module four

Explain

This module was helpful because I do not have much experience using Google Earth. It allowed me to play around and think of how I can use this in my classroom. I was able to learn about the physical, geological, and cultural changes that can occur because of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. The physical changes are evident because these things will destroy they come into contact with. I then started to think about the other two: geological and cultural. The geological changes become more apparent after reviewing the resources and thinking about the land changing and moving. It is now clearer to me how the land as a whole is impacted.

I then started to think about how it would impact the culture. I looked at the video on the 1964 earthquake and thought about how a natural disaster such as one of these would destroy an entire village. I thought how about you would adapt to so many deaths in a small community. It talked about how some people left and never came back—that would have a great impact on any land.

 from Google images

Extend

I was really thinking of how I could incorporate these resources into my classroom because I teach math and reading. I began to think how I could use the ruler feature on Google Earth. We are learning about measurement right now so I figured it would help put things into perspective. I am going to use the ruler feature for us to measure different things where we live or to figure out the distance between different villages. I plan on also sharing these resources with my colleagues who do teach science because I think it is important to think about how these things impact our land and where we live in Alaska.

The stories were also pretty interesting. I liked the story of the storm in Maui and believe stories are essential to use in the classroom. In my classroom I am going to use stories to engage students. I also thought of inviting elders in to tell their stories.

Evaluate

The content and resources were both helpful. It helps me to see how these resources relate to me. Being in a village that is so small, the impact of one of these would be greater than I could ever imagine. I really liked the quote from Living on the Coast  “We were chose to live in one of the hardest places to live” To me it means that by cooperating and using one another we will be able to live anywhere. A natural disaster would impact food supply, houses, and materials. Villages are so close knit though, I believe that the people would rely on each other to make it through and adapt to the best of their abilities.


Colleagues:
I visited Tommy’s blog. I liked how he connected his reason for coming to Alaska to this module. It helps me to see how these resources and modules can relate to me.

Next I visited Alison’s blog. She shared so many new things that she has been learning, and I felt that I could relate to it all.

Esther’s blog was very interesting. I too live in a village so I felt I understand the things she was talking about. It made things clearer to me. She also had a part where she said "I struggle with this so much because there is not a personal connection. Just like our students in order to be successful learners we need to make that personal connection" I think this is a great thought and really made me think.