I'm starting water this week over at GCHS. I'm psyched to use the WaterWars materials, but want to spend the first section establishing the concepts of water scarcity and water stress on a global scope, so I think I'll hold off on WaterWars and Ethiopia until after Winter break. Noah, did you begin the unit with Water Wars stuff, or with the Facing the Future materials (similar to those we used last year?)
Just sent an email to Water1st to arrange a visit in January. We'll be working on water for most of Junuary--might even do 2 AAS visits for this unit. We're going to our partner school once before winter break (Dec. 17 I think) to teach about water scarcity and water stress--may be doing the water carrying and the JayZ clip again like we did last year because it was so successful. My big new idea for this visit is to mandate that no one can go to AAS if they haven't proven that they understand the concepts by DOING THE WORK. It also demonstrates responsibility, to follow through with class work. Anyone who is not ready and prepared will stay behind at school to catch up while the rest of their team goes over to Bow Lake. I have an AmeriCorps teacher who can remain behind with them. The general work ethic in my class is across-the-board low, so this will be another attempt to motivate. We'll see how it goes...
--Kate H-F
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Water Articles
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Water Update from Chief Sealth
Hey team,
I have been more or less following the curriculum for sections 1 and 2. In section 3 I used the Choices lesson plan and the Water Wars resources from Common Language Project. We focused in on water scarcity in southern Ethiopia. The kids were divided into 5 stakeholder groups: 2 ethnic groups, the Red Cross, the Ethiopian government, and the UN. Today we wrapped up our discussion by showing how all of the causes and effects of water scarcity are interconnected (climate change, poverty, agriculture-based society, erosion, drought, etc.) Then I asked the students about solutions. I've noticed that the problem of water scarcity is so big and overwhelming that many of the students feel hopeless. I reminded them of one of the themes of this class: there is no problem that cannot be solved and pushed them to think harder. We asked the questions, why don't more people know about water scarcity in the developing world? Why don't people in the United States see a connection to their lives? It was a lively discussion, although I only had about 50% participation.
Tomorrow, as a follow-up to our look at Ethiopia, someone from Water 1st International is coming to speak to the kids about their work in Ethiopia (building sustainable water infrastructure in rural communities).
Next week, I plan to look at the Colorado River (I have a PowerPoint that traces the river from its source to Mexico), which brings up privatization. I'll probably do a little mini-lesson on bottled water too. Common Language Project will most likely be coming back next Tuesday to do a workshop on the Colorado River with the kids.
By Wednesday, kids will need to be working on personal action plans and preparing for the adopt-a-school visit next Tuesday.
So, I will not get to the Ecuador simulation this time around :(
Do we have a worksheet for student action plans yet???
I have been more or less following the curriculum for sections 1 and 2. In section 3 I used the Choices lesson plan and the Water Wars resources from Common Language Project. We focused in on water scarcity in southern Ethiopia. The kids were divided into 5 stakeholder groups: 2 ethnic groups, the Red Cross, the Ethiopian government, and the UN. Today we wrapped up our discussion by showing how all of the causes and effects of water scarcity are interconnected (climate change, poverty, agriculture-based society, erosion, drought, etc.) Then I asked the students about solutions. I've noticed that the problem of water scarcity is so big and overwhelming that many of the students feel hopeless. I reminded them of one of the themes of this class: there is no problem that cannot be solved and pushed them to think harder. We asked the questions, why don't more people know about water scarcity in the developing world? Why don't people in the United States see a connection to their lives? It was a lively discussion, although I only had about 50% participation.
Tomorrow, as a follow-up to our look at Ethiopia, someone from Water 1st International is coming to speak to the kids about their work in Ethiopia (building sustainable water infrastructure in rural communities).
Next week, I plan to look at the Colorado River (I have a PowerPoint that traces the river from its source to Mexico), which brings up privatization. I'll probably do a little mini-lesson on bottled water too. Common Language Project will most likely be coming back next Tuesday to do a workshop on the Colorado River with the kids.
By Wednesday, kids will need to be working on personal action plans and preparing for the adopt-a-school visit next Tuesday.
So, I will not get to the Ecuador simulation this time around :(
Do we have a worksheet for student action plans yet???
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Update from Franklin
Thanks for the detailed posts, both Noah and Kate! It is helpful to hear about specifics regarding your GL class progress or occasional lack there-of.
Finally a week at Franklin where it felt like some real progress was made. Our first class meeting on Wednesday that addressed some "real" issues and has a generally high level of engagement from students. In particular students dialogued about the very high failure rate (1/2 the GL students are currently failing 3 or more classes)and students suggested ideas for supporting better success. I think in general they were pragmatic suggestions and at least partially in-line with some of the approached prescribed by the GL model.
Thursday was the first AAS visit to John Muir and was highly successful in terms of motivating the students. The typically least cooperative students were the most on task, leading activities and smooth transitions. I was in shock! So much for going down in ball of flames like I expected... Looking forward to a more content rich visit at the end of the water unit. In short, Obama is not the only reason to have hope at FHS.
Finally a week at Franklin where it felt like some real progress was made. Our first class meeting on Wednesday that addressed some "real" issues and has a generally high level of engagement from students. In particular students dialogued about the very high failure rate (1/2 the GL students are currently failing 3 or more classes)and students suggested ideas for supporting better success. I think in general they were pragmatic suggestions and at least partially in-line with some of the approached prescribed by the GL model.
Thursday was the first AAS visit to John Muir and was highly successful in terms of motivating the students. The typically least cooperative students were the most on task, leading activities and smooth transitions. I was in shock! So much for going down in ball of flames like I expected... Looking forward to a more content rich visit at the end of the water unit. In short, Obama is not the only reason to have hope at FHS.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Global Awareness Unit
So I've morphed some election discussion and online voting with the Global Trivia/product trail/needs-wants/red-green game activities, plus showing the Go! documentary about child soldiers in Uganda, to make a unit I'm calling 'Global Awareness.' In 2 weeks we'll go back to our AAS class, and I'm excited to see which activities they choose to do and what content will emerge as that which they deem most important. Water will begin at the end of November.
Class meetings are touch and go--one week they crash and burn, the next week (like this one) they are more student-run with important discussion and some lightness and laughter. Today we switched up class jobs, and it felt like there was some growing ownership over the class in general--something that's been concerning me.
Never got around to the Socratic Seminar on Machiavelli, but I"m going to keep the materials hanging around for later in the year.
So that's what we're up to over here at Global Connections.
--Kate H-F
Class meetings are touch and go--one week they crash and burn, the next week (like this one) they are more student-run with important discussion and some lightness and laughter. Today we switched up class jobs, and it felt like there was some growing ownership over the class in general--something that's been concerning me.
Never got around to the Socratic Seminar on Machiavelli, but I"m going to keep the materials hanging around for later in the year.
So that's what we're up to over here at Global Connections.
--Kate H-F
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Homework Announcer
The student whose class job it is has been struggling to EXPLAIN the homework to the class rather than just read it. Tomorrow I am going to give her typed directions that should hopefully help:
Explain to the class that they need to bring an empty plastic gallon jug on Monday. They will need it in class on Tuesday. They should NOT go out and buy a new jug just for this assignment. Encourage them to ask their teachers or neighbors for a jug if they can’t find one at home. Tell them “do not forget to bring your jug.”
Putting it in 3rd person should hopefully help. Here is my little reminder handout.
-Noah
Explain to the class that they need to bring an empty plastic gallon jug on Monday. They will need it in class on Tuesday. They should NOT go out and buy a new jug just for this assignment. Encourage them to ask their teachers or neighbors for a jug if they can’t find one at home. Tell them “do not forget to bring your jug.”
Putting it in 3rd person should hopefully help. Here is my little reminder handout.
-Noah
Great Class Today
After a mediocre, way-too-teacher-centered class meeting yesterday, I felt pretty good about how class went today. Due to a few students being gone for a field trip today (they left halfway through class) I moved RED-GREEN to tomorrow and cancelled office hours for this week.
Today, we caught up with product trail. We traced the trail of coffee (black: no cream or sugar) from trees in Colombia to a Seattle home. The kids did a great job naming social and environmental costs and other resources that were used in the process. Then, we talked about action steps to reduce these costs (buy organic, fair trade, shade-grown, etc.) We then defined ecological footprint and one student volunteered to let us use her consumption data for an online footprint calculator. This particular website was a lot of fun (very visual). 4.9 earths would be needed to sustain her lifestyle. We finished class by having the students try to trace the product trail of either a hamburger, fries, or cola (I gave them the FTF handout from page 74 of Engaging Students Through Global Issues to use as a guide).
Today, all but 2 or 3 students were engaged for the whole period. I have to work with those 2 or 3 kids on ways to keep them active. Calling on them was not enough today (heads down, tuned out).
Today, we caught up with product trail. We traced the trail of coffee (black: no cream or sugar) from trees in Colombia to a Seattle home. The kids did a great job naming social and environmental costs and other resources that were used in the process. Then, we talked about action steps to reduce these costs (buy organic, fair trade, shade-grown, etc.) We then defined ecological footprint and one student volunteered to let us use her consumption data for an online footprint calculator. This particular website was a lot of fun (very visual). 4.9 earths would be needed to sustain her lifestyle. We finished class by having the students try to trace the product trail of either a hamburger, fries, or cola (I gave them the FTF handout from page 74 of Engaging Students Through Global Issues to use as a guide).
Today, all but 2 or 3 students were engaged for the whole period. I have to work with those 2 or 3 kids on ways to keep them active. Calling on them was not enough today (heads down, tuned out).
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Group Problem Solving
I have been meaning to post about what we did in my GL class when two of the CLP groups were not functioning. Each group had two girls who were not getting along.
With Fontana's guidance and support, I led a class meeting on 9/24. Here are my notes:
I said in my intro that there is at least one group that is not functioning right now.
T spoke first about how she was unable to work with her group yesterday because they chose a leader that one of them personally knows and there is no way to research her online. This was not the group I had planned to address.
K responded by saying you shouldn't blame one person in the group for disfunction - it's a group responsibility.
N reminded us that this is the first time that we are discussing something like this so it's okay if we mess up a little.
T said that in GL we are supposed to make decisions together. Some people like to take over. Please tell me if I do it.
C: head down on desk.
R: I want to work alone because I don't get along with someone (K) in my group. (This is the group I had intended to focus on).
K: Can't we just switch groups? Wouldn't that be easier?
V: That's the whole point. Companies who hire us in the future want us to be able to work with others who we don't get along with.
N: Maybe this is like the 4 directions activity. They are 2 very different types of leaders.
T: I just need something to DO in my group. (C, the girl who took charge yesterday, was absent today).
Zeichner: I want to encourage the class to address these issues and to try to propose constructive solutions. I'm going to ask that those people directly involved in these 2 conflicts listen deeply.
For the most part, the discussion was respectful, but having 2 issues to deal with made it difficult to reach closure.
We continued our meeting on the following day. I led the class through the following:
3 minutes: write down a solution for each of the two groups
6 minutes: in a committee of 4-5, present your solutions and choose 1 for each group per committee.
6 minutes: each committee shares solutions. Then the whole class votes.
We almost kept the process to 15 minutes. The class chose solutions: group A had to take a vote in their group about which leader they wanted to study and must be open to switching. Group B had to basically suck it up and work together.
The class was told that I would be grading them on PROCESS (the class meeting), PRODUCT (their solutions), and EXECUTION (how things turn out). It would be worth 60 points.
Group A did not work things out. One girl simply refused to work with her group. Soon after, she was suspended from school and missed almost 2 weeks. Group B changed leaders, but the 2 girls still had trouble. But in the end, group B pulled it together.
Low grades on the problem-solving process and the CLP presentations brought students' grade down significantly, so I offered them this document and asked them to comment on it:
Community Leaders Project
Teacher’s notes and student feedback
Objectives
The Community Leaders Project (CLP) was designed to provide Global Leadership (GL) students with an opportunity to work together as a group and to gain experience in presenting in front of the class before they go on their first adopt-a-school visit. The CLP also aimed to allow the students a chance to enhance and solidify their understanding of critical leadership qualities and to apply their knowledge to proven leaders around the world.
Results
Results in GL at Chief Sealth were mixed for the following reasons:
Two groups had personal conflicts between group members. This allowed for an intensive class-wide problem-solving experience, but in the end, the issues were not resolved.
Students needed more support with research and presentation skills. The presentations did not all focus on leadership qualities. Overall, too much time was spent on the biographical details of the subjects.
Changes
Suggestions for next semester:
Have students do preliminary research on local and global leaders, but do not have them do the research project. Students can still complete the profile, but instead of the group project, they can create a one-page flier that highlights their subject’s leadership qualities. Profiles can be shared in groups and/or in a gallery walk during class.
To replace the research/presentation component, students will do a different, shorter group project before the first adopt-a-school visit. They will come up with a short skit based on the concepts of product trail and wants/needs that teaches the class something new. We can use more of the product trail chapters from the book Stuff. The concept of leadership could be incorporated into this project by requiring the groups to exhibit leadership qualities in their acting (each character would choose one). This could probably be done with one day of preparation and one day of presentations/discussion.
Grade accommodations
Many students’ grades were negatively affected by both the problem-solving process and by the presentation itself. More specifically, every student who had an A in the class, dropped to a B. The CLP grades are in the Projects/A-A-S category in the gradebook.
As an effort to help students elevate their grades, I am proposing that if our first adopt-a-school visit goes well and all groups do a good job, we adjust the total number of points for the CLP grades. Problem-solving would drop to 30 and the presentation would drop to 25 points. Because each A-A-S visit is worth 100 points, a high grade on Friday, October 13th should raise all students’ grades significantly.
At this point, I am just excited to move on. This week we will finally get to red/green, needs/wants, and product trail. And next week: WATER!
With Fontana's guidance and support, I led a class meeting on 9/24. Here are my notes:
I said in my intro that there is at least one group that is not functioning right now.
T spoke first about how she was unable to work with her group yesterday because they chose a leader that one of them personally knows and there is no way to research her online. This was not the group I had planned to address.
K responded by saying you shouldn't blame one person in the group for disfunction - it's a group responsibility.
N reminded us that this is the first time that we are discussing something like this so it's okay if we mess up a little.
T said that in GL we are supposed to make decisions together. Some people like to take over. Please tell me if I do it.
C: head down on desk.
R: I want to work alone because I don't get along with someone (K) in my group. (This is the group I had intended to focus on).
K: Can't we just switch groups? Wouldn't that be easier?
V: That's the whole point. Companies who hire us in the future want us to be able to work with others who we don't get along with.
N: Maybe this is like the 4 directions activity. They are 2 very different types of leaders.
T: I just need something to DO in my group. (C, the girl who took charge yesterday, was absent today).
Zeichner: I want to encourage the class to address these issues and to try to propose constructive solutions. I'm going to ask that those people directly involved in these 2 conflicts listen deeply.
For the most part, the discussion was respectful, but having 2 issues to deal with made it difficult to reach closure.
We continued our meeting on the following day. I led the class through the following:
3 minutes: write down a solution for each of the two groups
6 minutes: in a committee of 4-5, present your solutions and choose 1 for each group per committee.
6 minutes: each committee shares solutions. Then the whole class votes.
We almost kept the process to 15 minutes. The class chose solutions: group A had to take a vote in their group about which leader they wanted to study and must be open to switching. Group B had to basically suck it up and work together.
The class was told that I would be grading them on PROCESS (the class meeting), PRODUCT (their solutions), and EXECUTION (how things turn out). It would be worth 60 points.
Group A did not work things out. One girl simply refused to work with her group. Soon after, she was suspended from school and missed almost 2 weeks. Group B changed leaders, but the 2 girls still had trouble. But in the end, group B pulled it together.
Low grades on the problem-solving process and the CLP presentations brought students' grade down significantly, so I offered them this document and asked them to comment on it:
Community Leaders Project
Teacher’s notes and student feedback
Objectives
The Community Leaders Project (CLP) was designed to provide Global Leadership (GL) students with an opportunity to work together as a group and to gain experience in presenting in front of the class before they go on their first adopt-a-school visit. The CLP also aimed to allow the students a chance to enhance and solidify their understanding of critical leadership qualities and to apply their knowledge to proven leaders around the world.
Results
Results in GL at Chief Sealth were mixed for the following reasons:
Two groups had personal conflicts between group members. This allowed for an intensive class-wide problem-solving experience, but in the end, the issues were not resolved.
Students needed more support with research and presentation skills. The presentations did not all focus on leadership qualities. Overall, too much time was spent on the biographical details of the subjects.
Changes
Suggestions for next semester:
Have students do preliminary research on local and global leaders, but do not have them do the research project. Students can still complete the profile, but instead of the group project, they can create a one-page flier that highlights their subject’s leadership qualities. Profiles can be shared in groups and/or in a gallery walk during class.
To replace the research/presentation component, students will do a different, shorter group project before the first adopt-a-school visit. They will come up with a short skit based on the concepts of product trail and wants/needs that teaches the class something new. We can use more of the product trail chapters from the book Stuff. The concept of leadership could be incorporated into this project by requiring the groups to exhibit leadership qualities in their acting (each character would choose one). This could probably be done with one day of preparation and one day of presentations/discussion.
Grade accommodations
Many students’ grades were negatively affected by both the problem-solving process and by the presentation itself. More specifically, every student who had an A in the class, dropped to a B. The CLP grades are in the Projects/A-A-S category in the gradebook.
As an effort to help students elevate their grades, I am proposing that if our first adopt-a-school visit goes well and all groups do a good job, we adjust the total number of points for the CLP grades. Problem-solving would drop to 30 and the presentation would drop to 25 points. Because each A-A-S visit is worth 100 points, a high grade on Friday, October 13th should raise all students’ grades significantly.
At this point, I am just excited to move on. This week we will finally get to red/green, needs/wants, and product trail. And next week: WATER!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Adopt a School
Al, My apologies for a delayed response.
The first Adopt a School visit is a lot about intros, community and rapport building. Ideally, by the time you go, your students have completed the Community Leaders Project, have done Red/Green, Needs/Wants and Product Trail--even if you haven't gotten there, I suggest you to try to get them in to their AAS because it's a huge component of the class and once they have visited it serves as a necessary point of reference. So when the curriculum says "do what you want" for that visit, the students should be discussing in the class meeting what they want to start the year teaching the elementary students (it's ok if this is primarily the games that your students did as icebreakers through the first weeks of school). The diversity/identity lesson plan was what Noah and Kate used last year because Unit one was slightly different and that seemed a good way to start with them, it's included this year in case you feel you need more structure for that first visit--it's just an option.
The first visit will be challenging and very likely will not go super smoothly (our first one at Cleveland was a mess but that was awesome because the students came back wanting to improve it) but we encourage you to let them struggle through it (communicating with your cooperating teacher that visits will only improve) so that they as a class can come back to the drawing board.
The first Adopt a School visit is a lot about intros, community and rapport building. Ideally, by the time you go, your students have completed the Community Leaders Project, have done Red/Green, Needs/Wants and Product Trail--even if you haven't gotten there, I suggest you to try to get them in to their AAS because it's a huge component of the class and once they have visited it serves as a necessary point of reference. So when the curriculum says "do what you want" for that visit, the students should be discussing in the class meeting what they want to start the year teaching the elementary students (it's ok if this is primarily the games that your students did as icebreakers through the first weeks of school). The diversity/identity lesson plan was what Noah and Kate used last year because Unit one was slightly different and that seemed a good way to start with them, it's included this year in case you feel you need more structure for that first visit--it's just an option.
The first visit will be challenging and very likely will not go super smoothly (our first one at Cleveland was a mess but that was awesome because the students came back wanting to improve it) but we encourage you to let them struggle through it (communicating with your cooperating teacher that visits will only improve) so that they as a class can come back to the drawing board.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Update from Chief Sealth
Hi everyone. Sorry I've been out of touch. I was out of town Thursday night to Monday night and have been trying to catch up today.
- Al, I'll post a comment on your a-a-s question soon. We have our first visit scheduled for Friday, 10/17.
- I also plan to document some problem-solving that my class has gone through during the CLP. It has been a wild ride.
- We had the Common Language Project (Water Wars) in class today. It was a great presentation, but would have been much more engaging if the kids had already started studying water. I plan to invite them back later on.
- I picked up a great new resource in the airport last weekend: a new magazine put out by Scientific American called Earth 3.0. Here's a link to an article on how the energy and water crises are codependent. It was kind of a duh moment for me when I read it, but definitely a link that has not been discussed in the media.
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