center. “Become Empowered and Energized Learning About Your Local Watershed!” Leaf Pack Network. Stroud Water Research Center, 2020. https://leafpacknetwork.org/.
Lenape Happenings in Delaware. “Interview: Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware Principal Chief Dennis J. Coker.” YouTube. September 5, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xwAtDoQP9A
Rosanelli, Tim. “How to Make a Woven Cattail Mat.” YouTube. Video File. July 3, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=JmBQNGHZQAk PermaTree. “EGo-Centric VS ECo-Centric.” Web log. PermaTree Ecuador (blog), March 30, 2018. https://www.permatree.org/permaculture/ego-centric-vs-eco-centric/.