Mock Environmental Summit

Teaching Materials by Catherine Gautier - Starting Point page by R. Teed (SERC).

This material was originally created for Starting Point:Introductory Geology
and is replicated here as part of the SERC Pedagogic Service.

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This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
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Initial Publication Date: August 9, 2006 | Reviewed: October 22, 2012 (see revision history: 3 events)

Summary

At the end of a six-week class or unit on global warming, students role-play representatives from various countries and organizations at an international summit on the Santa Barbara protocol, dealing with global warming. The students prepare by studying the IPCC report on Global Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and other information on human impacts on the environment. The course involves several writing assignments, presentations, and lab activities that help the students research their arguments.

Climatology , Impacts of climate change, Public policy , Climate ...(more) | College Introductory | Public Policy and STEM

Expand for more detail and links to related resources

Topics

Climatology , Impacts of climate change, Public policy , Climate Change, Public policy, Policy

Grade Level

College Introductory

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

Public Policy and STEM: STEM disciplines can strengthen data-based decision making in the public sphere.

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Learning Goals

During this course, students will:

Increase their understanding of human impact on Earth's systems, especially on the climate.

Develop their persuasive and critical skills as writers and presenters

Become more familiar with political decision-making processes.

Context for Use

The role-play in this module takes one period, but it is the culmination of a six-week course.

Description and Teaching Materials

The University of California, Santa Barbara's Mock International Summit Course site (Geography 135) contains extensive resources that detail:

Information about character types (this information is now password protected and no longer public)
Lecture material (as .pdf's) and schedule
Lab book (as .pdf's)
An annotated list of writing assignments
Recommended links and required-reading links
The Santa Barbara Protocol (a proposed amendment to the Kyoto Protocol) that the representatives are discussing
A great student feedback form

Teaching Notes and Tips

This site contains a diverse array of useful material that could be incorporated into an environmental or climate studies course.

Share your modifications and improvements to this activity through the Community Contribution Tool »

Assessment

The course has 9 writing assignments, each of which is explained in detail. There are also lab activities and presentations.

References and Resources

Interactive role-playing exercises dealing with the complicated issue of humanity's dependence on fossil fuels and its consequences include:

Mock Environmental Summit
At the end of a six-week class or unit on global warming, students role-play representatives from various countries and organizations at an international summit on global warming.
The Great Energy Debate
This lesson plan explores the energy debate in the U.S. Students will hold a mock congressional committee meeting and make decisions about public lands and energy resources.
What Should We Do About Global Warming?
This module contains an 8-lesson curriculum to study greenhouse gases and global warming using data and visualizations. The students will summarize the issue in a mock debate or a presentation.

See more Role-Playing Scenarios »