Team Building is underway in the Gwich’in Athabascan community of Fort Yukon. Meetings with Tribe, school district, and community members have occurred. Potential STEM topics have been explored. Including knowledge bearers from other communities within the region on the CCAS Team is important to Fort Yukon. CCAS team members have joined community events, regional meetings and conferences.

The Iñupiaq CCAS Team in Kotzebue has selected caribou as the first topic to cover in this region. Caribou are a key subsistence resource nutritionally and culturally. Relevant themes may address the health, lifestyle and habitat of these animals as well as responsible harvest, use and stewardship. Local content has been collected and the Draft Stage has begun. Initial CCPM training with the school district team has occurred to support the district’s own science curriculum development agenda.

The Kodiak CCAS Team is in the Development Stage with a focus on the topic of reading the ocean. Resources will address how to interpret visual and physical clues from the ocean, weather and geography to support navigation and water safety. Fishing is an important local industry and raising ocean-literate youth is critical. An expanded Sugs’tun lexicon is possible for this area due to deep language expertise on the team. Meetings with Tribes and other local partners have occurred. Local interviews and footage for product development will be collected in July.

Metlakatla’s CCAS Team of Tsimshian knowledge bearers has selected currents and tides as the focus of their first video and lesson. Strong currents and rapid tide shifts, as well as currents driven by high winds in some seasons are characteristic here. Local youth are divers, fishers, harvesters and recreators in this dynamic context. The education materials are currently in the Draft Stage and aim to increase safety in local careers and cultural practices, as well as building a foundation for future innovation. In addition to development, this CCAS Team has taken it upon themselves to identify the cultural values important to address during CCAS videos and lessons.