Part of the Geographic Education and Technology Program's collection of lesson plans.

Alaska (Mini-Unit)

Mary J. Haynes

Table of Contents:

Grade: K-1

LEARNING OUTCOMES - Arctic Tundra

The learner will:

LEARNING OUTCOMES - Dwellers of the Tundra

The learner will:

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ALASKAN LEGENDS

TEACHER RESOURCES

ACTIVITIES

Arctic Tundra


1. Land of Wonder
2. Northern Exposure
3. Alaskan Peninsula
4. Recognizing Scale
5. Is Bigger Better?
6. Enrichment Lesson




Application of Scale


7. Climate
8. Land of the Midnight Sun
9. Arctic Tundra
10. Creating a Tundra Model
11. Tundra Pudding




Dwellers of the Tundra


12. Dwellers of the Tundra
13. Hunters of the Sea
14. Travel on the Tundra
15. Inuit Mask
16. The Arctic Loon
17. Journey to an Alaskan School
18. Mukluks (boots)
19. Inuit Child
20. I Can Be an Inuit




Teacher Background


Alaska is in the northwestern part of the North American continent.  It is the
largest state in the U.S.A.  Alaska forms a huge peninsula connected to Canada.
The volcanic Aleutian Islands of southeast Alaska form an arc.


Alaska has many rugged mountains.  The highest one, Mount McKinley, is located
in the Alaska range in the south central part of the state and is the highest peak
in North America.  The Brooks Range runs across the northern part of Alaska.  To
the far north of this range is the flat plain known as the North Slope.  A plateau
region is between the Brooks Range and the Alaska Range in the center of the
state.


The Yukon River winds across the plateau of central Alaska.  It finally empties
into the Bering Sea, 1,979 miles across the state.  Alaska is a land of more than
3 million lakes.


The state is divided into three major climate regions: tundra, maritime, and
subarctic.  This mini-unit will deal mainly with the climate region of the
tundra.  The following vocabulary should be introduced:


Mountain: a landform that rises very high with steep sides.  Alaska is home to
Mount McKinley, the fourth highest mountain in the world.


Volcano: a mountain with an opening at the top.  Sometimes, steam, lava and ash
come out of it.


Peninsula: a body of land mostly surrounded by water.


Island: a body of land with water surrounding it.


Glacier: a large mass of ice that moves very slowly down a mountain or along a
valley.


Tundra: a flat, treeless land.  The ground underneath is always frozen.

ACTIVITY 1 Land of Wonder

Materials

Procedure

  1. Show study prints, photographs, slides, or film of Alaska's physical features.
  2. Have students discuss pictures of Alaska and compare them to the physical features of Florida.
  3. Each day on the chalkboard, write a brief descriptive narrative on one of the landforms mentioned in the teacher background section.
  4. Have students copy the narrative from the board onto handwriting paper or the worksheets provided and color the landform that the narrative describes.
  5. At the end of one week, have the students assemble handwriting pages into a Travel Journal of Alaska.
  6. Teacher reinforces the concept that Alaska is a Land of Many Wonders.

ACTIVITY 2 Northern Exposure

Materials

Procedure

  1. Review the vocabulary (country, state, and ocean) with students.
  2. Direct students attention to large wall map of the United States.
  3. Have the students point to the United States on the globe. Reinforce vocabulary of country and state.
  4. Ask students to name another state where they have lived. Have students find the location of that state on the map.
  5. Tell the students that they are going to learn about another state, Alaska.
  6. To determine students knowledge of Alaska, ask questions. Have someone locate Alaska on the globe. Elicit from students the cardinal directions from Florida to Alaska. (Northwest)
  7. Show slides, videos, filmstrips or study prints of Alaska.
  8. Discuss the different landforms found in Alaska: arctic coastal plain and mountains. How are they different and/or similar to the landforms in Florida?
  9. Chart on board or chart paper the characteristics of both. Have the students analyze and compare the two lists.
  10. Explain to the students that they will be learning more about this fascinating state.

Extension

ACTIVITY 3 Alaska Peninsula

Materials

Procedure

  1. Have students demonstrate knowledge of the location of Alaska by pointing to it on the large wall map.
  2. Ask students cardinal directions of surrounding areas, for example, what is to the west? (Bering Sea, water).
  3. Show students the map and have a few volunteers practice drawing the outline of Alaska on a chalkboard.
  4. Distribute outline maps of Alaska to groups of three students and have them cover the maps using play dough. Use blue for the waters surrounding Alaska and yellow for the state of Alaska. Have students color Canada brown.
  5. Let students share their completed maps.

Extension

Evaluation

ACTIVITY 4 Recognizing Scale

Materials

Procedure

  1. Help students to develop an understanding of the concept of scale by pointing out that the differences in the size of maps and globes require the use of a scale. Differentiate between the type of scale most of them have used in the bathroom scale and the scale used in map making.
  2. Using the classroom as a model have students measure the inside walls. A student should write down the measurements.
  3. Take the students outside to draw a replica of the classroom on the court area using chalk (or use a stick to draw in an open field area).
  4. Have students stand inside the areas of the model classroom you've just drawn. Generate discussion:
  5. Take students back to the classroom and demonstrate on the chalkboard how to draw the model of the classroom using scale. Write the word scale on the chalkboard. Define the word, then continue demonstrating how to draw elements of the classroom to scale on the chalkboard.
  6. Have students help make a scale that they could use in drawing a map of the classroom.
  7. Have the students work in pairs to draw a map of the classroom.

ACTIVITY 5 Is Bigger Better?

Materials

Procedure

  1. Have students review the location of Alaska by having them figure out the cardinal directions to fly or drive the toy from Florida to Alaska.
  2. Demonstrate the size of Alaska in comparison to the size of mainland United States by using the overhead transparencies of the mainland United States and Alaska.
  3. Generate discussion about which is the larger land area.
  4. Have students choose which state they think is larger, Florida or Alaska.
  5. Show on the overhead the transparency of Alaska and place the transparency of Florida over it.
  6. Facilitate a discussion on the size of the two states. Review the results of the comparison.
  7. Explain that even though Alaska is the largest state, it has one of the smallest populations.

Extensions

Evaluation

ACTIVITY 6 Enrichment Lesson- Application of Scale

Materials

Procedures

  1. Compare photos of students in the class to the actual individual pictured.
  2. Have students discuss the differences in size of the person to the size of the person which appears in the photograph.
  3. Have students work in small groups to measure each other. They should list the measurement of height in feet.
  4. Have students working in small groups figure out the scale they could apply to the photograph to represent the actual height of the students in the picture. If possible, involve the 5th graders to help in scale measurement. (Example: 1/2 inch equals 1 foot) * Note: Difficult step; will need much adult help or older student assistance.
  5. Working in pairs, have students use bulletin board paper to trace around each other. They will make an outline of each student.
  6. After completing the tracing, have the students cut out their figures.
  7. Ask the students to compare the photographs to the figures of their own bodies. Again, refer to the scale measurements they figure out for their photographs.
  8. Write names and scales on the back of each body image and save along with their photographs for another project on Alaska. Students will be making paper clothing to go with their body image in Activity 20.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 7 Climate

Materials

Procedure

  1. Locate equator on wall map. Explain that the equator is an imaginary line. The direct rays of the sun fall within a band close to the equator.
  2. Ask a student to hold a flashlight. This will simulate the sun. The student will aim the light at the equator.
  3. The teacher then demonstrates the rotation of the earth.
  4. Explain to the students that as a person moves north from the equator it becomes colder. This area is called the Northern Hemisphere. The area all the way north is called the Arctic circle; it is always cold in that region. Emphasize the concept that is colder because indirect sun rays hit that region.
  5. Have students locate Alaska by pointing to it on the map or the globe. Is it located north or south of the equator?
  6. Have students predict the climate of Alaska by looking at a map or globe. List responses on board.
  7. Teacher reinforces concept that as you move north from the equator the temperature becomes colder.
  8. Set up a daily weather station charting the temperature of the area outside your classroom and the temperature of a city in Alaska. Usually the local newspapers publish temperatures from different cities around the world.
  9. Have students graph the daily temperatures of the two locations on paper copies of thermometers.
  10. Gradually, students will understand that the climate is much different in Alaska. The cold climate is one reason that Alaska is not greatly populated.

ACTIVITY 8 Land of the Midnight Sun

Teacher Background

Days are long and the sun's rays are more direct during the summer. In the winter the days are shorter and the sun is lower in the sky. Winter has the coldest temperatures. In Alaska during the winter there is little sunlight; it is dark most of the time. Spring also has cold temperatures, with about equal periods of sunlight and darkness. Summer has warmer temperatures and longer days. On the summer solstice, June 21, in Northern Alaska the sun does not set; there are several days of continuous sunlight. Fall has cold temperatures and about equal numbers of hours of light and dark.

Materials

Procedure

  1. Explain that Alaska has the same seasons that we have in Florida. The difference is in the temperature range and the length of sunlight during each season.
  2. Have students name the seasons and give a brief description of each season. List activities that students participate in during each season on the board.
  3. Describe the seasons in Alaska by describing temperature ranges and playing a simulation game. Use the following simulations for the season: Winter: quickly rubbing arms, while saying brrrr for 35 seconds. Spring: simulate a poppy that pops out, while saying ahhhh for 10 seconds. Summer: wiping forehead with back of hand, while panting, wheew for 5 seconds. Fall: hold collar while saying, coool for 10 seconds.
  4. Have the students contrast the seasons in Florida by acting out the above simulation, but by making the time used for winter less than that of Alaska and by extending the time for summer.
  5. Retell activities that children in Alaska can participate in each season by listing on the board. Give example of activities not familiar to students living in Florida.
  6. Have students compare the two lists by discussing activities they would like to try.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 9 Arctic Tundra

Teacher Background

This climate has 6 months of long, dark and very cold winters, with temperatures staying well below freezing for almost half the year. During the short summer the temperatures are warm enough for plants to grow. Sometimes, however, frost occurs even in midsummer. People who live in this area rely on caribou, fish, and marine mammals for food. The tundra climate takes its name from the Finnish word for "barren land" because only mosses, lichens, and low shrubs can survive in that environment. Water in the soil below the tundra surface remains frozen throughout the year. This is called permafrost. Water can not drain through the permafrost. The wet areas support great numbers of insects and birds during the short summer.

Materials

Procedure

  1. Using a map of Alaska teacher locates the region of the tundra. Teacher describes the tundra climate. Read the book The Arctic to the class.
  2. Show study prints, slides, videos or films and lead discussion on the similarities and/or differences of the land to that of Florida. List characteristics of both on board.
  3. Review concept of tundra, which comes from the Finnish word for barren land. Ask students to brainstorm what the word "barren" means. Have a volunteer look the word up in the classroom dictionary.
  4. Teacher writes a brief description of the tundra climate on board or chart paper.
  5. Teacher will teach the song about the Arctic tundra (sing this to the tune of Kooka Burras). Written by Mary J. Haynes
  6. Have students illustrate a picture of the Arctic tundra. Collect pictures into a booklet and share it with the class.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 10 Creating a Tundra

Materials

Procedure

  1. Prepare ahead of time by placing shiny pennies at the bottom of a glass baking dish. Fill dish with a mud mixture 1/2 full. If possible, prepare more than one glass baking dish so that more than one group of students can work on the activity. Freeze this mixture over night.
  2. Bring dish(es) to school the next day and place in a freezer until time for the activity.
  3. Before the activity: place about 2 inches of soil, mosses and grass clippings on top of mud mixture.
  4. Take students outside to grassy open field with loose dirt. Using spades let students dig in a few places. Emphasize the concept that is very easy to dig in this area.
  5. Back in the classroom have the 'tundra model' ready for the students to try digging. Ask the students to dig for gold in the tundra.
  6. Have the students observe what happens: the differences in digging in the soil of the school grounds and in the frozen tundra. Record their observations on the board or on chart paper.

ACTIVITY 11 Tundra Pudding

Materials

Procedure

  1. Have students divided into 3 groups of 8-10 students. Place a fifth-grade peer helper in each group (if available)
  2. Provide clearly written directions for each group.
  3. Provide for each group:
  4. Directions for each group:
    1. measure 2 cups of milk into large bowl
    2. add pudding mix, beat with spoon until blended let each student participate
    3. let mixture stand for 5 minutes
    4. during this time have students equally divide package of cookies into the bag of each student
    5. each student crushes a zip-lock bag of chocolate cookies by pressing palm of hand on locked bag
    6. set bag aside for later use
    7. stir in tub of whipping topping into pudding mixture
    8. have each student measure out half of their crushed cookies into pudding mixture and stir
    9. students then place about 2 tablespoons of crushed cookies into the bottom of the plastic cups
    10. teacher or peer student fills cups 3/4 full with pudding mixture
    11. top with remaining crushed cookies
    12. refrigerate one hour
    13. decorate with gummy insects and grated dyed coconut
  5. Eat the tundra pudding.
  6. Have the students retell sequence of making the tundra pudding, in the correct order. Write on the board.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 12 Dwellers of the Tundra

Teacher Background

The Inuit have lived in Alaska for thousands of years. They used to be called Eskimos. ("Eskimo" is considered a perjorative term by the people themselves. They prefer the term Inuit.) They live in villages along the tundra coast of the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean.

Inuits of the past changed the kinds of dwelling they lived in to meet different needs.

Summer: They built animal-skin tents. Some were cone-shaped like teepees.

Fall/Spring: They built autumn houses called qarmat. They were oval or rectangular structures built of stone or sod to a height of five to six feet. Large bones were used for rafters. Two layers of sealskins with a layer of moss between them made up the roof.

Winter: Igloos were used for about half the year from about October until April. A good-sized house for five people was nine to twelve feet high. When building a large house, two men worked together. An igloo was used for about one month before they would move again to find better hunting grounds.

Materials

Procedure

  1. Describe the houses that the Inuit built for shelter.
  2. Show study prints.
  3. Describe an igloo, which is made with frozen blocks of snow, to the students. The blocks were fit together into a shape of a dome. Show example of a dome.
  4. Have student describe the house they live in. Lead the discussion of convenience issues: water, lights, bathrooms, etc.
  5. To simulate the environment of an igloo take the students outside and draw a circle 10 feet in diameter on a court using large chalk.
  6. Have groups of students pretend to be Inuits living in an igloo.
  7. Elicit from students that space would be at a premium.
  8. Have students make igloos using sugar cubes. This will probably take 2 class periods. Use this as a center activity.

Extensions

Evaluation

ACTIVITY 13 Hunters of the Sea

Teacher Background

The Inuits were mainly sea hunters during the summer and used harpoons to kill seals, walruses and whales. When the ice in the seas melted, the Inuits could travel by kayak or umiak to hunt whales or fish.

Kayak- a small, skin-covered canoe large enough for only one person.

Umiak- a much larger skin-covered boat that can hold up to ten people. It is similar to a large rowboat.

Materials

Procedure

  1. Read story Escape from Death or show filmstrip.
  2. Have students retell story in the correct sequence. List the events on the board.
  3. Retell story by reading sentences students have generated. Example: 1. Peter and Ashevak went hunting in a umiak.
  4. Divide class into pairs giving each group one sentence to copy onto white construction paper and illustrate it.
  5. When project is complete, have students place sentences into the correct sequence.
  6. Teacher will tape pages together as an accordion-fold sequence story.
  7. Have students read story together as a group.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 14 Travel on the Tundra

Teacher Background

The Inuits were able to travel for many miles because they used husky dogs to pull wooden sleds. The Inuit families would pack the sleds with food, tools, blankets and hunting weapons.

The dogs were very strong and the climate did not affect them. Today dogsleds are sometimes used in Alaska to travel over ice and snow, but most Inuits travel by snowmobiles, cars, planes, and motorboats.

Materials

Procedure

  1. Read story Atuk, by Mischa Damjan.
  2. Elicit from students methods of transportation Atuk used in the story. List on board under Atuk.
  3. Describe transportation that is used today in Alaska. Compare and contrast the two lists.
  4. Students will draw and color two different methods of transportation used in the story of Atuk.
  5. Have students cut out pictures of the two methods of transportation.
  6. Students will share transportation pictures with the class.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 15 Inuit Mask

Teacher Background

Masks are used for many reasons: 1) hunters wear masks to honor animals they have caught; 2) shamans wear special masks to keep evil spirits from doing harm; and 3) comedy masks are used just for fun.

Materials

Procedure

  1. Describe masks and explain their importance to Inuit culture.
  2. Have students choose a type of mask to design:
  3. Have students listen to these simple directions before they begin:
    1. Take any color of 12-x-18 construction paper. This will serve as the base.
    2. Draw, with chalk, a large shape to fill the entire piece of paper.
    3. When shape is just like you want it, trace around the space with a black crayon and cut out.
    4. Use scraps of construction paper or colored feathers to decorate your mask.
    5. Make sure you add facial features.
  4. Have students, working in groups, put on short plays using their masks.
  5. Display completed masks in classroom. Be sure to label each mask in a way that describes its purpose.

ACTIVITY 16 The Arctic Loon

Materials

Procedure

  1. Teacher weaves an imaginary journey back to the time when Inuits sat around the fire at night and told stories from long ago.
  2. Have students sit on the floor in a circle with the lights out.
  3. Teacher tells/reads the story of Ka-Ha-Si, using great expressive tones and use of hands.
  4. Have students react to the story of Ka-Ha-Si by discussing the concepts of reality and fantasy.
  5. List on chart paper the terms reality and fantasy. Elicit from students parts of the story that could be real. Write these under reality. Have students describe the fantasy events of the story and list under the proper heading.
  6. Have students make a painting of a loon using watercolors.
    1. First, use crayons to draw a loon.
    2. Add as much detail as you can.
    3. Paint the loon.
    4. Cut out after loon is dried.
  7. Have students make a mural of loons in flight over the Arctic tundra.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 17 Journey to an Alaskan School

Materials

Procedure

  1. Brainstorm with the students by asking what they would need to wear if they were to travel to a school in the tundra.
  2. Make a collective list on the board. Organize the clothes into four lists: feet, legs, body section, head.
  3. Read story, Runaway Mittens (optional).
  4. Explain that people must dress in many layers of clothing to survive in the Arctic tundra where temperatures can be as low as 40 degrees below zero.
  5. Describe how children must dress each day to go to school in the tundra environment. These items are listed in the order of dressing:
  6. Ask students to recall items needed to provide protection from the climate. List on board each item of clothing and in the correct order of putting it on.
  7. Explain that when students in the tundra arrive at school, they will take off most of the clothing except items in the first four categories and place them in their large lockers that contain shoes they wear at school.
  8. Have clothing for student to use for dressing in layers.
  9. Ask for volunteers to dress in the clothing provided to simulate dressing for school in Alaska.
  10. Have students dress and describe how it feels to be dressed like a student in Alaska. While student is dressed in clothing, be sure to take photographs.
  11. Put clothing into a learning center to provide all students an opportunity to dress like an Alaskan.

Extension

ACTIVITY 18 Mukluks

Materials

Procedure

  1. Read story to generate interest.
  2. Give each student two medium-sized brown paper bags.
  3. Students decorate outside of bags.
  4. Student folds over top edge of bag and glues cotton balls that have been stretched out around the top. This simulates fur.
  5. To wear mukluks, students slip bags over their feet. Then secure by tying thick yard or twine around tops of the bags.

ACTIVITY 19 Inuit Child

Materials

Procedure

  1. Have students describe clothing worn by Inuits of the Arctic tundra.
  2. List on board the characteristics of clothing described.
  3. Have students compare the Inuit clothes to those worn in Florida. Elicit from students the similarities and differences.
  4. Have student make a model of the Inuit child by using paper child pattern provided.

Extension

Part of the Geographic Education and Technology Program's collection of lesson plans.