Lesson Overview

Students work in small groups to research traditional building techniques and energy sources; students will then prepare and present their project to the class.

Target Grades: 9-12

Set Up Time: 1 hour

Class Time: 5 hours

Lesson Resources

Objectives

  1. Describe in detail how Alaska’s indigenous people built their dwellings and how their designs minimized heat loss to keep occupants arm.
  2. Build a model dwelling and use it to explain how the design is energy efficient and reduces heat loss.

Guiding question: What resources were/are used by Alaska Natives to build traditional housing?

Educational Standards

ALASKA CULTURAL STANDARDS: B1, B2, B3, B4, D5

ALASKA ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS: 9/10 RHSS.KI.2; 11/12 RHSS.KI.3; 11/12 RST.2; 11/12 RST.IKI.9; 9/10 WSLST.RBK.8; 9/10/11/12 SP.PKI.4

ENERGY LITERACY CONCEPTS: 5.3, 5.7

NGSS: HS-ESS3-1