Indigenous Foods: Social Studies Lesson
Lesson Plan
1 hour 15 minutesGrades3, 4, 5History
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Written by Kelly Stroh, Oregon Educators for Climate Education
About this lesson
In this lesson, students learn about the Indigenous first foods of Oregon and discuss the connection between food and climate change.
Step 1 - Inquire: Students read about the Indigenous Peoples of Oregon and learn about their first foods.
Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn about the connection between food and climate change and explore data on the impact of food production on the Earth.
Step 3 - Inspire: Students discover how their food choices affect their personal health and the Earth and choose a positive action to help fight climate change.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Positives
- Students learn about the Indigenous Peoples of Oregon and their food traditions.
- Students feel empowered to make food choices that are better for the planet.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should have some awareness of climate change and how it is affecting the Earth. Teacher can show the video Introduction to Climate Change before the lesson.
- Students should be aware that the Indigenous Peoples of Oregon are the original people of Oregon and that European settlers stole land that belonged to the Indigenous Peoples.
- When students fill out the food tracker, teacher may need to explain that “kg” is short for kilogram, that a kilogram is a kind of measurement, and that 1 kg is about 2.2 pounds.
- Keep in mind that students in elementary school often have little to no control over their food choices. Be sensitive to the fact that some students will have less access to more climate-friendly foods, and try to encourage students to make climate-friendly food choices when they have the opportunity to do so.
Differentiation
- The Inquire section offers a variety of ways for students to learn about the Indigenous Peoples of Oregon and Indigenous first foods. Students can research the topic independently using the sources provided, read specific passages from the texts in small groups, or follow along as the texts are read aloud.
- Students can use the bar graph in the Investigate section of the Teacher Slideshow to explore why some foods are worse for the planet than others. Students can pick one food and research the number of resources needed to grow, harvest, or produce the food. Students can work individually or with a partner.
- Students can use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast one Indigenous Oregonian food with a food they eat. For example, students can explore the process of how salmon from the Columbia River and farm-raised salmon from the local grocery store make it to a student’s plate. Alternatively, students can draw the process and use arrows in between each stage.
- Using the Connecting First Foods and Conservation resource from the Inquire section, students can write the origin story for a native food from their own cultural or ethnic background.
Framework for Shifting Paradigms in Climate Education
This resource exemplifies the Intersectional Key Focus Area.
- Core Component 1: Incorporating SEL in Age-Appropriate Ways
- Students watch a video about protecting Indigenous lands and first foods from the perspective of an Indigenous youth activist. After watching the video, students respond to discussion prompts to help them identify their feelings and those of the narrator, promoting self-awareness and perspective taking.
- Core Component 2: Discovering Science, Connecting Realities, and Cultivating Stewardship
- Students discover how science helps us understand the connection between food production and climate change by watching a video, examining a data set, and using a climate change food calculator. Students compare the carbon footprint of foods they commonly eat to the Indigenous first foods of Oregon to investigate the sustainability of Indigenous first foods.
- Core Component 3: Promoting Global Awareness, Cultural Understanding, and Celebrating Diversity
- Students learn about the Indigenous peoples of Oregon, the important role of first foods in both historical context and present-day Indigenous peoples’ lives, and how Indigenous foods are more sustainable than many non-Indigenous foods. At the end of the lesson, students work together to think of ways they can make food choices that help the planet.
From the scientist review
This lesson allows students to explore the history of the Indigenous Peoples of Oregon and how they coped with their food systems under the past and present climate. It also underscores the impact of food production on the climate, how their food choices influence human and environmental health, and proposes strategic measures to mitigate emissions from the food sector and food choices that could improve human and environmental health. All the materials were reviewed, and this lesson has passed our science credibility process.
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About the teacher writers
Kelly Stroh
Kelly is a 5th grade teacher at Yujin Gakuen Public Japanese Immersion School.
Oregon Educators for Climate Education
Website: https://www.oregonclimateed.org/
Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE) is a statewide group of educators working toward Oregon legislation that would mandate the integration and infusion of climate change for PK-12 education across all core subject areas.
Our steering committee is comprised of current and retired K-12 educators, as well as high school students. While most of us reside and work in the Willamette Valley, we are seeking connection and input from stakeholders from regions across Oregon. We are inclusive and invite diverse voices to join us!
Website: https://www.oregonclimateed.org/
