ICBL Strategy 3: Identify Major Themes


Initially, it is helpful to think about the case as a whole and see what underlying themes students identify. Ask the class to consider the question: "What is this case about?" Then take 5-7 answers from the class. Don't be surprised at the variety of themes associated with the case! This step, while brief, alerts students to the complexity of the case.


For Goodbye Honeybuckets, students suggested the following as major themes:

  1. tundra ecology
  2. health issues in rural Alaska
  3. arctic climate
  4. multicultural perspectives
  5. sewage treatment
  6. groundwater and permafrost
  7. Alaska geology