EnEd 4555 Foundations of EE
(Spring 2011)
3 Credits
9:30-11:50 Thursdays
SpHC 9
Instructor: Dr. Julie Athman Ernst
Office: 126 SpHC
Office Hours: Mondays 2-3, Tuesdays and Thursdays 12-1 (or by appt.)
Phone: 726-6761
Email: jernst@d.umn.edu
Class Email: ened4555-1-s2011@d.umn.edu
Course Web URL: via Moodle; login in using your UMD internet id and password at https://moodle.umn.edu/ (this is
where you’ll access course readings)
Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to environmental education (EE). The purpose of this course is to develop
the knowledge and skills for providing quality, age-appropriate EE for students in the formal classroom setting.
The emphasis is on EE curriculum materials, resources, and programs that can be used with students in settings
at or near their schools to support both school curricular and environmental literacy goals. Additional emphasis
will be on using the schoolyard outdoor environment as a source of environmental education experiences. This
course involves training in Project WET and MinnAqua’s environmental education materials, and culminates in
teaching a series of three EE lessons in a local elementary school classroom. *Note: REC 2300 Recreation
Programming is a pre-requisite for this course!
Course Objectives:
1. Develop an understanding of environmental education, including its goals and objectives, historical
development, and key characteristics, and underlying learning theories
2. Discuss barriers to incorporating environmental education into the preK-12 formal education setting.
3. Explain the need for environmental education, including its relevance to the preK-12 formal education setting.
4. Respond to criticisms of EE, providing a rational for the incorporation of environmental education into formal
classroom settings.
5. Develop a familiarity with EE curricular resources, programs, and materials, including documents that guide EE in
MN and nationally.
6. Develop and implement age-appropriate EE lesson plans that support both educational goals/standards and
environmental literacy goals
7. Use the outdoor schoolyard environment as a context for environmental education lessons.
8. Explain broad instructional approaches to providing environmental education to students in formal classroom
contexts, such as use of school forests, environmental service-learning, issue investigation, phenology-based,
and environment-based education.
1
Course Expectations:
1. Attendance is required for this course. This class is made up of learning experiences that are sequential and
often involve real-world applications in the schools. In order to receive points for these experiences, you must
be there! If you already know of conflicts with your schedule, this may not be the semester to take this course.
Missing more than once class period and/or a grade of C or lower on the midterm exam will prevent you from
being able to teach your lessons in the elementary school; you will not pass the course without this
component of the course.
2. Be prepared for class. Have your readings and assignments completed before you come to class. Bring your
syllabus/texts to each class. Late assignments will result in grade reduction. Assignments not meeting
university standards for acceptable quality (grammar, spelling, format, etc) will be returned for revisions, as
will assignments not meeting the assignment description or criteria provided. If revisions are required, the
final grade will be reduced.
3. Actively participate in class. By actively participating, you will get the most out of this course and help others
learn from your experiences. Lack of preparation for class (lack of reading) and lack of participation results in
lack of points.
4. Respect the formal learning environment. This includes arriving and leaving on time, making sure cell phones
are off, and being open to the opinions and ideas of others. This also includes professional presentation of
assignments and abiding by the University’s academic integrity and student conduct policies: Academic
dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense; this course will adhere to UMD’s Student Academic Integrity Policy
(www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/integrity). Students are expected to follow the University’s Student Conduct
Code (www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/code). Disruptive behavior (including inappropriate use of technology in
the classroom) that substantially or repeatedly interrupts either my ability to teach or student learning is
prohibited.
5. Ask for assistance. We each have different learning needs and preferences; if something is unclear or if you
need alternative opportunities to learn the course topics, please ask! Note it is University policy to provide, on a
flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities that may affect their
ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are
encouraged to contact Disability Resources to discuss their individual needs for accommodations.
Required Textbooks: (available in UMD Bookstore)
1. Sobel, D. (1996). Beyond ecophobia. Great Barrington, MA: The Orion Society (also available online through
Acorn Naturalist and amazon.com) * read by Feb 3.
2. Project Wet Curriculum Guide ($20 in cash or check payable to MN DNR; payment due by Feb. 3)
3. Grant, T & Littlejohn, G. (2005). Teaching green: The elementary years. Gabriola Island. BC: New Society
Publishers. *Please bring this text to class during the first half of the course.
4. Additional readings, as noted in the syllabus course schedule, are accessed electronicially via Moodle (sign in
using your internet ID and password using https://moodle.umn.edu)
Evaluation
*Details will be provided in class for each assignment separately!
*See course schedule for assignments and point values (bolded, in the “Assignments Due” column)
*LATE assignments (turned in after the due date) will lose one-half of the possible points. Assignments that are not of an
acceptable format/quality will be returned.
Grades:
Grades will be posted on eGradebook (see link from course website). Final
grades will be awarded as follows:
A 93-100%
B- 80-82%
A- 90-92%
C+ 77-79%
B+ 87-89%
C 73-76%
B 83-86%
C- 70-72%
D+ 67-69%
D 60-66%
2
Course Schedule:
Date
Topic
1/20
-Course Introduction
-Definitions, goals and objectives, historical
foundations of EE
*Env Issue Assignment given
1/27
-Need for EE (environmental issues and
Americans’ level of environmental literacy)
- Environmental advocacy v. EE
-Characteristics of Quality EE
(accuracy, depth, skill building,
action orientation)
-Project WET payment reminder (due Feb. 3rd,
$20 payable to MN DNR)
2/3
-Characteristics of Quality EE: Instructional
Soundness (Age- Appropriate; Inclusion/
Diversity; Learning Styles; Interdisciplinary;
Experiential)
-Identifying and Evaluating EE
Resources/Curricula
2/10
-Relevance of EE to schools/students in
classroom settings; Benefits
-Barriers to EE in schools
-Criticisms of EE in schools
-Goals for Curriculum Development in EE
2/17
-Guiding Documents for EE in MN Schools (EE
Scope and Sequence and State Standards)
-Goals and Objectives: Meshing EE Goals with
Education Goals
-Experiential Learning Cycle
-Teaching Strategies
-Assessing Student Learning
-Putting it Together: Lesson Plans
*Review sheet given
- Mid-term Exam
-Classroom management
2/24
3/3
*Class
starts
9:00
3/10
3/17
3/24
3/31
4/7
4/14
4/21
4/28
5/5
Assignment Due
-“The Roots of Environmental Education” reading (course website)
- In-class participation (5 points)
- In-class Readings Quiz 1 (5 points)
- Environmental Issue Assignment (20 points)
- “Two Hats” reading
- “On Thinner Ice” reading
- “Volume 2 Children and Nature Network” reading
- “Why Kids Need Nature” reading
-Project WET payment due ($20 check to MN DNR)
-In-class Readings Quiz 2 (5 points)
-EE resource review (10 points)
-Beyond Ecophobia text (all of it)
-Familiarize yourself with “EE Materials: Guidelines for Excellence”
resource (Moodle website)
-Readings Quiz 3 (5 points)
-“EnviroEducation” reading
-“Classroom Warfare” reading
-“Goals for Curriculum Development in EE” reading
-“No Child Left Inside” reading
-“EE Saves the Day” reading
-In-class preparation/participation (5 points)
-Familiarize yourself with “Environmental Literacy Scope and
Sequence” and “MN State Science Standards” reading/resource
-“Learning by Doing and the Youth-Driven Model” reading
- Mid-term Exam (25 points)
-Classroom management reading
Project WET Training part one
*Assignment Given
Project WET Training part two
Spring Break
MinnAqua Training
*Assignment Given
MinnAqua Training
-Introduction to Elementary School Teaching
Assignment;
- Work time/lesson prep for Lessons 1-3
Teach Lesson 1
-Work time/lesson prep for Lessons 2-3
Teach Lesson 2
Teach Lesson 3
Finals Week – final meeting TBA
*Project Wet Assignment due (15 points)
----
*MinnAqua peer teaching assignment due (15 points)
Lesson 1 and Teacher Feedback Form (25 points)
Lesson 2 and Teacher Feedback Form (25 points)
Lesson 3 and Teacher Feedback Form (25 points)
-Final Written Reflection of course content and teaching experiences
(25 points)
3
Rubric Used for Grading EnEd 4555 Lesson Plans
Name:
Lesson:
Score:
Proficiency
(or Excellence!)
Lesson reflects good EE (see
NAAEE characteristics); lesson
supports goals/objectives of EE
3
2
Little understanding of
this concept; Much work
needed
1
Lesson is relevant to my school
audience (supports state standards
in relevant subject areas)
3
2
1
Lesson objectives match the
activities and support the EE goals
and state standards listed;
objectives are specific, measurable
and phrased in action verbs
Grade-level appropriate/ageappropriate in terms of depth of
content, types of instructional
strategies
3
2
1
3
2
1
3
2
1
Variety of teaching/learning styles
used
3
2
1
Lesson plan includes assessment (a
way for finding out whether or not
objectives were met and/or if
students understood what was
being taught)
3
2
1
Overall clarity and detail (clear
enough and provides enough
detail for someone else to use it);
additional components of lesson
plan included (materials, location,
background info, etc.)
4
2
1
Lesson plan reflects the
experiential learning cycle (there
is an experience, along with
opportunities to reflect on
and apply what was learned)
Partially-achieved, but
could be improved
4