July 26: A gathering of Kaua’i educators
For Hōkūle‘a’s visit to Kaua‘i, PVS hosted a gathering of educators to learn about the great work that classroom and informal educators are doing to inspire their students and communities to mālama honua – care for the earth.
On board Hōkūle’a, Steve Soltysik shared his message in a bottle lesson where his students learn about currents and marine debris while connecting with people all over the world.
We ended the day at Kaua‘i Community College at Dennis Chun’s Hawaiian Studies classroom where we asked educators about their ideas and suggestions for engaging their students and communities with the Worldwide Voyage.
Mahalo to the Kaua’i crew members and educators for hosting us and for sharing your stories and helping to strengthen the education program for the Worldwide Voyage! (Click on photos for a larger image and slide show.)
Photos of Steve Soltysik’s voyaging activities:
“The students learn to work as a crew. They assemble the small 8′ long double hulled canoe with the wood platform. Every student has a job, tying it together (lashing) only takes 10 minutes. Just 2 hulls, one wood platform. Then they work as a crew launching and taking turns riding on the floating canoe. Students usually make small waves, sink one hull, learn to take care of the canoe, bail it out, balance the canoe, and of course get wet. (Great fun on warm days.) When we are done with the lesson, I have a very basic water safety activity, 3 students rescue 3 students at the opposite side of the pool. Reach with a pole, toss a line or use something that is buoyant.”
“The canvas star compass really helped the students understand basic cardinal points, wind directions, and drift patterns of marine debris.”
“Students also make their own “Message on a Wood Floater” — small pieces of 2×4 wood that we branded, with the UH Hilo return address. This is a project in cooperation with Dr. Hank Carson, Marine Science Dept. UH Hilo, to learn more about wind and currents around the islands.”
