NEW Kūkulu Pilina: Rooting Learning in Hawaiʻi PDE3 course

This fall we are offering a NEW 3-credit course, Kūkulu Pilina: Rooting Learning in Hawaiʻi. This course is open to Hawaiʻi DOE secondary teachers and administrators* who are new to Hawaiʻi or seeking to deepen their understanding of Hawaiian culture. Grounded in culturally rooted, place-based education, the course draws on key principles from OHE’s ʻĀina Aloha Framework to guide teaching and learning in Hawaiʻi. Through shared learning, ʻāina-based experiences, and applied practice, participants will deepen their understanding of Hawaiian language, moʻolelo, and place-based knowledge. These experiences are designed to support students’ sense of place, identity, and kuleana, while exploring how such approaches can strengthen Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ) outcomes.

DOE teachers can now register on Learnsoft (Object #28037 Instance #84881)

*Just the two first sessions of this course are open to all K-12 educators (see the flyer to the right for information) while the full credit course is open to public school grade 6-12 teachers.

Free K–12 Introductory Sessions

Looking to deepen your understanding of Hawaiian culture and root your teaching practice more deeply in place and culture? We are offering these two free live Zoom sessions, open to all K–12 educators!

Session 1: August 27th ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi & Moʻolelo Language: Language as a cultural lens
Explore the importance of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and moʻolelo (stories) in shaping Hawaiian culture, worldview, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge. Participants will reflect on how language provides a cultural lens rooted in the values of a culture, and consider how ʻōlelo and moʻolelo can deepen students’ understanding of place, identity, and connection.

Session 2: September 10th Kilo ʻĀina: Values, Protocol & Sense of Place
Explore Hawaiian cultural values and norms, including the role of oli (chant) and cultural protocol in expressing a worldview grounded in interconnected relationships, as reflected in the Kumulipo. Participants will also be introduced to kilo ʻāina—the practice of gathering place-based knowledge through careful observation—and explore the significance of place names and the ʻāina where their school is located. Together, these practices offer ways to understand and engage with the interconnected relationships and sense of place that are fundamental to the Hawaiian worldview.

For Grades 6–12 Educators: See the flyer to the left for the Learnsoft credit course enrollment option.

Hoʻākea is a statewide place-based learning initiative inspired by Hawaiian voyaging traditions that uses ʻāina and waʻa as living classrooms to develop students’ academic skills, cultural connection, leadership, and stewardship—cultivating a navigator mindset and preparing graduates who are globally competitive and locally committed.

From September through December of 2025, 15 Maui Nui schools and 20 waʻa- and ʻāina-based community organizations came together for the second annual Hoʻākea Maui. For the first time, waʻa were trailered directly onto school campuses—an intentional approach to expand access to more students. In collaboration with Hui o Waʻa Kaulua and Lele Aloha (Mānaiakalani), and with support from a statewide network of waʻa and ʻāina partners, the program hosted more than 15 days of immersive, culturally grounded learning. Experiences included on-campus waʻa visits, two dedicated high school career exploration days, and two interisland voyages to Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi, reaching over 1,800 DOE students. Additionally, more than 30 Maui educators participated in professional development focused on integrating place- and culture-based education into classroom instruction and curriculum. Through these shared experiences, students and teachers strengthened leadership, stewardship, and real-world problem-solving skills rooted in cultural practice and connection to ʻāina.

Looking ahead to 2026, we encourage DOE teachers and administrators to join our Hoʻākea Professional Development Day on Friday, August 21 (Statehood Day), open to all K–12 educators (see flyer and registration link above). This year’s programming aims to serve all Maui DOE schools, with elementary and middle schools receiving on-campus waʻa visits for entire 4th and 7th grade classes, and high schools participating in off-campus field trips centered on voyaging and ʻāina-based career pathways. West Side schools will also engage in off-campus programming serving 4th grade, 7th grade, Kula Kaiapuni, and select high school students. Keep an eye out for our Hoʻākea 2026 series and programming near you!

Kūkulu Pilina Professional Development

Kūkulu Pilina is a professional development series and PDE3 course for Maui DOE secondary school teachers focused on the potential for community partnership and ʻāina-based education to deepen HĀ (BREATH) through ʻāina aloha practices contextualized to their particular place and community. Both the PD series and the PDE3 course are facilitated by Maui Huliau Foundation staff in partnership with various ʻāina-based organizations on Maui. We recently launched a new page on our website dedicated to these programs.

 ʻĀina-based Resources for Teachers

During the 2021-22 school year, we launched a new page on our website to provide resources to promote community partnership and ʻāina-based learning both in the classroom and in our Maui community. On that page you will find virtual huakaʻi (field trips) and online activities created with program partners during the 2020-21 school year as part of our Maui Aloha ʻĀina Virtual Classroom. We also added a list of community partners and teachers professional development resources. You will also find ready-to-implement ʻāina-based activities designed for groups of teachers and students to engage in more culturally grounded lessons and experiences created in our current PD series.

Field Trip Support for Teachers

As a part of the Kūkulu Pilina program, we are able to support teachers with planning field trips for whole grade levels or single classes. How we can help:

• Coordinating buses 
• Connecting with partners
• Customizing lessons & activities
• Day-of chaperoning
• Pre/post field trip lessons

 In-School Filmmaking Support for Teachers

Maui Huliau Foundation now offers support for in-school filmmaking projects with teachers, as well as student-led film projects. This initiative launched in spring 2022 has allowed us to reach more students and respond to the growing number of requests we have received from teachers and community groups. Teachers can visit our filmmaking program page using the button below to request support for film projects with their students that have an environmental or ʻāina-based focus.

Customized Climate Literacy Curriculum

This 20-minute workshop video presents an overview of resources available for grade 8-12 teachers as part of our Huliau Climate Literacy Project. It shares a brief overview of the units focusing on climate change causes, impacts, and solutions, including example in-class and virtual activities. It also shares information on student-led projects, field trips, and ways that our staff can assist teachers in implementing a customized program for their students ranging from 2-10 weeks. We can also provide teaching assistance and help facilitate student-led projects focused on climate change solutions. Visit our program page using the button below to access our online classroom and learn more.

Student Produced Films

Our YouTube Channel contains nearly 100 films created over the past decade by students in our Huliau Environmental Fimmaking Club program! These films have been selected over 160 times in festivals around the world. These films are organized in to playlists by topic such as “Plastic Pollution”, “Native & Invasive Species” and “Sustainable Agriculture”, making it easier to find a relevant film to show to your class (they are also organized by the year they were created). We also have a virtual huaka’i (field trip) playlist (shown right) containing 12 virtual field trips created during the 2020-21 school year with our students and program partners. These field trips also have self-guided and virtual activities for students in our Maui Aloha ʻĀina Virtual Classroom, which you can find on our Virtual Classrooms page.

Ready to Implement ʻĀina-Based Activities for Students and Teachers

Through our Kūkulu Pilina Program, we’ve developed ready-to-implement ʻāina-based activities that can be modified to fit any group of teachers and students. These activities promote team building, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of our human relationship with the natural environment and native ecosystems. Visit our ʻĀina Based Resources page for access to downloadble activities and lessons.

Virtual Cultural PD Session Recording

ʻO Hawaiʻi Ke Kahua o ka Hoʻonaʻauao: An Introduction to Rooting Learning in Hawaiʻi is a virtual professional development session for DOE secondary teachers and administrators new to Hawaiʻi and those that want to learn more about Hawaiʻs host culture. To view this session, click this link or visit our ʻāina-based resources page for more details on this PD experience.