Every human possesses a “sense of place,” subjective feelings and memories evoked by a geographic location. Both culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions. This is especially evident of sacred places where physical and human characteristics interact to give spiritual meaning and significance. This inquiry-based lesson explores sacred places from a global to local scale of analysis, examines the unique nature of indigenous sacred places, and culminates with an investigation of local indigenous sacred sites. Based upon the 5E Model of Inquiry, this culturally responsive lesson incorporates active learning strategies and numerous scaffolds for diverse learners. This lesson is the product of a 2022 Summer Academy field study of The GeoCivics Project: “Westward Expansion Through the Lens of Indigenous Communities.” The GeoCivics Project is funded by the US Department of Education and operates through the ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.
Secondary/High School |Place-based | Indigenous | Cultures | Inquiry
Xavier
A self-proclaimed “geofanatic” with 30+ years in education, Jeannine Kuropatkin teaches World History/Geography and Holocaust Studies at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona. As a coach for the Model UN Team and as the campus liaison with both the Sister Cities Mesa, Youth Ambassador Exchange Program and Global Ties Arizona, Jeannine promotes student awareness of global connections as well as opportunities for citizen diplomacy and travel abroad. Participation in two Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (Morocco and Indonesia) and teacher fellowships in Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, and the US Territories (Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands), have allowed Jeannine to share authentic cultural experiences in the classroom and at teacher workshops. An avid curriculum writer, Jeannine’s Geography and History lessons are published on websites such as PBS Learning Media, Arizona Geographic Alliance, University of Arizona’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Fred T Korematsu Institute, GeoCivics Project, as well as in the journal, “The Geography Teacher.” Jeannine actively embraces leadership roles in Social Studies Education, serving as the current Vice President of the Arizona Council for the Social Studies (ACSS), long-standing Teacher Consultant with the Arizona Geographic Alliance (AzGA), and member of the Holocaust Education Advisory Committee for the Arizona Jewish Historical Society. Jeannine has received the NCGE Distinguished Teaching Award, Herff-Jones/Nystrom & NCGE Lesson Plan Award, and NCGE/CRAM Award for Exemplary Classroom Lesson. She is also a three-time recipient of the Great Moments in Teaching Social Studies Award, as well as the Isidore Starr Distinguished Social Studies Teacher Award from the Arizona Council of Social Studies. Jeannine was selected for the City of Mesa, Martin Luther King Jr. “Educator of the Year" Award.