Students, along with their kumu, will attend up to four sessions at Kaʻala Learning Center to learn about the history of Kaʻala and scientific concepts of sustainability within an ahupua’a – including water, food, medicine and clothing. 

Driving Question: How might an ahupua’a system be effectively managed as a healthy watershed and utilize its natural resources such as water, wauke and kalo in order to sustain our community today?

Enduring Understanding: Students will learn Hawaiian history and scientific concepts in conjunction with the five features of sustainability for an ahupua’a: water, food, medicine, clothing and shelter.

Curriculum Outline:

Visit 1: Tour of Kaʻala Learning Center. Introduction and history of the land and significance of kalo. Discuss changes to land use over time. Students will spend time to malama the loʻi and basic farm maintenance (for those who cannot go into the loʻi).

Visit 2: Water quality testing. Assess the health of the stream and loʻi by collecting data such as temperature, stream velocity, pH, nitrates, turbidity macroinvertebrates. Test point source stream locations above, below and in the lo’i for comparative analysis. Analyze and discuss data afterwards.

Visit 3: The role of fiber arts in the sustainability of an ahupua’a system. Kapa making, and/or weaving, introduction including its role in Hawaiian history. Learn how to select and harvest wauke. Introduction to kapa tools, pound a sample of kapa, and introduction to natural dyes.

Visit 4: Harvest and cook kalo for either ku`I kala or kalo/ulu flat bread making. Discussion of where our food comes from including food such as medicine, and the health and economic implications of a local versus imported food system.

We will utilize our network of community partners, schools and kumu to reach out and recruit for this effort. Depending on grade level, sessions with students will last between 1 – 2.5 hours.

Due to the amount of preparation each session requires, Kaʻala will hold these sessions up to 3 days each week.