Indigenous and Western Knowledge Can Help Preserve the Planet
Podcasts
Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APBiology, Earth and Space Sciences, Civics
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Provided by University of Maine
What it is
- This podcast features an interview of an Indigenous anthropologist about his views on working together with Indigenous people to protect natural environments, mitigate climate change, and encourage more involvement of Indigenous people in science.
- It is a wonderful discussion of the benefits of including Indigenous knowledge in science and decision-making on the local, national, and global level.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Darren Ranco does a great job of explaining the topics in a very accessible way.
- This interview may encourage students to explore careers or programs that support environmental protection and Indigenous culture.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with what anthropologists study.
- The podcast can be played directly from the website.
Differentiation
- Social studies classes could use this podcast to frame a discussion about the value of cultural perspectives and scientific input in governmental decisions.
- Consider having students write a response paper to this interview, giving specifics from the podcast and using additional research to support their perspective.
- To extend the lesson, have students research the efforts that the University of Maine is making to address climate justice and environmental conservation.
- This podcast could be used in science classes as motivation to pursue STEM careers that connect to social issues.
- Students can do further research on the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission.
- Students can look into their own community at the Indigenous voices in positions of power, the traditional foods they eat, or any relevant legislation that will directly impact their community.
From the scientist review
This resource is a podcast interview with an anthropologist on how traditional Indigenous knowledge can be used to protect the environment. This resource is highly recommended for teaching.
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Hosted on umaine.edu
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