The 'From Alaska' program provides teachers with materials to craft lessons that help students imagine a place quite different from where they have grown up. Through program materials, students learn how people have adapted over the years to the ruggedness of the State.
These lessons aren't limited to Alaska. Through a lesson plan on 'cold water science', students imagine what Alaska 'feels' like while learning descriptive words and taking scientific measurements. Articles that discuss recent innovations in the sport of mushing help students realize that not just computers are subject to rapid change. Through evaluating different forms of transportation, the lesson becomes clear: No one vehicle is perfect, and each has advantages and disadvantages. The 'From Alaska' program causes students to think about their world in new ways.
For Kentucky Educators:
The Transportation in Denali unit was created from the ground up in an effort to help educators in Kentucky fulfill State requirements while simultaneously exposing students to an extreme and inspiring region of the US. Acknowledging the attention that schools must pay to regulations, Kentucky 'Academic Expectations', 'Program of Studies' and 'Core Content for Assessment' guidelines were consulted prior to drafting any lesson materials. While this multi-disciplined supplemental program provides numerous opportunities for a creative teacher to introduce other core curriculum components, the program directly addresses some State standards in Math, Science and Social Studies.
To assist Kentucky educators in evaluating how program may supplement their established curriculum and requirement needs, links to the grade specific standards that the program addresses directly are included below. While this list is by no means complete, it helps to provide an example of how the program can be used to fulfill academic requirements.
