Alaska History

Course Description

This fully integrated, collaboratively taught Alaska Studies content class will provide all students an opportunity to study the historical, geographical, and social conditions which affected the settlement of Alaska from prehistory to modern times. The diversity of cultures in the state will be covered with special focus on local culture and history. At all times, the material covered will be approached so as to give the students a concept of how it relates to and affects them. By satisfying requirements of this study, all students will become more informed local, cultural, state, national and global citizens. The foundation for the course will be mutual respect, collaboration and a shared and stated goal for achieving the final outcomes.

SWRSD OUTCOMES

Outcome 2: Students will understand, accept and appreciate their own language and culture and the cultures of others.

Outcome 4: Students learn and understand their rights and responsibilities and work together as members of a democratic society.

Outcome 5: Students demonstrate honesty, respect, concern, and caring for themselves, their environment, and others.

Outcome 6: Students use a variety of ways to think & reason when solving problems & making thoughtful decisions.

Course Outline

CONTENT (Essential course facts, concepts, and basic skills; assessed with teacher made tests and rubrics)

Major Units of Study

A. Precontact Era and the Historical Development of Native Cultures
Alaska Content Standard(s) : Standard A - History
A student should understand that history is a record of human experiences that links the past to the present and future.

Key Elements: Students will know about, understand, and demonstrate the ability to

1. correctly spell, define and use in proper context a variety of key terms and concepts (chronology, history, prehistory, political, authority, power, culture, norms, tradition, contemporary, economic, resources, social, demographics, distribution, ideology, language, sovereignty, subsistence);

2. identify and describe the major environmental features of Alaska's six major geographic regions (Arctic, Interior, Southwest, Aleutians, Southcentral, and Southeast);

3. explain the major conditions and processes related to the development of human cultures (environmental conditions and resources, adaptation, migration, isolation, discovery, invention, diffusion, acculturation, assimilation)

4. identify and describe the major cultural components (worldview, gender roles,technology, economics, government, education, recreation) of traditional Alaskan native groups (Aleut, Athabascan,Tlingit, Haida, Inupiaq, Yupik);

5. describe the science and major processes of archaeological study and give examples of knowledge (artifacts, fossils, bone, other primary evidence) gained from sites in Alaska;


B. The Era of Russian Occupation

Alaska Content Standard(s) : Standard B - History
A student should understand historical themes through factual knowledge of time, places, ideas, institutions, cultures, people, and events.

Key Elements: Students will know about, understand, explore and be able to apply key concepts which are essential to a better understanding of Alaska, past and present. Students will know about, understand and demonstrate the ability to:

1. correctly spell, define and use in proper context a variety of key terms and concepts (contemplate, assess, qualify, annotate, appraise, construe, justice, rights, responsibilities, government, laws, resources, allocation, empire, colonialization, monopoly);

2. identify and explain the significance of major events during this time period (Russian Eastward Expansion, Kamchatka voyages, first contact between Russians and native groups, Russian American Company settlements, Russian Orthodox missionary work);

3. identify key figures during this time period (Peter the Great, Bering, Stellar, Meuller, Baranov, Vienimov);

4. explain the terms and significance of the Russian Charters, and the American Purchase;

5. describe ways that Alaska native cultures changed during the era of Russian occupation (worldview, gender roles, technology, government, economics, education, recreation);

C. American Purchase and the Territorial Period

Alaska Content Standard(s) : Standard B - History
A student should understand historical themes through factual knowledge of time, places, ideas, institutions, cultures, people and events.

Key Elements: Students will know about, understand and demonstrate the ability to

1. correctly spell, define and use in proper context a variety of key terms/concepts ("Indian Country", colony, territory, stampede, economic boom, missionary,epidemic, segregation, factions, vote, movement, expansionist, "Manifest Destiny");

2. identify and explain the significance of major events during this time period ( American Purchase, Organic Acts of 1884 and 1912, , gold rushes, epidemics,Bureau of Indian Affairs, Great Depression, New Deal programs, WW II, Atomic Energy Commission;

3. identify key figures in this time period of Alaska history (Seward, U.S. Army, S. Jackson, Roosevelt, W. Paul and the Alaska Native Brotherhood, Gruening, Egan, Bartlett);

4. describe ways that Alaska native cultures changed during the era of American territorial occupation (worldview, gender roles, technology, government, economics, education, recreation);

D. Statehood and the Modern Era

Alaska Content Standard(s) : Standard B - History
Students should understand historical themes through factual knowledge of time, places, ideas, institutions, cultures, people and events.

Key Elements: Students will know about, understand, and demonstrate the ability to

1. correctly spell, define and use in proper context a variety of key terms and concepts (legislation, constitution, delegation, policies, compact, factions, allocation, expenditures);

2. identify and explain the significance of key events during this time period in Alaska history (Constitutional Convention, Statehood Act, Prudhoe Bay lease sale, the Pipeline, ANCSA, ANILCA);
3. identify and explain the significance of key figures and institutions of this time period (Alaska State Legislature, state agencies, federal agencies, native corporations, business corporations);

4. describe ways that Alaska Native cultures are changing to meets demands of the contemporary world while trying to retain the integrity of traditional ways (worldview, gender roles, technology, government, economics, education, recreation);

Alaska Content Standard(s) : Standard C - History
A student should develop the skills and processes of historical inquiry.

Key Elements: Students will be able to know about, understand and demonstrate the ability to

1. use appropriate technology and resources to access, retrieve and organize relevant and useful historical information from a variety of primary resources (letters,diaries, oral accounts, archaeological sites and artifacts, art, maps, photos, historical sites, documents) and secondary research materials (books, almanacs, newspapers);

2. apply thinking skills (classifying, interpreting, analyzing, summarizing, evaluating) to understand historical records and solve common everyday problems;

3. demonstrate critical listening, reading, observational, and thinking skills in order to recognize bias, prejudice, propaganda and other discriminatory or manipulative practices

Alaska Content Standard(s) : Standard D - History
A student should be able to integrate historical knowledge with historical skill to effectively participate as a citizen and lifelong learner.

Key Elements: Students will know about, understand, and demonstrate the ability to

1. correctly spell, define, and use in proper context a variety of key terms and concepts (classify, analyze, interpret, evaluate, merit, tradition, projection);

2. establish, define, and defend a personal position on issues (subsistence, sovereignty, citizen rights and responsibilities, gender roles, equality, by demonstrating understanding of the historical aspects of the issues and with respect for the positions and roles assigned to or assumed by others;

3. incorporate knowledge of history into projects with other disciplines, including language arts, mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, business education, industrial arts, fine arts, and other branches of social studies.

Alaska Content Standard(s): Standard D - Mathematics
A student should be able to use logic and reason to solve mathematical problems.

Key Elements: Students will know about, understand and demonstrate the ability to

1. correctly spell, define and use in proper context key terms and concepts (logic, reason, deduction, induction, premise, syllogism, truth, valid, invalid);

2. analyze specific recurrent themes and/or issues in Alaska's historical development (urban/rural conflicts, outside economic domination, boom and bust cycles, military presence, federal/state political conflicts, environmental concerns)

3. take a stance and logically defend an opinion on an issue of personal choice by: researching and understanding major factors related to a particular issue (history, key players, impact on state, possible solutions); using inductive and/or deductive reasoning, construct a logical argument to defend ones personal position,

4. present arguments in written and/or oral form, using appropriate procedures (persuasive speeches, debate format , MLA for written);

Note: Above also can be tied directly to AK Standard for Language Arts D that addresses logic, persuasive speaking, and/or expository essays, research techniques; and Science Standards B, C, and D.

INTEGRATIVE SKILLS/ASSESSMENTS/MATERIALS (To be added)