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Published
2025-09-04
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Curriculum
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Copyright (c) 2025 Julie Robinson Robinson, Kathy Smart, Danny Luecke
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Sacred Relatives:
Learning About Interconnectedness Within the Local Watershed
Julie Robinson
University of North Dakota
Kathy Smart
University of North Dakota
Danny Luecke
Turtle Mountain College
Keywords: watersheds, place-based education, Indigenous Science, professional development, online learning
Abstract
This article describes an online module developed and offered as part of a professional development (PD) program for elementary teachers in grades 3 - 5 from rural and Tribal schools in North Dakota. This module, entitled Sacred Relatives, which is one of the North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings, focuses on exploring the interconnectedness of all living and nonliving elements in our natural world. In this module, teachers engage as learners in place-based, outdoor activities and learn how to integrate the understanding of Sacred Relatives into their own classroom instruction and grade-level curriculum, with a focus on the local Red River watershed.
