<h2>Forging Links Between Western Science and Indigenous Knowledge in Context of  Climate Change Education</h2>
<p><strong>Researchers:</strong>Ray Barnhardt and Sean Topkok<br />
      <strong>Funding Source:</strong> NSF through IARC CA<br />
      <strong>Collaborators:</strong> WGBH Educational Foundation</p>
    <p>The goal of this project is to identify 2-3 topical areas related to IARC program activities around
      which a set of lessons can be developed to serve as a prototype framework that can be expanded
      with future curriculum lessons relevant to IARC research.</p>
    <p>The proposed work plan will focus on the development of two prototype multi-media curriculum resources
      for use in schools to address issues of scientific significance in IARC and of relevance to state
      and national curriculum standards. The prototype lessons will be patterned after an existing curriculum
      model utilized by the WGBH Educational Foundation (http:// www.teachersdomain.org/), through which
      the Alaska Native Knowledge Network is already engaged, with funding from the NSF Geosciences Division,
      in identifying curriculum topics linking Western science (e.g., NOVA programming) and indigenous
      knowledge.</p>
    <p>The anticipated results of this project are to develop the prototype lessons and field test them
      in collaboration with classroom teachers from schools in Interior Alaska and make adjustments as
      needed; to post the lessons on the IARC web site, with links to the WGBH Teacher&rsquo;s Domain
      and Alaska Native Knowledge Network curriculum resources; and to incorporate the lessons into the
      UAF Science Education Outreach Network.</p>
    <p>The initial areas that have been identified as the focus for developing prototype curricula are
      ice cellars and the physical and cultural dynamics of seasonal freeze-up/break-up, both of which
      provide opportunities for synthesis and integration of insights associated with Western science
      and indigenous knowledge as applied to issues associated with climate change in the Arctic.</p>