Initial Publication Date: September 6, 2017
Richard David Gragg III: Using Lead in the Environment in Fundamental of Environmental Science at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
About this Course
An introductory course for non-majors.
30
students
Three 50 minute lecture sessions
Syllabus (Acrobat (PDF) 2MB Oct14 16)
FAMU catalog description: Conditions that are healthy for living things on Earth are the main
topics covered in the course. To identify these conditions relevant concepts from biology, chemistry, and physics are presented. Threats to healthy conditions, actions that are likely to maintain healthy conditions, and laws that promote health conditions are then discussed.
One objective of the course is to present information that will serve as part of the basis for decisions about economic actions to support lifestyle choices.
Prerequisite(s): MAC 1105 College Algebra
Core curriculum course: No
Course restrictions:
Availability to non-ESI majors: YES
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. To provide you with a basic understanding of environmental science and its components.
2. To define, explain and characterize the spatial and temporal scales, and organizational levels of the integration between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, ecosphere, and biosphere.
3. Solicitation of your perspectives, reactions, and experiences in the class discussions, assignments, and exams.
4. Develop and present annotated essay: 'My Environmental Ethic'.
5. Develop and present: 'Visual/Performing Arts Presentation: Environmental Connections'.
TOPICS COVERED
1. Information Literacy, Writing Skills, Annotated Bibliography
2. Framework of Environmental Science
3. Spatial, Temporal, and Organizational Scales
4. Interdisciplinary Components of Environmental Science
5. Impact Analysis and Case Studies
6. Environmental Science Essay Development and Presentation
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Foundation skills and knowledge: You will demonstrate a basic understanding and application of the framework of environmental science. You will demonstrate a basic understanding of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, ecosphere, and biosphere. You will demonstrate a basic understanding and application of the components of environmental science: atmospheric sciences; ecology; environmental chemistry; and geosciences. You will demonstrate a basic understanding and application of spatial and temporal scales, and organizational levels. You will demonstrate a basic understanding and application of environment and society. You will demonstrate a basic understanding and application of the annotated essay.
- Effective written and verbal communication: You will demonstrate, through the development of an annotated essay entitled My Environmental Ethic, the ability to present and explain concepts related to the environment and society to yourself, your classmates, the instructor, and invited guests.
- Critical thinking: You will demonstrate, through the development of an annotated essay on environment science, an ability to assimilate and critically evaluate facts and concepts related to environment and society, and to stimulate discussion and answer questions from your peers on this topic through highlighting important themes; placing the individual readings in perspective by comparison and contrast; introduce distinctions and concepts that supplement multimedia resources; and provide additional insights and perspectives not developed elsewhere in the course.
- Integration of learned skills and information: You will demonstrate, through the development of an annotated essay on environment science, the ability to analyze information from the interdisciplinary context of environmental science and apply that knowledge to the Visual/Performing Arts Presentation: 'Environmental Connections.
A Success Story in Building Student Engagement
My course, Fundamentals of Environmental Science, is one of four sections taught spring and fall semesters. The course serves an introductory environmental science course for non-science majors, with a fairly broad environmental emphasis. I engage the students through lectures and discussions in the context of case studies; a co-authored online textbook: Your Environmental Connections; essay assignments and exams; and a final creative project presentation. This module substituted an existing module on the same topic in the syllabus.
The module materials and activities increased my capacity to provide a rich reflective participatory learning experience linking science to existing health and public policy issues. I was more able to better instruct my students in the contexts of systems thinking and geoscience habits of mind as well as connecting the syllabus themes and topics.
In delivering the course and module materials, I engage the students to connect with local, regional, national and global current events and issues, including their respective communities.
My Experience Teaching with InTeGrateMaterials
The module was modified through the addition of a video on lead in the environment; an invited student guest speaker about the lead contamination in Flint Michigan; and we listened to rapper from Detroit talk about his families experience and perform a spoken word performance about the Flint crisis on the National Public Radio Show Fresh Air.
Relationship of InTeGrate Materials to My Course
Fundamentals of Environmental Science is a semester long course. Topics were introduced in the following order: Introduction and Overview: Framework of Environmental Science; Module I: The Context and Framework of Impact Assessment; Module II: Impact Analysis: Integrating Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives; Module III: The Built Environment: Impacts and Assessments; Module IV: Atmospheric Science, Environmental Chemistry, Geosciences and Ecology; and Module V: Environment and Society: Lead in the Environment. Module material was referenced throughout the course when the opportunity presented itself via lecture, case studies, current events/issues and/or supplemental materials.
I implemented the module as directed. I explained the module to the students at the beginning of the class and solicited their informed consent. I read the instructors materials ahead of the course and each module. For each module student materials were handed out and discussed. Assignments were completed in class or take home. It was easier to have the students do the in-class assignments in groups. I also incorporated the lead in the environment theme as the final class project and presentation which students also collaborated and presented as groups. Supplemental documents included the case studies related to lead in the environment. Supplemental multimedia was also included depicting first person experience with a lead in the environment issue: spoken word rap and student guest lecture.
Assessments
Time constraints prevented the use of all the required post assessments.
Outcomes
The intended outcomes that I hoped to achieve were accomplished. I wanted to deliver a more structured and engaged lecture format and the module enabled me to do so. I also was able to enhance student participation, engagement, awareness, knowledge and empowerment about community based issues and community based participatory research and problem solving.
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