Exploring the Aloha State

BY ELIZABETH SLAWSON
L595
June 4, 2003
The purpose of a Pathfinder is to provide resources for a
thematical study of Hawaii for teachers, and students. This will
stimulate research through various materials including Internet
websites, databases, software, and print resources.
The following Websites have been previewed and selected to reflect the many topics to
search the Internet.
Fast Facts:
http://www.kidskonnect.com/States/StatesHome.html
Quick information on the capital, population, area, government, money, climate,
languages, religions of Hawaii.
http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com
Get facts about the land, population, government, and history of Hawaii.
Useful to find out more about tourism, which is the basis of Hawaii’s economy even
though
Overpopulation is a huge problem.
Hula:
http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/hawaii_magazine/hula/hula.html (AUDIO)
Study about the origins of the hula and listen to some of its audio sounds.
Hawaii in Songs:
http://www.maui.com/~sbdc/music/
Listen to beautiful classical and contemporary music from Hawaii. Traditional slack key
guitar music (acoustic guitar) and other instruments.
http://www.infoplease.com/
Pronounced lElEOO"Okälä'nE], Liluokalani wrote “Aloha Oe”- “Farewell to
Thee”, was the last reigning Hawaiian queen. Much of her remaining life was spent
trying to claim property and other losses from the United States federal government.
http://www.huapala.org/Hula_Instruments.html
List of hula instruments
http://www.ifccsa.org/hawainst.html
Facts about Hawaiian culture and native instruments.
www.amazon.com “ Blue Hawaii”, soundtrack, Elvis Presley
Don Ho “Tiny Bubbles”.
From the movie, “Blue Hawaii” starring Elvis Presley and some say his best. Don Ho,
singer and well known Hawaiian performer.
Island Geography:
http://www.gohawaii.com
See an interactive map of the eight major islands.
http://www.randmcnallykids.com
Use “ homework helper” and see a map of Hawaii; must have Acrobat Reader.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/glossary.shtml
Illustrated glossary of landforms; defines archipelago as a chain of islands stretching
some 1500 miles across the Pacific Ocean.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/edgeofsea/tidepool.html
Allows viewer to see the natural world’s most fascinating places. Provides a threedimensional QuickTime VR, a plug- included when one downloads the free QuickTime 3
or above.
http://geography.state.gov/cac8frame.html\
Defines the maritime borders of the U.S.; includes areas surrounding Hawaii such as
American Samoa.
http://satftp.soest.hawaii.edu/ (Visual image)
Satellite images from Satlab over Hawaii and the Pacific as well as current conditions of
the ocean surrounding Hawaii.
Hawaiian Literature:
http://www.amazon.com
James Michener’s novel, HAWAII (Mass Market Paperback, April l994,) tells the epic
story of the islands, starting with the first volcanic tremors announcing the underwater
birth of the islands, and continuing to a few years before statehood was achieved.
History, Tradition, and Culture:
www.imageshawaii.com
Just choose one of the islands and find information on the culture, geography, history,
people, plants and animals, government is given.
Most Diverse state –immigration from U.S. China, Japan, Philippines, Korea
http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/ (Audio)
Listen to audio clips of Hawaiian vowels and many common words and phrases of the
Hawaiian language.
http://www.polynesia.com/
Cultural site; Hawaiians came from Polynesia, thousands of surrounding islands south of
Hawaii.
http://hawaii-shopping.com
Search this site for Hawaiian related-clothes, weddings, etc.
http://members.cox.net/starview/leiday.html
Photos show a look at Hawaiian festivities and culture.
http://www.leigreeting.com/
Learn about the leu that represents the “ flower of welcome” in Hawaii.
www.hawaii-luaus.com
Website that tells how to plan for one’s next Hawaiian luau. Recipes are available and along with
advice on where to find the best luaus in Hawaii.
Hawaii in Movies:
http://www.fast-rewind.com/
Sites for location for many movies, not necessarily set in Hawaii. An escape scene for
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) was filmed in Hawaii there, as were parts of Jurassic Park
(1993), and King Kong (1976) and South Pacific, (1958).
Volcanoes:
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu (Images of Mauna Loa flows as well as other volcanoes)
Information on Mauna Loa, largest volcano on Earth, which takes half of the area of the
Island of Hawaii.
National Monuments:
www.nps.gov/usar/
USS Arizona Memorial, located in Honolulu, now lie beneath the waters of Pearl Harbor
is a national shrine “ symbolizes American sacrifice and resolve”.
http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com
“Remembering Pearl Harbor,” tells about the attack on U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor
on Oahu on December 7, l941. Japanese bombers attacked the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor.
Endangered species:
http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/endangered/endangered.html
There are more endangered species in Hawaii than anywhere else in the U.S.
Feral (wild) pigs are probably the biggest threat to Hawaii’s native species because they
trample, eat and endanger native plant species.
http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.govphawaii/pghawaii.html
Humpback whale- named Hawaii’s state marine mammal in l979; Hawaii is the only state
that has more ocean mammals than land mammals
Statehood:
http://www.mikids.com/SPAbbreviations.htm
Websites provides traditional and postal U.S. State/territory as well as Canadian
Provinces. Hawaii’s traditional abbreviations are Hawaii or H.I., and it’s postal is HI.
http://www.50states.com
Hawaii first petitioned Congress for statehood in l903, but it wasn’t until l959 that
Congress voted to admit Hawaii as the 50th state.
Beaches:
http://www.drbeach.org
Check out Poipu Beach Park where one may see green sea turtles in the clear-blue
Pacific.
http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/Hawaii
See the beaches, nature, people, and other points of interest for this tropical paradise.
Food:
http://www.hisurf.com/Recipes.html
Recipes for Hawaiian dishes, Internet Island Fruit Salad or
Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie
http://www.hawaii-luaus.com/recipes.htm
Plan a luau-menus include Oven Kalua Pig or Chicken Luau accompanied with Poi
which is a thick paste pounded from the root of a taro plant; it is eaten with fingers.
http://hawaiiweathertoday.com/mwt/mwt_surf.html
Water sports such as canoeing, swimming, surfing are popular. Surfing was invented in
Hawaii.
Databases:
http://www.educationindex.com/educationresources.html
example, geography resources that led to…
http://www.50states.com/
Any U.S. state can be clicked on to show capital cities, state birds, songs, nicknames, and
other relevant facts to each state. State flags are pictures.
http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/states/states.htmlShows color landform maps of the U.S.A. and view of the Hawaii’s islands.
http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=&submit=Search+Geography+World&spa=00023914-sp00000000
http://members.aol.com/bowermanb/ecosystems.html
List of ecyostems/biome Hawaii's Living Treasures - explore the flora and fauna of our
50th state.
http://www.thinkquest.org/library/lib/site_sum_outside.html?tname=J002491&url=J00
2491/
Student- created entry in the Thinkquest.org libraries
http://www.askeric.org/
Educational Resource Information Center-database search to social studies topic, which
linked to
http://www.americaslibrary.gov
Website from the Library of Congress mainly for elementary and middle school
students.
SOFTWARE:
http://www.tomsnyder.com
“Neighborhood Map Machine 2.0”,
Grades 1-5; this software helps strengthen social studies skills by creating maps for
countries or states. Facilitates important map and geography skills specifically for first
through third grade. Described as a hands-on program; students create maps of their own
neighborhoods, communities etc.
245 Neighborhood MapMachine 2.0, Tom Snyder Productions
250 2.0
260 Watertown Mass., 1997
300 CDRom and Teacher Guide
4XX Neighborhood Map Machine 2.0
5XXHands on program for creating a variety of maps
6XX Map Skills/ Social Studies/Geography
“Mapmaker’s toolkit, grades 4-12”,
CD-Rom and teacher’s guide allows students to explore over 450 maps of the
world. Included are theme maps that cover key events and issues in U.S. History.
Students can customize and print current and historical maps.
245 Mapmakers Toolkit/Tom Synder Productions
260 Tom Snyder Productions/Watertown, Mass., 1999
300 CD Rom and Teacher Guide
4XX Mapmakers Toolkit
5XX Kit customizes and prints current and historical maps of countries, continents, and
state maps
6XX MapSkills/Social Studies/Geography
*For fun
“Lilo and Stitch Hawaii, Hawaiian Adventure”, Disney Game;
Play an arcade type game as students learn the value of being a good citizen. Emphasizes
the true meaning of“ Ohana” (Hawaiian for family); Mostly entertainment and not
recommended for entertainment.
E-books:
Interesting, related non-fiction and fiction sources for children
McAuliffe, Emily, HAWAII FACTS AND SYMBOLS, Hilltop Books, Minnesota,
2000.
Gives information about the state of Hawaii, its nickname, motto, and emblems.
Osborn, Mary Pope, Sal Murdocca, HIGH TIDE IN HAWAII, Random House, New
York; 2003.
Adventures of Magic Tree House characters, Jack and Annie who are taken to
Hawaii to search for Morgan. Characters save island community from a tidal
wave. Fiction, fun, fantasy. 4-8 yrs
Salisbury, Graham, UNDER THE BLOOD-RED SUN, Delacorte Press, New York
1994.
Historical fiction based on a young boy’s life whose life changes for his Japanese
family in Hawaii after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
Slepian, Jan, THE BROCCOLI TAPES, New York: Philomel Books, l988.
Sara reports her experiences by tape back to her sixth grade class in Boston about
her stay in Hawaii. She details her adoption of a wildcat, friendship with a
troubled Hawaiian boy and death of her grandmother.
CONCLUSION:
Earlier in the year, the students were challenged to read for points.
Those points were turned into miles with the hope of landing in Hawaii so
that they could celebrate in Hawaiian style. After the unit is over, students
will celebrate a Hawaiian Day, which they will participate in games, wear
Hawaiian clothes, and eat Hawaiian food. This day will be celebrated at a
prearranged date sometime during the school year.