Saving Buffalo Reef

• In this video, students learn about the stamp sands from copper mining that have made their way into Buffalo Reef and are affecting the habitat there.
• Students learn a brief history of copper mining in this area, the importance of copper to the Indigenous people of the area, and the effects that mass mining of copper in this area has had on the surrounding environment.

Positives

• This video is not only educational, but many of the choices made in production make it a very artistic and emotional piece of media.
• Interviews with many different people allow students to see a few different perspectives on the issue.

Additional Prerequisites

• Some students may need the terms stamp sands, cede, deposits, basalt, prevalent, sustainable, treaty, dredging, and others defined prior to watching the video.
• Students may want to look into the tribal make-up of this region and do more in-depth research on those tribes either prior to watching the video as a way to build background knowledge or after watching the video as a means of extending learning.

Differentiation

• Students can create a cause and effect web, beginning with copper deposits being found along the peninsula, and ending with the effects brought on by a loss of the fish.
• After watching this video, students can research other habitats that are threatened by human activity and compare and contrast them to Buffalo Reef.
• Students can discuss the impact that the treaty with nature held by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community has on their commitment to protecting nature and discuss how this may or may not differ from other people's outlooks.
• Geography classes can look at a map of the area and map the migration of the stamp sands to Buffalo Reef.
• English language learners can use the "Auto-translate" function on the video, or slow the video playback speed.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.