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| Hands-on Curriculum |
Environment & Sustainability
Heather
Coey
Reynolds Secondary School
3963 Borden St. Victoria, BC V8P 3H9 250-479-1696
hcoey@shaw.ca ; http://hcoey.tripod.com
With every activity of our daily lives, we connect with the interdependent web of life on Earth. The health of our environment is a reflection of the choices we make.” ~eartheasy.com
Course Outline
Goal:
The
overall goal of this course is to educate students about the environment and their place in it. The course aims to show how actions can have a positive or a negative effect on our environment (both locally
and globally) and thus empower youth to take responsibility and leadership in creating and maintaining a more environmentally
sustainable way of life into adulthood. The course aims to ‘get at’
both the aesthetic and practical components of environmental education… When people come to understand the importance of biodiversity, they are likely to encourage or even participate
in activities which support conservation and the sustainable use of resources. (Canadian Biodiversity Network)
It
is very important to note that the majority of this course follows the project based learning model and consists of hands-on
field work, explorations and action projects. The objective is to get out and
learn beyond the classroom as much as possible.
The
format of the course also recognizes the new British Columbia
Ministry of Education Environmental Learning and Experience document frame work of C.A.R.E. for understanding the various
forms environmental knowledge can take.
Complexity ~Life on earth depends
on, and is part of complex systems.
Aesthetics ~ Environmental awareness
enables students to develop and aesthetic appreciation.
Responsibility ~Human decisions
and actions have environmental consequences.
Ethics ~The study of the environment
enables students to develop an environmental ethic.
Post Secondary institutions such as Royal Road University and U-Vic are now building Environmental Education Programs to meet the growing
needs of our society. Beginning this education at the high school level will
be advantageous. In Victoria,
this is the only specific Environmental Course such as this being offered, and within it partnerships working with post-secondary
programs will be possible.
Organization:
The course will consist of 4 main components: 6 self-directed modules
containing curricular objectives for a broad spectrum of Environment and Sustainability topics with response journal; 2 Eco-book
club read and share; 4 workshop/discussion meetings spread out throughout the terms of the school year (4-8pm--including
potluck 100 mile light dinner & ECO-Flick); and hands on project work within the context of Environment and Sustainability (recommend
including involvement with school Get REAL group).
- The course runs outside the timetable
all year to afford flexibility to its members. Many students will receive a block
off in the timetable for having this course outside the regular time frame. This
time can be used for individual meetings with the instructor, module work and/or project work in or beyond the school.
- It is mandatory that students
have e-mail connection for ongoing discussion and responses related to module work topics, keep the class connected as
a group, stimulate thinking and to assist in facilitating hands on activity opportunities.
- 4 times per year 4-8pm gatherings will
be held for discussions, planning, workshops, project coordination and general support...and 100mile potluck & ECO-Flick!
contact instructor: hcoey@shaw.ca for module descriptions
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Task Required |
Title |
Time (approximate hours) |
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PART 1: Foundations |
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Module 1 |
The State of Planet Earth journal entries |
8 |
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Module 2 |
Ecology 101 journal entries |
8 |
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Module 3 |
Nature Appreciation and Biodiversity journal entries |
8 |
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Part 1 Book Review |
Book of choice—Part 1 Theme |
10 |
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2, 4-8
pm
Meeting Sessions |
Discussions, Planning, Workshops, project coordination, 100 Mile Potluck & Eco-Flick |
8 |
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PART 2: Future |
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Module 4 |
Ecological Footprints & Sustainability Indicators journal entries |
8 |
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Module 5 |
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Restore journal entries |
8 |
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Module 6 |
Sustainable Future journal entries |
8 |
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Part 2 Book Review |
Book of choice—Part 2 Theme |
10 |
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Unit 5 |
Taking Action Annotated Log of Involvement in related Activities |
30-50 |
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2, 4-8
pm
Meeting Sessions |
Discussions, Planning, Workshops, project coordination, 100 Mile Potluck & Eco-Flick... final
Meeting to be student presentations-- Power Point to Summarize what you learned during the course |
8 |
Assessment Component:
Module Journal ~40%
Keep a journal where you make comments and discuss
items as indicated in each module. Include a module heading and the reference
# for your entry.
Annotated Activity Log ~40%
The intent is for you to take ACTION and
get involved in additional activities to support the theme of the course (see below for ideas).
Book Reviews ~10%
Read two books (one for each part of the course)
and fill out a book review as well as include your thoughts from what you read in your journal.
Final Summary Project ~10%
Create a power point which summarizes all that
you learned through this course
You will be
assessed with the following rubric for each of these tasks and a personal interview:
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·
Work meets grade-level expectations
·
Evidence that relevant learning outcomes
have been met
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Required tasks are
complete but perhaps minimally
Corresponds to:
Good Performance (C+; 67-72 %)
Very Good Performance (B; 73-85%) |
·
High quality work demonstrated consistently
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Very thorough
·
Evidence of personal investment in tasks
Corresponds to:
Excellent Performance (A: 86-100%) |
Environmental Activity Log May Include:
Taking part in the Get R.E.A.L. Group
Attending Film Viewings and Discussions on Environmental Topics
Attending extra workshops
Attending conferences/forums/speakers on environmental topics (like the
Fresh Minds Symposium at U-Vic or the Field trip to the Vancouver Aquarium---count time actually engaged in Environmental
program only though J)
Conduct a research project on an environmental topic/issue
Volunteer Time with an environmental Activity (Recycle Depot, reFUSE
food waste, Plastics recycling, helping with Salmon Enhancement Project, garbage pick up, clothing swap, Shore Keepers, Stream
Keepers, Green Spaces, Glendale Gardens, helping with mulch at front/courtyard, building cold frames for garden, building
compost bins for courtyard, planting in garden, building arches for vines, helping at Garry Oak work parties, helping with
Life Cycles elementary school program for gardens as well as community garden work parties)
Creating entries for Green Games
Coming up with your own idea and implementing a plan…
Ideas for Larger Projects (one option of obtaining hours):
Maintaining recycling program at school
Maintaining Courtyard “green space” with sustainable gardening
project
Native Species Plant Propagation
Natural Habitat Projection
Salmon Incubation Program
Watershed Care—Stream Keepers Program
Maintaining School Composting Program
Creating and updating a Website/Blog/Facebook site...
Engage in Provincial
Pilot projects in line with curriculum and course goals (e.g. Solar For Schools
Project –in proposal phase)
Partner with U-Vic Students for Garry Oak Restoration/Conservation Projects
Marine Ecology Projects—Shore Keepers
Partner with Swan Lake Conservation and restoration
Partner with Glendale Gardens for Conservation and restoration
Blenkinsop Creek Restoration and Clean-up
Coordinate a bike/walk to school week
Coordinate a clothing exchange
Organize sales of organic/fair trade products
Coordinate a 100 Mile Diet event/challenge
Champion a positive change for our school: Water use, paper use, energy use…
Take part in the Sierra Club/Growing School mentoring program with elementary
children for urban gardening projects
Note: this course is a survey course of a variety of topics and IDEAS/REFLECTIONS
with regards to the broad category, Environment & Sustainability. It is not a heavy theory course but rather focuses
on learning through doing and physically engaging in activities which support the main theme.
For students who wish to continue environment & sustainability studies at Reynolds, after taking this survey course,
they may enroll in an independent directed study course for credit where the teacher and the student
will design the learning objectives for the more focused topic(s) of choice together.
Learning Outcomes:
Students Will:
· Understand the C.A.R.E. framework for environmental study
- Develop an understanding of the need to
conserve biodiversity and use biological resources in a sustainable manner
- Understand basic ecological systems and human impact/influence on them
- Understand the basic concepts behind conservation and restoration
- Be aware
of climate change science claims
- Understand our limited Resources in terms of Water, Materials, Air,
Energy and Land
- Develop
an appreciation of Nature and a sense of Stewardship through getting out in it (outdoor experiences and exploring)…identifying
species (biodiversity there of) that we co-inhabit the planet with
- Understand
the concept of Sustainability
- Determine measurable indicators (water, materials, air, energy, land,
other) of sustainability in the local environment (School)
- Research
sustainability indicators to gain understanding and determine methods of measurement
- Use tools such as water quality testing and emissions calculations to measure
sustainability indicators chosen in any given year
- Conduct research
as necessary to obtain data on sustainability indicators and maintain progress over time, including arranging meetings with
appropriate persons
- Learn how to calculate one’s ecological footprint
- Analyse the data collected and make recommendations for improving sustainability
in the local environment & reduce personal and community ecological footprints
- Extrapolate findings to global community
- Create action plans for improving sustainability
- Initiate action plans
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Engage in positive environmental projects (in collaboration
with other school groups as desirable) throughout the course
- Continue Action Projects begun by previous years’ students through
continued assessment of the present condition of the local environment, and follow through the curriculum to the next level
of action
- Indicate a transfer of knowledge and skills gained in the course to their personal
lives
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