Climate Kids-Tribes was invited to join in on a special Wiiwish calendar project led by the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indian's environmental department. This project teaches the community how to make Wiiwish through an 18-month calendar each month detailing step-by-step instructions through photos of tribal youth participating in each of the following activities: Acorn Gathering, Cracking & Drying, Cleaning and Peeling, Grinding, Leaching, and Cooking.
The Climate Science Alliance was invited to bring a module to engage the youth and enhance their understanding of impacts to Oak habitats through the threat of invasive beetles such as the Goldspotted Oak Borer and the Shot Hole Borer as well as climate change.
Presentations included themes on climate change impacts to carnivores, oak trees, GSOB and hands-on-science activities with science observations. Students put on their lab coats and filled out observation sheets about invasive beetles and local carnivores. All activities were tied to positive actions they can take to help these sensitive species. Students learned about ways they can help these oak trees and chose actions from the Climate Kids "10 Things I can do to help" poster. Students created a community art piece of an oak tree with helping hand commitments and acorn finger prints.
A big thank you to the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians for inviting us to participate in this amazing project!
