Lesson Plans

These lesson plans are designed for teachers of grades 7–10, to introduce their students to the cultural and natural history of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The goal of this curriculum is to encourage students to focus on the Refuge and on the stories told by the land and people. Each lesson is self-contained, with background material, a detailed plan of action, and all necessary handouts.

Introductory Materials
About the curriculum, EALRS, table of contents, etc. (PDF file.)

Lesson #1: Bird Migration
Students play a migration game in which they represent a bird migrating between the Refuge and the Pacific Northwest. In the simulated migration, the students encounter resources and challenges that migrating birds face, both human and natural. Students narrate their journey through writing and share their ideas with the rest of the class. (PDF file.)

Lesson #2: Landscape Photography Students will work in groups to photograph their school's landscape. They are introduced to the possibilities of landscape photography through writing their responses to a sampling of photographs, and by becoming a "human camera." Each student group then creates a photographic display of their school's landscape. (PDF file.)

Lesson #3: Arctic Mask Design
Students design and create Arctic style masks that express the relationship between animals and people in the Arctic. (PDF file.)

Lesson #4: Drama in the Refuge
Students work to create and perform a dramatic piece communicating the ecology or cultures of the Refuge. As a culminating activity, their dramatic performance could be intended for younger audiences or parents to give students the responsibility of sharing what they've learned with others. (PDF file.)

Appendix
Curriculum designer and naturalist David B. Williams writes about his experience in the Refuge in the summer of 2005. This description is included as an example of how an issue can be approached in an academic setting at the college level. (PDF file.)

Additional Resources
A list of selected Web sites and books on topics relating to the Arctic and the Refuge: its people, wildlife, and geology. (PDF file.)