Course Description: What is Earth’s carrying capacity and have we already surpassed it? What would it take to achieve a zero waste society and is it feasible? What are the causes and consequences of water scarcity? What strategies could be used to restore damaged aquatic ecosystems? Is our air and drinking water clean, and who determines what “clean” means? What actions can we take to respond to a changing climate? This course is a discipline-based content course for pre-service K-8 teachers interested in exploring the role that humans play in the biological world and the environmental issues that influence our daily lives. The central goals of this course are to advance students’ interest in science and their scientific literacy. The concepts introduced in this course provide a broad foundation in environmental science that will help inform your life as a citizen, consumer, patient, naturalist, and future educator.
Broad learning objectives and core competencies of this course include:
- To describe some of the core concepts and topics that are investigated by environmental scientists, including Earth’s carrying capacity, ecological footprints, environmental contaminants, climate change, and sustainability.
- To engage students in the process of scientific storytelling.
- To advance students’ core competencies in science, including their:
- ability to apply the process of science and use quantitative reasoning. That is, students will understand that science is evidence-based and data-driven. They will be able to explain the inquiry cycle, develop and interpret graphs, and apply mathematical skills and basic statistics to solve problems.
- ability to tap into the interdisciplinary nature of science. That is, students will be able to identify where environmental issues intersect with other concerns, such as social issues, geographies of place, economic development, public health efforts, and models of city planning.
- ability to communicate to and collaborate with a wide audience. That is, students will be able to participate in informed discussions, collaborate with their peers, and teach their scholarship to young students.
- ability to understand the relationship between science and society, and think critically about complex issues. That is, students will participate in informed discussions and debates about environmental issues currently in the news. Using appropriate evidence, students will be able to support or challenge models and theories presented in this course and in everyday news.