Last updated: February 22, 2022
Lesson Plan
Klondike's Environmental Impact on People
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- WA State Standards
E1.3.2, G2.6-8.3
Essential Question
How did the environment impact people on their way to the Klondike Gold Fields?
Objective
Students will:
• Create a list of living and non-living environmental factors that could have impacted travelers
• Reflect on their own experiences in the outdoors
• Imagine and plan what precautions they themselves would take on a short trip
• Write a paragraph on the importance of planning ahead before traveling
Preparation
Materials Needed
- Pictures of Alaskan or Canadian wilderness in each season (online if computer access available)
- Paper
- Pencil/pen
Lesson Hook/Preview
What situations were travelers to the Klondike Gold Rush prepared to handle? Are there any bugs or animals that could have caused them harm? Do you think the small chance of finding gold successfully outweighed the risks and costs of sailing and hiking into the Yukon?
Procedure
Engage
Think about the times you’ve spent outside. Where are you most comfortable? What about that outdoor space makes it better than others you’ve been to? What kinds of animals and weather do you like to be surrounded by and why? What prevents you from going outside?
Explore
Find a partner, and together, plan a week-long camping trip somewhere in Alaska. Make a list of everything you think you might need or want on your trip. After the student pairs have finished their list, show them photos of Alaskan weather, flora and fauna, and relay the Klondikers’ woes with mosquitoes. Give them time to look over the images and edit their lists if needed. Pairs share their lists with the class, and then individually write a short paragraph on the importance of planning ahead. This would be a good introduction to Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.
The park website is a helpful resource: https://www.nps.gov/articles/leave-no-trace-seven-principles.htm
Explain
There are so many cool things to see and places to go, but some of the more remote places can be dangerous if we don’t know what we’re getting into. It is important to consider even small things like mosquitoes – while they might not cause harm to most people, they can damage morale and cause plenty of frustration. Unlike gold rushers traveling to the Klondike though, we now have many stories of peoples past and systems of preparedness such as weather forecasts, trail ratings and maintenance crews, campsite reservations, and more.
Elaborate
Explain that planning ahead and preparing is one of the LNT principles, and have students look them up. Have students choose one and explore it. How does it limit the way we can interact with the environment? How does it limit the damage human visitors can do to these places? How does it help us navigate safely? Are there any other principles they think should be adopted?
Evaluate
A camping trip might be something that students haven’t experienced often, or at all. Have students relate packing and planning for a camping trip to packing and planning for an average day – how do they decide what to bring with them to school? What kind of things do their caregivers pack for a day on the town or for work? What kinds of everyday situation do they like to be prepared for and why? Everyone has different access to resources and different reasons for bringing what they bring. Depending on the season, some people might bring a jacket. Depending on the grade level or subject, people might bring a computer or calculator. Have students think about what their day would be like if they forgot something and relate the seven LNT principles to city life. What are the effects on the urban environment when people don’t follow them?