OTZ Immersion Program

Students will become familiar with the traditional and modern uses of the resources found on the tundra. Through activities and field trips, students will demonstrate an appreciation for thelife that the tundra provides for our local community.


Akuliaq, Taagruk, and Ivik Kunuyaq perform traditional Eskimo dance during weekly visit to senior citizen center.	Putyuglu Qignaklu.

Activities:

There are many activities that can be used. Listed below are just some of them. Keeping in mind that the tundra provides harvestable fruits and plants for at least a few months, these activities can be adjusted for the type of plants available at the time. Plants that are gathered and preserved would be used during the wintertime as well to remind children of the subsistence routines of the area.

Akuliaq ayahaaq.

Anausuk gets help from Aana Taiyaaq on hands-on project.

Activities:

Making berry-picking buckets for use in plant gathering during field trips (aimmaq)
String painting (using berry juices)
Leaf painting
Microscope center (using local plants, insects, feathers, droppings, etc from tundra)
Finger painting (berry juices)
Tundra collage
Food preparation and sampling (akutuq, jams, tea, fermented sour docks, etc)
Stories and examples of medicinal use of plants such as wormwood
Using the senses to identify and describe berries and plants
Weather observation
Availability of foods during various seasons
Land formation observation

Iglubuq Kavbin works on an art project.

Language instruction during activities:

These activities provide ample opportunity to use our Native language to describe preschool concepts as well as cultural skills, practices, and family subsistence routines. All of these activities are meant to promote a language-rich environment as well as spark the interest of students and develop other preschool skills.

Unit 2: Aimmaq
Berry Picking Buckets

Objectives: The student will be able to…

Cut paper in straight lines
Glue large pieces of paper to containers
Thread chenille stem through a hole and twist chenille to fasten (fine motor)
Name color of choice for aimmaq
Describe the use for the aimmaq
Collect plants and put into aimmaq
Develop gross motor skills needed to walk on tundra tussocks
Use fine motor skills to pinch, grasp and place berries and plants in aimmaq
Count plants and berries in aimmaqs

Berry picking with Abnik.

Materials:

Frosting, juice, margarine containers
Construction paper
Glue (we find that glue in a baby food container with a hole cut in the lid, and a paintbrush work best)
Paint brushes (half inch)
Markers, crayons, paper cutouts, and other odds and ends for decorating containers
Chenille stems
Hand-held hole punch
String, yarn

Qaayaan v-liuqtuq.

Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Name the student’s color choice in Ieupiaq for them	Choose color of paper that will be used.
Make templates that fit the type of container you will be using.	Cut out the template.
Assist students through out the activity, letting them know what they are doing in Ieupiaq	Glue the construction paper onto container.
Using a hole punch, make a hole in the top of the decorated container	Decorate the container with paper shapes of plants, and markers
Show students examples of the plants that they will gather, and explain to them that the aimmaq is what we use to keep berries and plants in while we walk across the tundra.	Feed chenille stem through holes, and twist to make secure handle
	Gather plants and berries from tundra, and put in container

Assessment:

Student product
Student use of product

Iglubuq Kavbin performs traditional dance for Elders at the senior citizen center.

Putyuk Nasalik gets help from Aana Taiyaaq preparing food with ulu for monthly potluck.

Unit 3 : Microscope Observations

Objectives: The student will be able to…

View a specimen through the finder of a microscope
Put the specimen on a microscope in focus
Describe view in microscope (fuzzy leaf, green, has smaller flower pattern on it, berry has flower on it, color, etc.)
For more artistically driven students, paint their findings on a large sheet of paper
Describe picture drawn, relating it to the view in the microscope
A microfiche machine is also a great specimen viewer for translucent specimens like leaves, fish scales, etc, and more than one person can view at one time with a microfiche machine

Iqagina atikjuk.

Anausuk ikayuqti.

Materials:

Plant, berry and insect specimens gathered from tundra field trips
Microscope(s)
Slides (use two slides rather than a slide and slip cover as the slip covers are sharp, small, and could be a dangerous object for this age)

Christmas Program 1999

Anausuk, Qaayaan and Iglubuq Kavbin perform during annual Christmas program.

Akuliaq, Ivik Kunuyaq and Panitchiaq give recital.

Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Describe plants in Ieupiaq for them as they investigate up close using senses of smell, touch.	Help teacher choose the specimens to view.
Mount specimens on slides. Some material will sit nicely on a slide without a cover slide. Others would be easier viewed with a cover slide. Adjust the powers accordingly for students if needed.	Assist teacher.
Provide art materials for children to describe their view to others with. We found that a large piece of paper, paint, and paintbrushes work fine, and make nice display work later.	Paint their view onto paper.
Help children with descriptions by modeling and acknowledging their descriptions. Ask them to share their findings with parents.	Describe some of the memorable features of the plants and insects that they found under the microscope.

Assessment:

Student descriptions
Student artwork

Uyaana Nauriaqagviliuqtuq.

Putuuqti and Abnik prepare meat for potluck with ulu.

Unit 4 : Leaf Painting

Objectives: The student will be able to…

Identify plants from the tundra
Identify parts of a plant (leaf, stem, root)
Identify colors of plant
Paint using leaves as brushes

Greg takes Salaktuna, Putuguuluk dog mushing, April 2000.

Sliding on hillside after dog mushing.

Materials:

Paint (colors found on the tundra are very appropriate for this activity)
Leaves
Large paper, regular or finger paint paper
Easels or larges tables to work on

Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Review plant names for students.	Identify parts and types of plants gathered from the tundra.
Review parts of a plant for students.
Provide the art materials for students to use for leaf painting, and if needed, an example.	Use the leaves as paint brushes, and paint a picture with various colors.

Kunuyaq coloring.

Assessment:

Naming of parts and types of plants.
Naming of colors used in picture.
Product.

Unit 5 : String Painting

Putyuk Nasalik, Aviubana, Ivik Kunuyaq, Putuuqti and Anausuk at play with water station.

Objectives: The student will be able to…

Name types of berries
Name color of berry juices
Use string and berry juices as an art medium

Materials

Berry juices from tundra plants
String or yarn
Plain copier paper works best

Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Extract berry juices	Describe and identify berries.
Provide berry juices, and paper for students. Describe the various berries, their colors with students.
Show students how to make the pictures with the string. Fold paper in half, lay dipped string on folded paper leaving a tail on the outside. Pull string keeping paper folded shut. Open paper.	Follow teacher’s example and directions for making string art.

Assessment:

Art product
Identify berries used in project
Identify color of juices

Siitchiaq minuutiruq.

Taagruk kanayuuraqliuqtuq.

Unit 6 : Field Trip
Tundra Walk

Objectives: The student will be able to…

Tolerate textures and the feeling of strange plants and walking surfaces
Learn to take risks
Follow instructions as part of a group
Develop gross motor skills as students walk across and around the uneven and spongy surfaces of the tundra
Identify the safest and easiest places to cross the tundra
Identify plants found on tundra
Identify good and bad tasting berries
Use senses to describe and identify tundra plants (tea, berries, wormwood, sourdocks, wild celery, etc)
Develop fine motor skills while picking berries and leaves of harvestable plants
Identify the colors of the tundra
Differentiate between ripe and ready plants and those that are not yet ripe or ready for harvest
Collect berries and leaves to take back to eat, or use in classroom activities
Identify ripe and ready plants available at that particular time in the season

Materials:

Boots and other appropriate field trip clothing (hats, warm jackets, gloves if needed, etc)
Berry picking buckets that students made
Ziploc or other plastic storage bags
Enough adult chaperones (parents, staff) to keep children encouraged and occupied with their findings

Frances and son Nuviya hooking.

Activity:

As students explore and gather, explain to students what they are finding, what they can pick, and how to find them on the tundra.

Putyuk jigging.

Unit 7 : Object Painting

Objectives: The student will be able to…

Use cookie cutters to make pictures
Identify different berries used in the process
Follow directions in the process of project

Materials:

Berry juices
Paper towel sheets, or facial tissue folded into fourths
Small paper plates or saucers
Cookie cutters (varied sizes and shapes)
Large sheets of paper

Kunuyaq nauriaqliuqtuq.

Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Extract berry juices	Describe and identify berries.
Before starting, instruct students to make ready by donning their paint smocks, and rolling up their sleeves.	Follow teacher directions.
Provide berry juice stamp pads by pouring juice onto a folded paper towel that is sitting on a saucer or small paper plate. This makes a good and inexpensive stamping surface.
Provide cookie cutters, and paper for students.
Describe the various berries, their colors with students. Also help students name the objects on the cookie cutters, their colors, and their respective sizes.	Use Ieupiaq to name to objects they would like to press into the paper. Make the imprints on paper.

Assessment:

Ability to follow directions
Student product
Description of objects and plants used in process

Agnik munuutiruq.

Unit 8 : Aarivak
Insect (Spiders)

Objectives: The student will be able to…

Name insects found on tundra
Sing Aarivak Mayuqtuq song
Paint an object
Thread a chenille stem through a hole
Describe patterns

Aviugana killaiyaqtuq.

Materials:

Insect samples found with the plants from the tundra walk
Example product
Egg cartons, with each compartment separated
Black tempra paint
½ inch paint brushes
Hand held hole punch
Black chenille stems
Glue
Small plastic eyes
String for hanging

Qignak, expert jigger.

Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Allow students to look at the insects carefully. Explain respect for animals, and ask them to treat them nicely while examining. If appropriate, allow microscope viewing as well.	Describe and identify insects
Sing "Aarivak Mayuqtuq" song with students, teaching motions along with the song.	Sing along and use arm motions "Aarivak Mayuqtuq"
Show students sample aarivak and help them to describe color and parts. Assist students with painting the egg carton section inside and out, inserting the chenille stems for legs, and gluing the eyes on the aarivak. Tie a string on for hanging. When hangning, make a pattern for students to notice and describe, (long, short, long, short, or other pattern).	Create aarivak following example and directions of teacher

Assessment:

Aarivak product
Description of pattern and ability to describe/create a new one elsewhere in class with other objects

Ivik Kunuyaq on a field trip, manaktuq (fishing for tom cods).

Unit 9 : Plant Collages

Objectives: The student will be able to…

Identify plant patterns found in nature
Create plant patterns and pictures
Glue small parts of plants to a paper
Sort according to type of plant

Qaulluq gets help from his Aana Abnik before clean up time.

Akuliaq scraping skin with ikuun.

Materials:

Plant samples that have stems, leaves, berries still intact for blueberry, salmonberry, black berry, and cranberry plants
Construction paper-berries, leaves following the shape of plants gathered from samples, and/or tempra paint for berries
Plant outlines of stems, enough copies for one for each students

Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Ask students to examine the plant samples and identify their differences. Lead them to examine the patterns on the leaves, the stems, and the density of the berries on each plant.	Describe and identify berries and their plant parts.
Provide students with stem structures for blue berry plants. Using precut construction paper pieces, have them create a collage resembling the sample. If using paint for berries, have them paint berries on.	Glue plant parts onto stem structures paying attention to the pattern of leaves on the stems, and the berries on the plants.
Do the same for each type of plant. (This activity may take more than one day).

Assessment:

Combine different construction paper berries and leaves in one paper plate, and ask students to separate the parts onto their respective plant groups.
Plant collage product

Taagruk, Qaluraq, Akuliaq, Aviubana, and Ivik Kunuyaq practice traditional singing and drumming.

Putuuqti, Uyaana, Taagruk, and Akuliaq perform an Eskimo dance.

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Unit 1: Nunaviksiuqtugut Tundra

Unit 1: Nunaviksiuqtugut
Tundra