Integrating Environmental Sustainability in Clare 302: “Inquiry in the Natural World”

Overview of Proposal

Introduction

Rational Goals Objectives

Research

Syllabus/Description

How this project meets the goals of the Fellowship

Mary Yankelovich Endowed Fellowship

The Mary Yankelovich Endowed Fellowship program’s mission is to not only recognize exceptional talent and character, but also promoting and developing it.

Those dedicated to transformation of society based on the Franciscan ideals of peace, justice, reconciliation, and service are granted this endowed fellowship to create a service project.

Proposal

Inquiry in the Natural World project is to :

1. Modify the lecture into a specialized version of the Clare 302 lecture that focuses on environmental sustainability in the natural sciences.

2. The laboratory section is more specialized to tailor subjects cover in lecture as well as expanding the laboratory role outside the classroom into the community.

Goals

Beyond the 5 year plan!

Strengthen Franciscan Perspective

Encourage Interest in Clare College

Expand Environmental Program

Design a Research Component

Special Approach

End goal of the course is to combine theory and practice to develop the values of discovery, community and respect

Why did I chose this Project?

Experience in hands-on teaching

Passion for environmental issues

Relationship-building

Saw an opportunity Turned off non-science students Students didn’t see larger picture of the

sciences ‘What do the sciences matter to me?’ No Franciscan link to the Clare College Lack of differentiated learning

opportunities

Objectives

Build in a community outreach opportunities through the lecture/laboratory component

Differentiate curriculum topics, projects and group work

Weave a thread of Franciscan thought through each topic

Design a program that itself can be sustainable and reused into a new program

Research

Who did I confer with

What did I read

How did I implement

Where do I see it going

What did I learn

Building Capacity

Inquiry in the Natural World (Lect/Lab)Faculty

Sustainability Minor Faculty Team

Education Faculty

Sustainability Coordinating Committee

Canticle Farm

Facilities

University Ministry

Care for Creation in Washington, DC

Sierra Club

Other Universities

Saint Bonaventure Students

Literature

Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design

Community-Based Research and Higher Education

Cradle-to-Cradle

Omnivore’s Dilemma

Canticle of Creatures

History of Cattaraugus County

Natural Capitalism

History of Change in Clare 302

Classic Clare 302 Rise of our modern scientific understanding of the

natural world from ancient Egyptian, Persian and Greek civilizations throughout the end of the 20th century

Specialized Clare 302 (2008)

10 topics – 2nd half considers the practical importance in the second half of the semester.

Some examples of specialized courses include weather and climate modification, evolutionary biology, astronomy, drugs, and alternative medicine and wellness.

This was to assess both student learning and student satisfaction with different approaches to the teaching of Clare 302, providing a data-driven approach to future revision of the course.

Implementation

Formation of a Course Proposal Use for Clare 302 Open to modification

Sample topics/units

Formed new community outreach opportunities

1. Students will examine the mode of inquiry of the natural

sciences. Topics in the “specialized”

area are framed under:Conservation of EnergyAtomic ModelingLiving matter on Earth

1. Understanding the natural phenomena

2. Analyzing arguments, reasons and data

3. Understanding society

4. Thinking historically

5. Interpretation of texts

6. Creating as a means of discovery and exploration

Example: in the Laboratory

Experimental laboratory

Community-based research

2.    Students will apply investigatory skills of the natural

sciences in a problem-solving context.

Experimental laboratory

Experimentation: Form a hypothesis, form dependent and independent variables, perform the experiment and write up the results in standard scientific format

Data gathering: (Soil Content) Pre-lab: Reading, role-play and talking about the local area. Investigative: observations, relate soil to plants and nutrients. Lab: define, composition, consistency, pH, test for organic

material, chemical composition. Application: Compost, fermentation lab, and farming (may fit

school or local needs)

Others: New Climate Modeling program, existing labs

2.    Students will apply investigatory skills of the natural sciences in a

problem-solving context.

2.    Students will apply investigatory skills of the natural sciences in a problem-solving

context.

Community-based research in lab (highlighted in weeks 3,5,7 and 14)

Individual Introductory Media Presentation: to have students understand the scientific method, understand how scientists follow this method, learn the correct PowerPoint presentation rules, and be introduced to an environmental issue of their choice.

Group Project: group of 4 students collaborate with a on-campus group or community to make a social change and present it to where it will make an impact in any mode of presentation.

Individual Research Project: students use their personal strengths to take what they have learned in the classroom and provide real world examples and possible solutions.

Community Research Suggestions

Canticle Farm:

Maintenance

Farm Sale Stand

Expansion of land Bonaventure land or across the river

Moving of compost from Bonaventure to Canticle Farm

Testing of soil and water

Seasonal turnover

Addressing biodiversity loss

Business

Are NGOs evading the problem of addressing

poverty, environmental issues and hunger?

Do businesses around the local area have social responsibility plans or social business plans?

In what ways can a local business become more cost effective while also reducing their impact?

Poverty

Determine how much food is not going towards feeding people

Why are agricultural professionals the hungriest people in the world?

Water

Testing local streams

regularly

What is the price of water here in comparison to other nations? Do we have cleaner water? Compare and contrast two nations water supplies.

Examine Coca Cola vs. Indian Farmers and compare and contrast this with the people of Pennsylvania and hydrofracking companies.

Energy

Working with Facilities

Perform an analysis of energy efficiency on a local home, business or a campus building

Armark (Dining Services)

Work on their “ Green Thread” Program Track this program

Help with the composting transition

Healthiest of food

Address the limitations of variety

Plastics

Recycling program expansion

Pollution

Testing water, soil and air

Brownfield areas

Hydrofracking locations in PA and test areas in NY

This section gives examples of opportunities in which the student may devise a group project to volunteer on a constant basis, propose a solution to an issue and document efforts. This is included under the laboratory section.

3. Students will analyze a sequence of discoveries that illustrate the ongoing scientific process.

Story line approach already in place in lecture

New topics in the “specialized” area are framed under:

Conservation of Energy: sources of energy Atomic Modeling: chemistry of plasticsCycles: Carbon, Nitrogen and WaterLiving matter on Earth: photosynthesis, genetics, climate change

Goal Driven Outcomes

Strengthen Franciscan Perspective Through service, appreciation of the natural world

Encourage Interest in Clare College Collaboration between students and faculty to build respect

Expand Environmental Program Interest in Environmental studies/science as well as sustainability and social justice

Design a Research Component Independent/group community research and experimental research

Special Approach Each student discovers the potential for the sciences in their lives and studies

Upon completion of this course, students will have a conceptual framework to assess stresses to environmental sustainability and develop practical solutions in a creative, Franciscan, and scientific manner

Who will benefit?

Students – across all disciplines

Faculty – across all disciplines

Coordinators

Community

Service Groups

Learning Outcomes

Outreach into the community is vital as a university student

Many Clare College changes

Organizational skills

How a curriculum is formed

Leadership skills

Further Research: Competitive Analysis

Thank you for this opportunity!

-Sinead Coleman ‘12

Topics

1. What do scientist do (and why)?

2. Astronomy

3. Physics

4. Gravity

5. Matter –Plastic based from atoms to plastic compounds

6. Energy

7. Carbon and Water Cycles

8. Genetics

9. Food

Topic Idea Discoveries IdeaSustainability Aspect Fransican

1 Scientific Inquiry in the Natural World Bacon, Descartes, Boyle

2 Model of Universe

Copernicus, Ptolemy, Aristotle, Brahe, Kepler,

Before sicentific investigation, the universe was thought to be organized very differently.

3 MotionGalileo, Newton Energy exists in many forms

4 Gravity Kepler, Descartes, Hooke, Newton, Einsten

5 Matter

Lavoisier, Boyle, Charles Scientific theories

6 Atoms Joule, Watt,

Conservation of energy. Gas laws. Energies - kinetic etc.

7 Elements

Mendeleev, Rutherford, Thompson

Elements, beging atomic level Polymers etc.

8 Chemical reactions drive endergonic reactions

Gibbs, Krebs, Michealis and Menton

Chemical reactions

chemcial reactions how they alow to flow of energy

9 Natural Selection, Genetics Watson and Crick, Darwin, Mendel10 Local and Global Environment Hutton

http://web.sbu.edu/clare/courses/CLAR%20102.html