Activity 1C: Biologist and Subsistence Backpacks
Overview
Children learn about the roles of biologists and subsistence users by exploring themed backpacks filled with tools like magnifying glasses, tide books, and maps. Through dramatic play, hands-on activities, and discussions, they compare the tools and knowledge used in science and traditional practices, deepening their understanding of how people interact with aquatic plants and animals.
Activity Type
Hands-On
Class Time
200 minutes (approx.)
Level
Grade 1
Location
Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Focus Questions
- How do scientists and subsistence users discover aquatic plants and animals?
Enduring Understandings
- Plants and animals can be sorted into groups based on different characteristics.
Engage
20-30 minutes
Introduce an “outdoor scientist” and a “subsistence food gatherer” one at a time, on the same day or at different times. Dress up in a coat, hat, raingear, rubber boots, and a backpack that contains the appropriate tools. Introduce the contents of a backpack to the children, one item at a time, and have children share their thinking about what each item is for.
Marine Biologist Backpack: Magnifying glass or hand lens, notebook, clipboard/Rite in the Rain paper, pencil, camera, tide book, identification field guide, field guide book (marine or freshwater), measuring tape or ruler, warm clothes, thermometer, maps, aerial photo, sampling jars, first-aid kit, flashlight, water bottle, snack, cell phone or VHF radio).
Introduce the class to the jobs of a biologist or a marine biologist, discussing questions such as “What is a biologist?” “What do they do?” “What about a marine biologist?” “What do they do?”.
Seas and Rivers Subsistence and Personal Use Backpack: Tide book, flashlight, pail, gloves, hat, raincoat, piece of net, knife (pretend), fishing pole, berry-picker, map, identification chart, water bottle, snack, cell phone or VHF radio. Discuss subsistence with the students, asking questions such as, “What if we couldn’t buy food at the store?” “Who gets food from the land, sea, or river?” “What are some traditional uses of land, sea, and river plants and animals?” “How have the Alaska Native people taught us about edible plants and animals?” Explain that when a person gets some of their food or craft materials (plants or animals) from land or water, it is called subsistence or personal use.
Explore
60-120 minutes, multiple days
Create a dramatic play center in an area of the classroom to simulate a beach or riverbank. You might cover the area with butcher paper and paint a simple backdrop of your local outdoor area. Add a few local props–rocks, shells, stuffed river/marine animals, paper-stuffed fish, plants (dried grass or beach grass, etc) along with books, posters, charts, and other resources. Put the Biologist and Subsistence Backpacks in this area.
Give students the opportunity to explore and play with the backpacks in the center, in small groups during Choice or Discovery time.
Later, introduce a Biologist’s Lab and Subsistence Camp center with more specific activities that allow children to use tools and learn about roles.
Explain
Notice how the students are using the science tools and guide their understanding with follow-up lessons in the use of magnifying glasses or thermometers. Students can begin to understand how they will use these tools at the beach later.
Having a “debrief” session a few times during the use of the backpacks will encourage deeper understanding and thinking about how they are used. This can be done with the whole group or with smaller groups as the backpacks are being used.
Elaborate
20 minutes
Compare the role of a biologist and an Alaska Native subsistence user through discussion and use of photos and/or books depicting people in those roles. How are they the same? What tools do they use that are the same? How are they different? How do we learn from each other? What do they learn from each other?
Scientists share their information when they write books and reports. Alaska Natives share their information through stories, legends, learning from their family, and books.
In what other ways are marine plants and animals used?
Evaluate
Assess children’s understanding of the roles of biologists and subsistence users, and their appropriate use of tools, through ongoing observation.
Teacher Needs
Teacher Prep
Investigate school area for outdoor sites, prepare student field materials.
Enlist the help of local naturalists to develop knowledge of plants and animals around the school environment. Prior to taking children outside, preview the area and have ideas about what they can discover. Plants and animals discovered on this walk are not necessarily the aquatic life forms that they will focus on during the remainder of the unit, but this initial activity is important to support observation skills and to begin to understand how plants and animals can be sorted and how they are used by people. Sharing the Joy of Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell has ideas for focus games or initial nature walks.
Materials List
- Science notebooks
- Survey tape
- Magnifying glasses
- Toothpick flags
- Book: One Small Square Backyard
- Large piece of chart paper
- Biologist and Subsistence backpacks
- Sand table
- Items to create classroom centers: shells, photos, puppets, plant and animal models, tubs,etc.
- Science tools, measuring tools, games
- Attitude Checklist
- Freshwater Bingo game boards and cards
- Marine Bingo boards and cards
Student Needs
Prior Knowledge
Prior experience with use of science tools would be helpful, though not necessary.
Vocabulary
aquatic, awareness, boundaries, compare, data, describe details, environment, eye level, ground level, marine biologist, notice, observation, plot, role-play, science notebook, sort, subsistence, weigh, wonder.
Specific names of plants and animals around the school environment.
Standards
Science GLEs Addressed
K-12 Standards A1, A2, C2, G2, G3, G4
Ocean Literacy Principles
- The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.