Ola Ka Honua: Volcanoes Alive Project Volcanoes Alive Project: Ola Ka Honua is a curriculum collaboration between the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and ALU LIKE, Inc. http://www.gi.alaska.edu/

The project is conducting curricula development and teacher training for Hawai`i public middle school students and teachers. The curricula's Earth Science CD-ROM and classroom lessons are being field tested with 6th-8th grade students at 5 middle schools on five islands including Hawaiian language immersion classrooms. The Project aims to enhancing science, math, and computer literacy skills of participating students. The overall goal is to make available the English/Hawaiian curricula materials to the State's middle school science classes statewide.

This project is a partnership between ALU LIKE, Inc., the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Hawai`i State Department of Education

The project has developed an interactive 8-unit CD-ROM about the geophysics and cultural significance of volcanoes. It is fully translated into the Hawaiian language for the immersion language schools, and is instilled with Hawaiian culture and historic vignettes relating to Hawaiian history.

During the project’s final year, (School year 2005-06), the process of finalizing each component and its translation will be completed. This includes:

• the 8-unit CD-ROM that will be formatted for both MAC and PC computers;
• 53 “essential” associated classroom lessons;
• 37 additional lessons of Cross-curricular instruction, including new life science lessons related to biological succession of pioneer species on lava fields;
• “Critical Thinking” lessons;
• a teacher guide, “Methods Manual;” and
• educational kits with reusable supplies for the lab-type hands-on lessons.

Teacher training includes geology hikes and lectures on the latest developments in volcanology, methods workshops in preparing the teachers guide, and annual course offerings through PEDERI to earn 3 professional development credits per year for teachers participating in the field-testing.

The teachers have been field testing the versatility of the curricula to fit into various approaches of instruction: Block scheduling, interdisciplinary team approach across subject areas, stand alone immersion classrooms, and adapted for science resource centers to enhance field trips.

Funding: The project is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, “Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training, and Recruitment Program.”

Contacts:

Principal Investigator and Project Director:

Kathy Berry Bertram, Geophysical Institute,
University of Alaska Fairbanks;

(907) 474-8577

Email: kbertram@gi.alaska.edu.

Doug Knight, Educational Outreach Facilitator
ALU LIKE, Inc., Honolulu;
(808) 535-6735

Email: doknigh@alulike.org

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Eligibility:
Select middle schools are invited to participate to field test the curricula materials and attend teacher trainings.

Services:
The U.S. Department of Education grant provides project schools with software, hardware and supplies needed to field test the educational CD-ROM, Volcanoes Alive, associated classroom lessons, teacher guides, supplies for conducting science labs, and computer hardware needed by the curricula.

Costs:  Schools participate in teacher trainings provided at the project expense.

Locations:
The field test schools include:
Kapa`a Middle School, Kapa`a, Kaua`i
Ka Waihona `O Ka Na'auao Public Charter School, Nanakuli, Oahu
Moloka`i Intermediate School, Hoolehua, Moloka`i
Kula Ka`aipuni `O Ānuenue, Honolulu, Palolo, Oahu
Lokelani Intermediate School, Kihei, Maui
Ka `Umeke Ka`eo Public Charter School, Keaukaha Home Land, Hilo, Hawai`i
Keakealani Outdoor Education Center, Volcano Village, Hawai`i
Volcano School of Arts & Sciences Public Charter School, Volcano, Hawai`i

Funding:
The project is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, "Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development, Teacher Training, and Recruitment Program." The grant to ALU LIKE includes a sub-award to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute.


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