Instructions

1) Ask students the Hawaiian name of the town, neighborhood, or street that they live on. Do they know what the name means? Consult Teacher Background: “Hawaiian Place Names” for examples of places named for a native Hawaiian species. Ask students if they know if these species are still present at these locations.

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2) Encourage them to think about their natural surroundings. Have they noticed changes in their neighborhood, at their favorite beach, surf break, or hiking trail? How?

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3) Tell students they will interview a kūpuna or older local resident about how the natural landscape of Hawaiʻi has changed in their lifetimes. Afterwards, they will tell their interviewee’s story in a documentary, music video, essay, class presentation, painting, slide show, song, or chant.

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4) Show the film Lāhainā: Waves of Change. Tell students to critique the film as they watch. What techniques do the filmmakers employ to create a sense of time and place? How are interviews, historic photos, and music incorporated? What kinds of things did interviewees talk about? Have students take notes, recording any new facts they learn about Lāhainā, and anything they notice about the craft of storytelling.

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5) Have students select a person to interview. Tell them to choose someone who has lived in Hawaiʻi for a long time and has spent time outdoors—a fisherman, farmer, forester, rancher, surveyor, or pilot, for example. Hula dancers and cultural practitioners are also good choices. Their interviewee could be an older family member, family friend, or an employee at one of the agencies listed in Teacher Background “Sources.” They can also contact Hale Makua or another retirement center for an interviewee.

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6) Pass out Student page “Tips for Interviewing.” Help students draft interview questions. Topics to cover include: disappearing forest or marine resources, new plant, animal, and insect species that are taking the place of the old ones, medicinal and cultural plants that are now rare. Don’t neglect positive changes, such as the re-introduction of nēnē, the Hawaiian goose, which was extinct on Maui.

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7) You will need to set the parameters for the interviews, such as:

• How long students will have to conduct their interviews.
• When they will need to hand in interview notes. These notes will help form the basis for their creative response.
• How students will tell their interviewee’s story. Options include a documentary, music video, essay, class presentation, painting, slide show, song, or chant.
• How research and presentations will be evaluated.

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8) Schedule a day for presentations and allow students to perform or display their work.

Note: Depending upon the needs of your students, you may need to schedule some class time to help students refine their research questions, identify more sources of information, or develop their final presentation.