Welcome to Place-Based Knowledge!

We are very grateful to you all for continuing this journey with us in learning and creating a community of support in Native education!

Instructors Notes

This week, we invite you to reflect on the term "Place-Based Knowledge." What does this mean to you as a teacher and as a learner?  

As we continue our journey together, we would also like to remind you of the safe and sacred space that we are creating as we remember the importance of being in good relations with each other and all beings. This place is our sacred circle, and together, we gather to learn through the power of our stories, songs, art, cultural practices, and each other.  We are doing this work to honor our ancestors.  

Our focus this term is on Indigenous Place and Land-based knowledge. Let's take a look back at our Place/Land learning strand:

Place/Land 

We honor the land, acknowledging our interconnected relationship with the earth who is both relative and teacher. The land holds sacred knowledge and provides us with sustenance and healing. We reciprocate by caring for her in return. 

• Outdoor experiences: We value learning from and in nature

• Natural materials: We value the use of natural materials 

• Plant knowledge: We value knowledge of plants and medicines

• Animal knowledge: We value knowledge of animals 

• Place knowledge: We value knowledge of places (sacred, ancestral, traditional)

• Experiential learning: We value hands-on, exploratory, and self-driven learning experiences

Remember these concepts as we go through the next six weeks together.

We only have a short time together this term, so we can't cover everything we want to on this critically important topic. Since we are only scratching the surface, we encourage you to take what you are learning and continue to expand your knowledge going forward.  This term we encourage you to keep a journal with you as you complete the readings, videos, and activities.

 Activities and Assignments

• Please take a look at the syllabus posted below.

• View Honoring our Homelands: Sauvie Island, then think through the prompts and journal your thoughts.

• Read Oral History: The Importance of Land, which is a part of the Tribal History/Shared History curriculum in Oregon.

• Take some time to look through Plant Teachings for Growing Social-Emotional Skills: Cultivating Resiliency and Wellbeing with Northwest Plants and see if there is a particular plant teaching that speaks to you and see if there are any of the stories, activities, or recipes that you could see yourself doing with the children in your life. In what ways can you imagine using this book? 

• Read through the assignment for this term (explained below) and start thinking about the topic for your lesson plan. 

Zoom Meetings and Flip Discussions

We will see you on Zoom Thursday from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Zoom link for class on Thursday:  https://pdx.zoom.us/j/84520780762

Readings & Resources

Reflect

Oregon Department of Education Tribal History Shared History.  (n.d.). Oral History: The Importance of Land.  www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/equity/NativeAmericanEducation/Documents/SB13%20Curriculum/Materials_The%20Importance%20of%20Land.pdf

Tribal History/Shared History Website: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/equity/nativeamericaneducation/pages/senate-bill-13-tribal-historyshared-history.aspx

 Assignment Due June 26, 2024

Create a Lesson Plan

Using the information and concepts from the IFS coursework (Wellbeing, Attending to Relationships, Ways of Knowing, and Place-Based Knowledge) and the learning strands, create a lesson plan for a lesson that you would like to teach in a preschool environment. Your lesson plan should include the following components: 

• Topic

• Lesson Focus

• Materials Needed

• Learning Objectives

• Activities

• and Notes/Resources (optional)

A sample lesson plan template will be provided, or you can create your own.  (sample lesson plan is linked in week 2)

We will share our lesson plans in our Thursday (June 26) class meeting. Please come to class (June 26) prepared to share all about your lesson with your cohort mates. This way, we can all learn from and with each other in our amazing learning community!!

*For students taking the course for graduate credit, Type a 2 - 3 page, double-spaced reflection response. Your reflection should describe the reasoning behind your chosen lesson plan and connect it to the IFS coursework and learning strands. Submit the written reflection along with your lesson plan by Wednesday, June 26, 2024 (either through the google form or by email)