3 CreditsSpHC 212EnEd 4555 Foundations of EE(Spring 2008)3 Credits9:30-11:50 ThursdaysSpHC 212Instructor: Dr. Julie (Athman) ErnstOffice: 241 EngrOffice Hours: 1-2 pm Monday-Friday (or by appt.)Phone: 726-6761Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web URL: www.d.umn.edu/~jernst (select EnEd 4555 from course list)Course Description: This course provides an introduction to environmental education (EE). The purpose of this course is to develop the knowledge and skills for providing quality, age-appropriate EE for students in the formal classroom setting. The emphasis is on EE curriculum materials, resources, and programs that can be used with students in settings at or near their schools to support both school curricular and environmental literacy goals. Additional emphasis will be on using the schoolyard outdoor environment as a source of environmental education experiences. This course involves teaching a Project Wet lesson in a local elementary school classroom, teaching an EE lesson in a preschool classroom, and culminates in teaching a series of three EE lessons in a local elementary school classroom. *Note: REC 2300 Recreation Programming is a pre-requisite for this course!Course Objectives:1. Develop an understanding of environmental education, including its goalsand objectives, historical development, and key characteristics, and underlying learning theories2. Discuss barriers to incorporating environmental education into the preK-12 formal education setting.3. Explain the need for environmental education, including its relevance to the preK-12 formal education setting.4. Respond to criticisms of EE, providing a rational for the incorporation of environmental education into formal classroom settings.5. Develop a familiarity with EE curricular resources, programs, and materials, including documents that guide EE in MN and nationally. 6. Develop and implement age-appropriate EE lesson plans that support both educational goals/standards and environmental literacy goals7. Use the outdoor schoolyard environment as a context for environmental education lessons.8. Explain broad instructional approaches to providing environmental education to students in formal classroom contexts, such as use of school forests, environmental service-learning, issue investigation, phenology-based, and environment-based education.1Course Expectations:1. Attendance is required for this course. This class is made up of learning experiences that are sequential and often involve real-world applications in the schools. In order to receive points for these experiences, you must be there! If you already know of conflicts with your schedule, this may not be the semester to take this course. 2. Be prepared for class. Have your readings and assignments completed before you come to class. Bring your syllabus to each class.3. Actively participate in class. By actively participating, you will get the most out of this course and help others learn from your experiences. Lack of preparation for class (lack of reading) and lack of participation results in lack of participation points.4. Respect the formal learning environment. This includes arriving and leaving on time, making sure cell phones are off, and being open to the opinions and ideas of others. This also includes professional presentationof assignments and abiding by the University’s academic integrity and student conduct policies: Academic dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense; this course will adhere to UMD’s Student Academic Integrity Policy (www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/integrity). Students are expected to follow the University’s Student Conduct Code (www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/code). Disruptive behavior (including inappropriate use of technology in the classroom) that substantially or repeatedly interrupts either my ability to teach or student learning is prohibited.5. Ask for assistance. We each have different learning needs and preferences; if something is unclear or if you need alternative opportunities to learn the course topics, please ask! Note it is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Disability Resources to discuss their individual needs for accommodations.Required Textbooks: (available in UMD Bookstore)1. Sobel, D. (1996). Beyond ecophobia. Great Barrington, MA: The Orion Society (also available online through Acorn Naturalist and amazon.com) *read by 2/72. Project Wet Curriculum Guide (details coming regarding purchasing, approximately $15))3. Grant, T & Littlejohn, G. (2005). Teaching green: The elementary years. Gabriola Island. BC: New Society Publishers. *Please bring this text to class during the first half of the course.Course Schedule:Date TopicAssignment Due1/24 -Course Introduction-Definitions, goals and objectives, historical foundations of EE-“The Roots of Environmental Education” (course website)- In-class participation (5 points)2-EE v. OE1/31 -Need for EE (environmental issues and Americans’ level of environmental literacy)- Environmental advocacy v. EE-Characteristics of Quality EE (accuracy, depth, skill building, action orientation)- In-class preparation/participation (5 points)- Env. issue summary (see website for description/assignment details) (5 points)- “Two Hats” reading (course website)- “On Thinner Ice” reading (course website)- “Volume 2 Children and Nature Network” reading (course website)-“New Relationship Between Children and Nature” reading (course website)- “Why Kids Need Nature” reading (course website)2/7 -Characteristics of Quality EE: Instructional Soundness (Age- Appropriate; Inclusion/ Diversity; Learning Styles; Interdisciplinary; Experiential)-Identifying and Evaluating EE Resources/Curricula-In-class preparation/participation (5 points)-EE resource review (10 points)-Beyond Ecophobia text (all of it)-Familiarize yourself with “EE Materials: Guidelines for Excellence” (course website)2/14 *MEET inMonH121-EE for Early Childhood/Preschools-Introduction to Preschool EE Lesson Assignment-Work time with ECh students-In-class preparation/participation (10 points)- “Volume 1 Children and Nature Network” reading (course website)-Assigned Early