ASRC and the NSBSD Team on Curriculum

 Inspired by the film production “ASRC History,” the North Slope Borough School District joined ASRC in an effort to compile a high school social studies and language arts unit titled, “ASRC-tkut Quliaqtua?at.” This instructional unit was adopted by the NSBSD Board of Education at their meeting on May 5, 2011. “We support life-long learning and are very pleased to help prepare this curriculum for North Slope students,” said Rex Rock, Sr., President and CEO of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. “It’s vital for the next generation to understand where we come from both culturally and in the business world.”

There are four “big ideas” within the high school unit: how the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was a legal and political experiment for settling indigenous land clams in the United States; how Western and indigenous constructs about resources, land and labor are sometimes in conflict; how Iñupiaq life and culture have changed as a result of colonial relationships with global governments and economies; and how individuals and groups can bring about changes in political and economic systems through coordinated efforts.

TheActivity Guide for Teachers spells out the options that teachers have for using either of ASRC’s two history films. The teacher guide is accompanied by a student book that contains topic questions ranging from “What can American Indian policy in the United States teach us about the North Slope?” to “What is my role in the future of my people, state and corporation?” Student exercises hone in on conducting research to compare ANCSA and ASRC to historical and current U.S. Federal Indian Policy.

Debby Dahl Edwardson, President of the NSBSD Board of Education is excited about the unit. She shared the following, “ASRC-tkut Quliaqtua?at is simply awesome. We are deeply indebted to ASRC for developing such a thoughtful curriculum for our students. If our young people are to assume positions of leadership on the North Slope, it is essential that they learn North Slope history from resources such as this one. I cannot speak highly enough of the work that was done to explain the Alaska Native Claims Settlement act and the work of the corporation in terms that will engage young people. We are proud to approve this curriculum for our schools.”

“It is important for our students to understand their place in their community, state, nation and world.” says NSBSD Superintendent Peggy Cowan.  “This unit will provide them important knowledge to place ASRC in historic, political, economic and cultural context. We hope it is the first of many such units to provide depth about North Slope organizations to use in our Alaska History and Language Arts courses. The understandings provided by this unit, and others like it, will provide students the understandings to meet the Board’s vision for our youth being prepared to control their own destiny.”

Jana Harcharek, Director of the Iñupiaq Education Department at the NSBSD was instrumental in the creation of the unit which was written by Patricia H. Partnow, Ph.D. with assistance from Timothy Aqukkasuk Argetsinger. The North Slope Borough School District wishes to express deep appreciation to Arctic Slope Regional Corporation for their commitment to the children of the North Slope. It is this kind of partnership that helps anchor our children in who they are and attain the district mission of ensuring that “learning in our school is rooted in the values, history and language of the Iñupiat.”