Mock Environmental Summit

Author: example compiled by Suzanne Savanick, SERC, based on Catherine Gautier and Stacy Rebich, 2005, "The Use of a Mock Environmental Summit to Support Learning about Global Climate Change", Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 53, n. 1, February, 2005, p. 5-16.

Learning Goals:

The course goals are:

1. to develop an understanding of the basic scientific underpinning of climate change
2. to develop students' background in scientific reasoning sufficient to support environmental policy making
3. to develop critical thinking, analysis, writing and presentation skills, as well as group teamwork skills
4. to provide scaffolding for student to take ownership of learning
5. to develop an appreciation of the relationship between the multiple facets of global climate change (political, societal, economic and scientific)
6. to engage students in the public discourse of controversial global change issues
7. to investigate means of developing better communication between scientists, lawyers, political scientists, economists, etc.

Context for Use:

(Where does the assignment fit in the class? What level of class is this? How many students? Other contextual information?)

The entire course revolves around the mock environmental summit. The rubrics are used for the writing assignments and oral presentations. The course requires one geography prerequisite and recommends two upper level physical geography course prerequisites.

Catherine Gautier and Stacy Rebich, 2005,The Use of a Mock Environmental Summit to Support Learning about Global Climate Change (more info) , Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 53, n. 1, February, 2005, p. 5-16.

Teaching Notes and Tips:

( Tips, pointers, etc.)

Rubric:

This course includes general rubrics for general guidance for all writing assignments and presentations as well as specific rubrics for each writing assignment and presentation.