Climate Change Threatens Spring Tradition for Umatilla Tribes
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Provided by: NPR|Published on: May 3, 2023
Articles/WebsitesScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This article and linked podcast is about the Umatilla springtime tradition of gathering wild celery, the importance of this tradition, and why climate change is making it harder for the tribes to uphold the tradition.
- Students will hear from tribe members about the ritual and how they believe wild celery plants are connected to their ancestors and loved ones.
Subjects: Social Studies, Biology, English Language Arts
Authors: Anna King
Region: North America, USA - West, United States, Oregon, Eastern Oregon
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This brief story allows students to hear about how climate change is affecting Native American traditions.
- This podcast is concise and easy to understand.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should understand that climate change may lead to drier conditions and major shifts in seasonal patterns.
- A commercial may play before the podcast begins.
Differentiation
- For a middle school language arts course, students could interpret the information in this resource alongside other forms of media that deal with similar themes.
- For a high school language arts course, this podcast and article allows students to evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and tone.
- Students could use this podcast to evaluate the political and economic decisions that have lead to climate change, and how this change has influenced the cultural and environmental characteristics of various places and regions.
- This article could be used to connect to lessons about differing cultural traditions, food insecurity, or the importance of nature to various groups of people.
This resource from NPR follows a group of women and girls from the Umatilla Tribes of Oregon as they follow their spring tradition of gathering wild celery. The deep meaning of this custom is explored, as it binds the Umatilla community with their ancestors, many of whom were victims of the COVID pandemic. The effects of climate change on the celery harvest are highlighted, as it has led to less predictable and shorter wild celery seasons. This resource is a case study of how climate change is changing people's lives and interfering with age-old traditions, something that is sure to worsen in the coming decades as the climate continues to warm. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
