This model unit, intended for elementary and intermediate level students, inventories Alaska's historic sites and examines the values of preservation. The unit can easily be adapted for use by teachers in other parts of the country. The objective is to introduce an awareness of the architecture and structural aesthetics of our man-made past and a sensitivity and value of preservation for present and future generations. The unit is comprised of three parts. In Part I, which comprises over half of the unit, actual Alaskan sites are listed and briefly described. Suggestions for discussion/research activities follow the descriptions. The activities are many and varied. For example, students are given a definition of the term "historical site" and are then asked to list ten"historical sites" in their own life (e.g. the first tree they climbed) and to explain the significance and location of each site or structure. In many activities students are asked to do research on and to discuss topics such as why did people who built log cabins use green wood or what is saddle-corner construction? Throughout the unit students keep a journal. Part Two of the unit provides a behind-the-scenes look at the type of people involved in historic preservation. The role of funding agencies, foundations, and the federal government in historic preservation and the technical preservation process are discussed. The third part of the unit is designed for higher level students who are capable of conducting an actual survey or doing an inventory of local or regionally significant historical sites. Step by step directions are provided. A bibliography of student and teacher resources is included. (Author/RM)