Subject: [permaculture] Urban High School Audit and Class
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 14:41:14 -0400
Hi all,
Looking for people with experience working with students - primary
through high school, especially inner city kids. I teach 9th grade
science at a public charter school in DC (mission to integrate public
policy into curriculum), inner city kids - 60/40 black/hispanic, 80%
on a school lunch program (low income). We teach a three week public
policy course here at the end of the year and a colleague and I would
like to do a school audit, likely focusing on energy issues but
perhaps less specific and more well rounded. This course may evolve
into a year-long course environmental science/ecology in action
course for 11th/12th graders.
I'm looking for lesson ideas - these kids present certain challenges:
many have are well below grade literacy levels
lowest levels of ecological literacy: many have little to no
articulated awareness of or connection to the natural world around
them, conservation, environmental issues, or the idea of
"sustainability"
our building has serious issues with its infrastructure, which is,
of course, an opportunity
They are also very street smart. Yet in some ways we're starting
from scratch with these kids. All ideas are welcome - from simple
lessons to projects to movies to watch to places to visit or speakers
to present.
Many thanks for considering, please do reply.
Mike Snow
[permaculture] Urban High School Audit and Class,
Michael Snow, 03/18/2007