Intergation of Environmental Sustainability into Clare 302 (Inquiry in the Natural World)
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Transcript of Intergation of Environmental Sustainability into Clare 302 (Inquiry in the Natural World)
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