Oregon Field Guide - Salmon People: Fighting for a Way of Life

Provided by: Oregon Public Broadcasting |Published on: July 24, 2023

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Synopsis

This 26-minute video tells the story of a Native American family along the Columbia River and describes their struggles with declining salmon populations due to dams, overfishing, and climate change.
The video also discusses a United States treaty that allows the tribes along the Columbia River to fish the salmon forever in exchange for land that was taken from them in the late 1800s, however, the declining salmon populations are compromising the tribes' way of life.

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Subjects: Social Studies, Biology

Authors: Oregon Public Broadcasting, PBS

Region: North America, USA - West, United States, Oregon, Central Oregon / Columbia Gorge

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

Part of the video is from the point of view of a child learning how to fish, so students may relate to this.
Native American wisdom about protecting the environment in a sustainable way is featured in stories about a coyote stealing too many fish, leaving none for those downstream.
Themes of environmental justice are woven throughout the video as the narrators discuss the treaty which was forced upon the tribes in the late 1800s and the fact that it is not being upheld today.

Additional Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with the life cycle of a migrating fish.
Students should be familiar with Native American sovereignty in the United States.

Differentiation

Before watching the video, ask students why they think rivers may be of great importance to Native American tribes and predict how climate change may be affecting them.
After watching the video, classrooms could research which Native American tribes are closest to their school and what natural resources are culturally important to the tribes.
Have students discuss how climate change is affecting the livelihoods of fisherman and whether it is affecting the income of other professions in their community.
This video is excellent for any classroom that is discussing environmental justice, Native Americans and the environment, or the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems.

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Oregon Field Guide - Salmon People: Fighting for a Way of Life

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources