| Wesley Senior High School |
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- Janelle McGann, Year 10 - Society and Environment Context Janelle McGann's Year 10 students investigate global and local air pollution issues in their course 'Human activity and the global environment'. The course covers a semester's work and addresses a range of outcomes including:
Course Structure The course begins with introductory concepts such as 'What is environment?', 'What is an ecosystem?' and 'What is an economic system?' and also considers the importance of each individual's values and beliefs on how environmental issues are perceived. Students actively engage in examining an issue through the eyes of different stakeholders in an ethical decision making exercise' Janelle developed in conjunction with a teacher of Philosophy and Ethical Enquiry at Wesley. In this exercise students examine the consequences for a range of stakeholders from a decision relating to the environment. An examination of current environmental issues is central to this course with students collecting press clippings in a scrapbook and having a weekly discussion and analysis of how those issues are developing. The content of the course focuses on water and air, with approximately four weeks spent on each. In studying air the students cover the formation of the atmosphere and types of air pollution before looking at the Kyoto Agreement for the reduction of greenhouse gases. The students then participate in a Webquest, devised by Janelle and a librarian, in which they take on the role of a participant in a simulated UN debate on a proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The committees the students are assigned to represent are: the Australian Government; Industrialised Nations; Developing Nations; Climate Experts; Conservation Groups; and Industry. Students are required to research their positions by answering a set of questions and taking notes on the Webquest, then prepare and deliver their oral presentation to the UN assembly (each student is required to speak for 2 minutes and use visual aids). The assembly then votes on the proposal (in their assigned personas) to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2015. Students then consider their own personal view and vote on that. In the second term students spend six weeks working on local environmental projects. They are required to develop a strategy to solve a local environmental problem. This involves planning, problem solving, research and organisation. It also requires students to identify and liaise with stakeholders in the local community. One group chose to investigate the environmental impact of Four Wheel Drive vehicles by posing the question: “How much pollution do they really produce?” The outcome of their investigation was a brochure which was distributed through local businesses and handed out to 4WD drivers near the school. The students were assessed on the journals they kept throughout the project, the final product and group work evaluation. The course concludes with an examination of water and air as global commons, with students considering global agreements, the individual's rights and responsibilities and the concept of global citizenship. The final assessment is in the form of an in-class essay which reflects their final position on the issues they have studied over the semester. Conclusion Janelle asks students to evaluate the course at the end of the unit, typical responses are very positive, with the students enjoying problem solving on real issues, working with others and doing their own projects. Janelle comments “at this age the boys enjoy 'hands on' activities and are ready to take on 'causes'. During the course they become more attuned to views of others/other stakeholders. I find they are better equipped to articulate their own values and beliefs and have an increased sense of own responsibilities as a citizen and increased sense of their own ability to make a difference”. Janelle devised the course without using AirWatch materials, however she is interested in using AirWatch in the future. |
