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KOA Ed

The KOA Ed class is an afterschool program for sixth graders. It focuses on learning journeys to natural reserves and game management areas, allowing students to understand the resources and threats to their community. The unit integrates the Na Hopena Aʻo framework and emphasizes implementing core values and beliefs in the Waianae community. Students engage in activities such as archery, survival skills, and learning about where they live.

This curriculum is still under review by faculty. Units identified as Under Review have been submitted by educators. While they are available to view now, they are currently being reviewed by our curriculum committee for addition to this site.

Standards Aligned

Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core Math, Na Hapena A'o, Other (see Unit)

Community Partner(s)

My community partners for this;

PALS and PLACES Hawaii. PALS (Place-based Afterschool Literacy Support)
The Bushwackers Archery Club in Kapolei

Essential Question

As 6th graders, kanaka, how can we use KOA to live and preserve our ahupua’a?

Enduring Understanding

The resilience of using low-tech tools to provide food for their families is grounded in our ancestors.
Learning that indigenous ways of self-sustenance is safer for them and the environment.
Learning the discipline of KOA, stillness, and self-control will support them in being on target for life.

Content

KOA Ed stands for Knowledge, Outdoors, and Archery, and in Hawaiian, koa means brave, bold, fearless, valiant, brave, and courageous. Koa describes the Hawaiian warrior. Koa is also the largest of native forest trees with light-gray bark, crescent-shaped leaves, and white flowers in small, round heads—a valuable lumber tree, formerly used for canoes, surfboards, and now for furniture and ukuleles. Small koa was sometimes added to the hula altar to Laka, goddess of the hula, to make the dancer fearless. In this class, students will learn mo’olelo about their place, survival skills for the wilderness, and how to track animals. Students will learn archery. Learning Journeys include The Bushwackers 3D Archery range in Kapolei and exploring hunting areas such as Waianae Forest Reserve, Makua Kea’au, and Kuaokala Game Management Area. Students MUST bring a water bottle and lots of koa. When kids come to one of our KOA after-school classes, you will see many (I'll start with 8) joyful kids practicing various outdoor survival skills (not just archery/hunting). One day they're going through an obstacle course to work on their strength and balance. The next day they're learning to catch fish with a throw net. Then almost every day, hit a target with a bow and arrow. I want to take them to the forest in their community (Kea'au, Waianae Forest Reserve, Kuaokala, and the Kapolei archery range to shoot at 3D targets). Every day is a new survival skills (10- 15 minute) mini-lesson, like how to tie strong knots, read animal tracks, or even make a fire using the old-time ways. Then they'll be standing as still as trees, silently stalking an imagined prey, or possibly on a Saturday morning Learning Journey. In KOA, students will learn through mo’olelo, two very valuable fundamentals which lie beneath almost everything else in life: Aloha, self-regulation, and paying attention. You'll see the students practicing these practical skills. But, through this PALS program, the students also learn even more profound lessons. The kids will think they're learning one thing (like archery). And they will. But they're also learning something more. What is this something more? They have us; we’ll show up because we care about them. Let's have koa and teach them the many benefits of living life at full draw.

Author Reflections

Author

Abraham Concepcion

Learner Level Elementary

Primary Content STEM, Physical Education, Health