Drafting of STEMS2 Unit Plan (Week 14b)

Community Partner:  Kamala Anthony at Honokea, Duration 3-4 weeks, learning journeys spread out over the course of the unit to allow for classroom reinforcement and assessment days (not sure what assessments are yet)

Unit Design: Water Stewardship - 'Aina Connections  - Place: Loko I'a Honokea, Keaukaha

Learning Journey 1: Wahi Pana: Getting to Know Place - focus on cultural aspects of the place, what is a loko i'a, ahupua'a, protocol, mo'olelo

Learning Journey 2: Bio Blitz: Species of Honokea - learn the species of plants and animals at Honokea

Learning Journey 3: Ecosystems: Abiotic Characteristics - water quality and current research

Learning Journey 4: Engineering and Design: Analyzing engineering through a Hawaiian cultural lens

Learning Journey 5: Wrap-up

Fishing Day? optional

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Above is the original design that I had planned earlier in the semester that would be spread out over 3-4 weeks. For some reason I had not paid attention to the length of the unit and somehow forgot that it is only meant to be 2 weeks long. Anyhow, I have been in contact with my community partner and she is on board with the project and flexible with my plans, at least I think she is. I had been going back and forth for what the focus of my Unit Plan would be. Of course, I wanted to be able to sync my STEMS2 unit plan with my Plan B focus and double-dip in that regard. However, it just wasn't working in my mind how that was going to happen.

After several weeks of hashing out ideas, the current focus of my Plan B is to create a comprehensive unit around the issue of water stewardship that allows students to learn about design thinking and to apply their learning through an engineering design challenge. My research is on how the design thinking process can enhance the learning experience in my science classes, create interdisciplinary opportunities that encourage student-centeredness, and that can be applied in a place-based/ culture-based way (STEMS2). I thought that the Hawaiian fishponds (lokoi'a) at Honokea (in Keaukaha) would be a great place for me to take my students for this work, however, I was having a hard time coming up with an idea for the design challenge at the lokoi'a. My initial idea was to try to get the SeaPerch ROVs and replicate the activity from O'ahu this past summer. But, that seemed a little like cheating (maybe?) and I didn't have the time or energy to go through the grant writing process for the ROVs and I wasn't prepared to spend that kind of money. I know that the whole point of the innovation process is to let students articulate and define their own problem(s) and ideate towards a likely solution. But, considering my current students, this most likely would prove overwhelming and stressful for me. I needed to be ready with a plan in mind and do not feel comfortable leaving the bulk of the decisions up to my students especially because my Plan B depends on it.

After speaking with my advisor John, I resurrected an idea I had earlier in the semester for my environmental science class to design an irrigation system for our school's greenhouse. I lost sight of this project until recently and was excited to pursue it as a better option for my Plan B. One of the comments that John made which really stuck with me was that the greenhouse project would literally be in our backyard and how cool it would be for the kids to see it every day. Additionally, it would take way less convincing on my part to establish a meaningful connection between my students and the nature of our project because the outcomes would directly affect the quality of something tangible, long-lasting, and part of our school community. I was sold on the idea and still believe the irrigation design project will be the central learning piece for my students as part of my Plan B project.

For some reason I was still lacking clarity on how my STEMS2 unit plan and my Plan B unit plan would fit together. Essentially, would they be the same unit? It would make sense that they would be since Tara had been encouraging us to do so. It is obvious how water stewardship (the central theme of 2nd semester) and lokoi'a fit together, but it wasn't as obvious how fishponds and water irrigation and our greenhouse fit together. I obviously had to expand my focus and food cultivation naturally came into the picture. Also, I wanted to incorporate a learning journey to the lo'i patches in Waipio Valley because of the awesome irrigation structures and cultural connections there that would help bring in all the STEMS2 pieces. I have to be careful not to try to bite off more than I can chew, but I am going to milk this unit and time for all its worth.

So what am I doing? Well, I have decided that my 2-week STEMS2 unit plan will revolve around the lokoi'a experience and my learning journeys will take place at the pond in Keaukaha. The location makes sense and can be replicated to meet the unit requirements. Also, working with Kalama at Honokea will be easier because the time is consolidated into a smaller timeframe and she can concentrate her efforts more intentionally during the time we are working together. My STEMS2 unit plan will serve as the foundation for a larger unit that will be part of my Plan B that will build off of earlier concepts from the lokoi'a experience. My Plan B unit will take us to Waipio and allow opportunities for my students to take what they learn at the lo'i and apply it to our design project at school. I am happy with this plan because I will hopefully be able to take my students to both of these amazing places and spend a couple months talking about concepts that are truly important and dear to my heart. My goals is also to expose my students to unique experiences that will enhance their sense of place here on Hawai'i island and invite them into a part of our island and Hawaiian culture that they may not otherwise every get a chance to know.