2015 Sustainable School Program Course Syllabus

The purpose of this course is to teach K-5 students the concepts of Sustainability and Leadership while fitting seamlessly with the students core curriculum. The course will provide Narrative/Story making and Science instruction using Sustainability as the overarching theme. The first third of the course work focus on Narrative instruction, the Second Third will focus on science instruction, and the last third will focus on leadership education.

Instructor: Michael Jones

Class Times: 9:00 – 11:30 Am Fridays


Section 1 Narrative Instruction:

Friday January 9, 2015: Introduction to the concepts of Sustainability, Conservation, and Recycling.

Friday January 16, 2015: Creation of Class names and Mascots, Introduction of Narrative/Story elements: Character and Plot (The problem of the story).

Friday January 23, 2015: Character continued: What are the likes and dislikes of this Character? What is the characters main problem? What is a story diamond? How does it work? Why does the Character care about Sustainability?

Friday January 30, 2015: No Class

Friday February 6, 2015: Plot: What happens in this story? What is the problem of the story? What does it have to do with sustainability? Why do we like stories? What is Fiction?

Friday February 13, 2015: First Draft of Story.

Friday February 20, 2015: No Class

Friday February 27, 2015: Second Draft of Story:

Friday March 6, 2015: Final Draft of Story.

Section 2 Science Instruction:

Friday March 13, 2015: What is an energy audit?

Friday March 20, 2015: Measure water flow, quantify how much water is wasted from a dripping tap.

Friday March 27, 2015: What is electricity? How do we measure electricity? How much energy do different types of light bulbs use?

Friday April 3, 2015: No Class

Friday April 10, 2015: No Class

Friday April 17, 2015: Tentative: Electricity Generating Bicycle demonstration

Friday April 24, 2015: What is composting? Why do we do it?

Friday May 1, 2015: Build an Earthworm Composting Bin

Friday May 8, 2015: Take Home Energy Audit Form Creation

Friday May 15, 2015: No Class

Section 3 Sustainability Leadership:


Friday May 22, 2015: Report back on Home energy Audit findings. Determine ways to improve home energy efficiency.

Friday May 29, 2015: Determine ways to improve school energy efficiency.

Friday June 5, 2015: First draft School energy efficiency report.

Friday June 12, 2015: Final draft School energy efficiency report.

Friday June 19th, 2015: Celebration.

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