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Being from Hawai'i, the ocean is second nature for many residents here. Many students spend just as much time near/with/in the ocean as with the standard (4 walls) classroom. In the Hawaiian culture, the ocean is viewed as an entity essential to our daily activities and lifestyle. Students are accustomed to using their observational skills to interpret nature which is providing the information needed before engaging with the ocean. At a young age; many families teach their kids how to read swells, currents, winds, clouds, animals, etc. Similar to how a family would teach their kids about riding a bike, walking across a street, cooking a meal, or doing chores. For a typical family in Hawai'i, teaching these observational skills and general information about the ocean is essential to their well-being and development. My students are already experts of the ocean before they even enter my class in Kindergarten. They are able to tell me how waves are formed, what is high-tide and low-tide, how to clean/cook a fish, how to swim, make a sand-castle, when it is too dangerous to go into the water, etc. The tools and resources I am requesting will provide my students a deeper learning experience by supporting these three connections: Their learning from the classroom, background knowledge (lived experiences), and discovery. Their learning from the classroom will be new information. The typical science standards, readings, researching, and written assignments. However, to make way for new learning and in order to enrich that experience, they must utilize their lived experiences as a foundation to build upon new learning. Thus, I must actively make connections to new learning through the use of culturally relevant instruction. Lastly, discovery will be amplified through the requested resources. Students will not only discover more about the ocean, but about themselves.
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