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Northland CollegeDepartment of Outdoor EducationOED 261 Environmental Education Curriculum ReviewCourse Syllabus
I. Course Information: Instructor: Clayton T. Russell Office: Wheeler 326 Office Hours: M, T, W 10am-Noon Phone: w: 682-1491 h: 373-2983 E-mail: crussell@northland.edu Semester: Fall 2005 Class Hours: T, R 2:30- 4:20pm Wheeler 209
Required Texts: Geography of Childhood, Gary Nabhan and Stephen Trimble Developing Ecological Consciousness, Christopher Uhl The Singing Wilderness, Sigurd F. Olson
Recommended Texts: Earth in Mind, David Orr Mapmaking with Children: Sense of Place Education for the Elementary Years, David, Sobel. A Guide to Curriculum Planning in Environmental Education, 1994. Environmental Science: A System Approach to Sustainable Development, Dan Chiras Beyond Ecophobia, David Sobel Getting Started: A Guide to Bringing E.E. into your Classroom Sharing Nature with Children, Joseph Cornell, 20th Anniversary Edition. The Heart of America: Our Landscape, Our Future,Tim Palmer, Project WET Ecological Literacy, David Orr Environmental Education, Wilke, R., Ed. Ecological Education in Action; On Weaving Education, Culture and the Environment, ed. Smith and Williams A Northwoods Companion: Fall and Winter, John Bates
II. Statement of Philosophy Environmental Education is a process aimed at developing a world population that is aware of, and concerned about the total environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, commitments and skills to work individually and collectively toward solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones.
III. Course Description During this course we will spend a great deal of time participating in, presenting, and evaluating current environmental education (E.E.) curricula. After experiencing the variety of materials available we will try our hand at developing E.E. programs around themes and events in our region. We will work individually and in small groups to complete assignments. I view this process as something we all do together, each of us bringing a unique experience, vision and energy to the work.
IV. Learner Outcomes (assessment strategies) 1. Students will be able to define environmental education and clearly articulate the five (5) subgoals. (class discussion, lesson plans, mid-term) 2. Students will demonstrate competence in implementing the theories and grade appropriate practices of environmental education. (lesson plans, Superior Kids, précis) 3. Students will be able to explain the wide variety of natural resources and be able to demonstrate methods of conserving these natural resources. (classroom EE activities, Earth Day sheet) 4. Students will list and discuss appropriate ways in which citizens can actively participate in the resolution of environmental problems. (mid-term, classroom discussion) 5. Students will express their personal responses to class learning in a reflective paper or project. (reflection project) 6. Personal Learning Goals______________________________________________________________________________________________________
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V. Course Assignments (individual) 1. Attend and actively engage in classroom discussions, group projects, quizzes and activities pertaining to various E.E. curricula. (100 points) 2. Pick an issue of your choice and prepare a one page “Earth Day briefing paper”. Se sure to include an overview of the issue, how the issue can be resolved, or how we can get involved, and resources for more information i.e. web site, books, local contacts (100 points.) Due at midterm-October 11. 3. Read an approved journal article and prepare a one-page précis. This format will be provided in class. (100 points) 4. Personal Belief – Reflection Project. Create a project that reflects your personal learning, growth, memories, beliefs, feelings, dreams, which occurred or were reawakened through this class. The project should synthesize information from your own life, teaching experiences, beliefs about E.E. and information gained through reading and discussion. The process should be fun and have authentic intellectual value. Students will also turn in a written reflection (one page typed) describing the process of creating this project. Examples may include: a poem, story, skit, musical piece, journal kept with a final piece coming from the journal, visual work or other, negotiated with the instructor. (100 points) 5. Mid-term and final exams. (100 points each)
VI. Course Assignment (group) 1. Develop two environmental education lessons and teach one to a community group. We will use The Singing Wilderness and the Bad River Integrated Resource Management Plan as beginning points for this work. Lesson formats will be shared in class. (100 points each)
VII. Extra Credit 1. Attend a campus or community environmental lecture and prepare a five-minute overview to share with the class. In addition, hand in a one page typed summary of the talk and your observations (10 points each – limit 5). 2. Initiate a campus environmental action. (i.e. clean-up, awareness campaign, letter writing, etc) or join an existing environmental group. Report to class regularly, say—two or three times. (10) points.
STATEMENT ON GRADING: Students and instructors will be evaluated through mid-term and final projects, quizzes, community contacts, classroom presentation/participation, the personal belief/reflection final paper and/or presentation. Instructor and peer evaluation will be combined with self-evaluation elements. Towards the end of class students will have an opportunity to evaluate the instructor.
No late work will be accepted!
STATEMENT ON ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to be present for each class. Students who miss class are responsible for assignments and material presented. Early warning notices are mailed on the basis of attendance. I do not expect you to come to class if you are sick.
COURSE FEE: A $35.00 course fee is being charged for this course. The fee is paid to the Wisconsin Project Wild office for your Project Wild and Project Wild Aquatic Activity Guides. As a certified user of Project Wild you will receive regular updates and conference notices form the state office. Your course materials from the Leopold Education project have been generously donated by state chapters of Pheasants Forever
IIX. Seven Competencies for preservice teachers in Environmental Education 1. Knowledge of the wide variety of natural resources and methods of conserving these natural resources. 2. Knowledge of the interactions between the living and non- living elements of the natural environment. 3. Knowledge of the concept of energy and its transformations in physical and biological systems. 4. Knowledge of local, national, and global interactions among people and the natural built environment. 5. Ability to use affective education methods to examine attitudes and values inherent in environmental problems. 6. Ability to study environmental problems through outdoor teaching strategies, simulation, case studies, community resource use and environmental issue investigation, evaluation and action planning. 7. Knowledge of ways in which citizens can actively participate in the resolution of environmental problems.
IX. Tentative Schedule of Activities: Major activities/events: Introduction to ourselves and E.E. Solar System Draw Me A Tree What is Environmental Education A Guide to Curriculum Planning in E.E. Earth Matters – Studies for our Global Future .Acclimatization Walks Ecological Identity Work It’s All Connected – Recycling Education “The Projects”-an overview Project Wild – Activities MIDTERM Project Wild Aquatic-Activities A – Way with Waste Sharing Nature with Children Project Learning Tree – Activities Inquiry and Reflection Living Lightly in the City Living Lightly on the Planet Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions. Teaching for a Sustainable World Leopold Education Project Connecting With Nature Personal Reflection Papers Course Review FINAL EXAM – Wednesday, December 14th from 2-4 pm.
X. Reading Schedule 9/15-Discuss Nabhan/Trimble. Up to page 75 9/27-Finish discussion on Nabhan/Trimble 10/11-Quiz and discussion on Uhl, Part One 10/27-Quiz and discussion on UhlPart Two 11/17-Quiz and discussion on Uhl part three 12/1-Discuss Olson
Note: Individuals who have a disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect your ability to perform in this class, are encouraged to inform the instructor. Adaptation of methods, materials, or testing may be made as required to provide for equitable participation. Students in need of academic or medical accommodation should contact Judi Holevatz, R.N. at extension 1340, room 206 in the Ponzio Student Center
Group Assessment Sheet
Date of Activity: ____________________ Location:________ Lesson Plans/Agenda Attached? Y / N
- Briefly discuss the planning process you r group used to prepare for this activity:
- What lessons concerning planning would you share with next year’s group?
- How was your activity received by the students? What worked? What needs work?
- How did you measure student learning? What proof do you have that students learned the desired information or mastered the skills you were trying to teach?
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