Bridging Cultures and Conservation: A Curricular Framework for Integrating Indigenous Studies and Restoration Ecology

Abstract

The integration of Western scientific inquiry and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) remains a significant gap in secondary education, often leading to the marginalization of traditional ways of knowing. This educational scholarship addresses the need for culturally responsive curricula that honor Tribal sovereignty and land stewardship while meeting rigorous state science standards. The curriculum involves a 5E instructional framework centered on the declining Washington prairies. Using the Two-Eyed Seeing methodology, this work weaves Western ecological principles with Indigenous anthropological relationships to the land. The resulting scholarship provides a structured pedagogical model that utilizes Totemic Species and the geomorphic mystery of the Mima Mounds as focal points for student inquiry. This design process demonstrates that centering culturally and ecologically important species creates an accessible pathway for students to engage with restoration principles and intergenerational knowledge transfer. This scholarship concludes that by bridging these distinct knowledge systems, educators can challenge traditional hierarchies of evidence and foster a more inclusive environmental literacy that prepares students to address ecological challenges.