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After a hypothetical disaster

Jim Jaeger

Hello all!

As per usual, my history class went off on a huge tangent, this time talking about hypothetical disasters that could threaten the world today.  Using this as a teachable moment, I had students consider this scenario. They could not get to any stores because there was no transportation or communication. They had just a limited supply of food in their homes and the electricity was out. All they would have to eat was what they could find in the woods or fields. What things do you know of within walking distance that you could safely eat? How would you cook them, and if you couldn't cok, how would you feel about chewing on raw fish and wild grain? If you wanted to start growing food, where would you start?

Long story short, we were probably in trouble... 

  • We are out in Arizona so pretty hot and dry out this way. How do you think your learners might have answered?

  •  Great question!  And a pretty relevant conversation considering the state of things these days.  I'm from Maine, so we'd probably be ok.  Interestingly, I have been learning more about Wabanaki (a confederation of indigenous folks) culture here, and it is a reason why English colonization didn't work as well in the early days - there wasn't much farming and therefore food to trade, which was tough for the English who arrived in August in 1607 hoping to build a colony.  Pretty cool for self-sufficiency, though.  A challenge in this modern age, for sure.  I suspect most of my students would struggle, but there are definitely some who could figure it out, I think.

  • in reply to Carrie Emmerson

    P.S.  Another connection to a different era of world history (I had been thinking Agricultural Revolution, then early American colonization period at the time).  For years I have felt compelled to develop skills I might need in the event of a nuclear holocaust (child of the Cold War) - so far, it's making bread and knitting socks, but without directions I'm pooched.  What an interesting exploration of CCOT over many time periods.  Thanks for the idea!

  • in reply to Carrie Emmerson

       This is such a great example!  Maybe I can do this next year and have my students look into the indigenous cultures out this way to see how they survived. The Huhugam tribes are fairly well-studied so we could likely find some ideas there!