Seaweed in the Classroom Curriculum
September 18, 2024
Grades K-5 Lessons on Seaweed in Southeast Alaska.
About
The Project
NOAA Fisheries researchers and classrooms in Alaska aim to educate students and communities about seaweed. The project has three main goals:
- engaging the community
- providing culturally relevant education
- promoting food sovereignty
The project includes STEAM lessons that cover the differences between seaweeds and true plants, their specific needs (like nutrients and salinity), their life cycle, and their cultural significance. Activities include worksheets, seaweed pressing, and guides for assembling mobile aquaculture units. This initiative can help other organizations create similar educational programs that engage communities and enhance marine education.
The Lessons
The following lessons are divided into three modules: “What Is Seaweed?”, “Seaweed Lifecycle”, and “Cultural Significance of Seaweed”. Ocean Literacy Principles and Next Generation Science Standards addressed in each module are available at the end of the module. These lessons have been tailored to grades K-5, but can be adapted for middle and high school students.
Who We Are
These lessons were developed by Jordan A. Hollarsmith, Mariculture and Macroalgae Lead Research Biologist at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center; Rebecca J. Cates, Alaska Sea Grant State Fellow at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center; Alicia M. Bishop, Regional Aquaculture Coordinator at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Of ice, Justina Starzynski-Hotch, Teacher at Klukwan School, Stori C. Oates, Communications and Education Coordinator at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center; and Hannah M. E. Wilson, Alaska Sea Grant State Fellow at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Of ice and Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation.