WEB-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ON THE IMPACTS OF RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ON NATIVE AMERICAN LANDS

The Impacts of Resource Development on Native American Lands collection has created investigative, case-based studies that explore new methods for integrating geologic research into undergraduate education. The initial collections are focused on the impacts of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation and gold mining at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. On-line resources are organized using an Earth system approach to systematically allow users to explore the geology, physiography, climate, biota, hydrology, cultural heritage, natural resources, exploration and development history, environmental impacts, human health impacts and political issues related to these sites. This collection is designed primarily for undergraduate and graduate level instructors and students to be used for either in-class instructional activities or for independent study. These collections are also designed to demonstrate the relevance of the geosciences to Native American peoples and to interest and recruit more Native American students to the geosciences. To assist geoscience educators, this collection includes tips for teaching indigenous people, and a detailed study guide is provided with suggested teaching activities to use this tool in geoscience classrooms. All resources are cataloged and are searchable through the content management system developed at the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College. This project was funded through a grant to the DLESE Community Center (NSF 03 06708). The project website is: http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/nativelands/index.html).