Auke Rec. Plant Adaptation

Tuesday June 8th:
While we were at Auke Rec. we picked plants. We learned that the plants in the forest can absorb water and nutrients from the forest floor, but the plants and grasses on the beach can't absorb nutrients from the sand. When the tide comes up the salt water covers them, so they had to adapt to their environtment by changing their physical characteristics. The majority of plants on the beach have a layer of wax to keep the salt water from being absorbed. They have pores that open up when it rains to collect fresh water so they can survive. That is how one plants adaptation would work.

Seal Dissection

Saturday June 12th:
For the seal dissection we prepared by getting protective gear which included gloves and an aprin. Next we removed the head from the body. The next step was to make an incession along the anterior side of the seal. After that we removed all of the cardiovascular and digestive systems. Once they were removed we brought the seal down to the water's edge to rinse out the blood and bodily fluids. We then carried the seal back to the upper part of beach. We removed the ribs and spinal cord.Then we seperated the meat from the blubber and skinned the seal.Seal AdaptationsWe learned seals have whiskers for sensing things in the water. They use them to feel vibrations in the water so they know if anything is around them. They have blubber that keeps them warm and skin that sheds. They can't see in color but they have big eyes to see in the dark. They have claws to help them climb. Their ears are holes in their head instead of ear flaps. Their circulitory system has more blood than other animals and they are able to control where their blood goes and slow their beats down to seven beats per minute in order to go to deep depths.

Catamaran Trip

Catamaran Trip:
Wednesday June 9th:
The trip that we took on the Catamaran with the elders was significant to me because we learned about what the elders knew. Whenever we saw something significant to us we stopped and marked a way point on our G.P.S. so we could see where we could mark it on a map later to see where we went and where we saw things. On our trip we stopped at Scar Rock. While we were at Scar Rock we saw Killer whales and seagulls. The elders talked about in the past they used to sing to the whales to show respect. Butch Laiti said that it wasn't very common to see the whales in that area and they must have been their ancestors. The elders had many stories to share with us summer camp kids. Some of the elders used to live in Taku Inlet and some still fish there. I am connected with the land culturally because it is my history. My grandpa who is yenyeidi still goes gill netting there.

Auke Rec:
Tuesday June 8th:
While we were at Auke Rec with the elders and teachers we learned a lot about the history and the signficance of the land to the auk. kwan. We learned that the water line was much higher than it is now and that you used to be able to see the hearing and frogs in the water. The hearing don't come up anymore and neither do the frogs. There also used to be village houses which was were the forest is now growing, near the totem pole. (name of totem pole) While at Auke Rec we were given the chance to dissect a salmon and a crab. When I made the first incession I discovered my fish was a female because all the eggs started to flow out onto my cardboard table.



While we were at Auke Rec we tried to replicate what elders used to do by preparing the salmon in a pit. First we dug a hole in the sand and collected rocks about the size of a hand. We lined the pit with the rocks to act like coals to heat our food. Next we had to gather grass, skunk cabbage leaves, and ferns. Then we put in the fish which was wrapped in almunium foil to keep the skunk cabbage's juices from getting into the fish and we also put in a container of diced up potatoes. Next we layered the grass, ferns and skunk cabbage on top of the food. Then we added a layer of smaller rocks to hold down the leaves. After that we put wood on top of the leaves and rocks so that the food would be heated. After a couple hours when the fish was done cooking we had to put the rocks back onto the beach around the area where we had found them.

Mount Robert's:
Friday June 11th:
We hiked up from the 6th street trail head. While on the hike we observed the difference in the environment. We were given math problems which involved counting the rings of a cut down tree to see how old it was and we came up with an approximate number of 100. This trip was biogically important to us because it showed how different areas have different themed environments.