Did you know that there are approximately 400,000 indigenous people living in the circumpolar north and that they represent a diverse set of cultures? Come learn about the Gwich’in, Dene, Sámi, Yup’ik, Inupiat, Kalaallit, and others in Issue Sixteen of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears!While this is not a true science topic, we feel that learning about the native people of the Arctic is just as important as any other topic we’ve tackled to date. We’ve included lessons and activities about Arctic cultures, a bookshelf full of high-quality children’s literature, a nonfiction article (informational text) about the art and science of building igloos, and much more.  You can even learn about traditional games and incorporate some of them into your classroom, or play a traditional Inuit story for your students!

Your elementary students may benefit from comparing their own culture to those studied in class. Resources such as “Map of Myself” from Facing the Future (scroll down to find the free lesson under Teaching Global Sustainability in the Primary Grades: A K-4 Curriculum Guide) can help them do just that. 

We hope you enjoy this issue of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears! Coming in December 2009 - Keeping Warm!