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Loko iʻa, or traditional Hawaiian fishponds, backed by thousands of years of wisdom and knowledge of the kupuna (ancestors), were ecological treasures that thrived because of their harmonious connection with the surrounding land and water. Rather than imposing on the land, kupuna seek to understand the relationship between tidal flows from the ocean, the nutrients from the watershed, and the fish in the pond. As a result of this understanding, kupuna strategically choose locations for loko ʻia that amplify the abundance of the surrounding area. The end product is an expanse of the sustainable food production system from mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean). Sadly, most ancient fishponds have been destroyed or overrun by development. Various efforts are underway to restore the few that survive by integrating traditional knowledge and current technology. An example of this effort is done in a fishpond on Mokauea Island, off the south shore of Oʻahu. Once a small holding pen for young fish (kiʻo pua), the fishpond was enlarged in the early 1980s to the size of a football field. Recently, temperature, dissolved oxygen, water level, and flow rate sensors were deployed to understand basic physical characteristics of the pond. Mathematical models were adapted to analyze the observed data, and used to understand climate change effects. While the modeling and the computational aspects of this work is interesting, the emphasis of the work is on developing interdisciplinary projects and classroom materials drawn from real world applications. As an ecologically integrated food system, a fishpond is an excellent nexus for interdisciplinary projects. For example, the mathematical model for dissolved oxygen level necessitates the understanding, among others, the wind regime of the area, sediment oxygen demand, and surface and water oxygen saturation levels. At the heart of this work is preparing future generations by making a connection between ancient knowledge with current technology, data analysis, mathematical modeling. In this vein, an equitable relationship with the indigenous knowledge keeper and the land stakeholders is the key to the success of the project.