Environmental and Water Issues Around the World
MMSD Professional Development
 

About the Course

The international area studies centers at UW-Madison are sponsoring this professional development opportunity. Each week we will explore the impact of environmental and water issues on different world regions, examining the facts, media representation, and history that have led to the current global crisis. Faculty, staff and graduate students with first-hand experience and academic training in various world regions will join us each week to share their insight and engage in discussions with the group. The goal of this class is for teachers to examine their knowledge and preconceptions about places in the world, and how best to approach discussing world issues in the classroom.

 

When & Where

Tuesdays (4:15 - 6:15 pm): October 21st, 28th & November 11th, 18th, and 25th
@ Randall Elementary LMC, 1802 Regent Street (Madison, WI)

 

Schedule and Readings

Week 1 (October 21) - Global Environmental Crisis at a Glance; Nancy Heingartner, Center for Russia, East Europe & Central Asia; Alberto Vargas, Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies; Rachel Weiss, Center for South Asia

Readings

Links of Interest

Week 2 (October 28) - Europe; Michael S. Adams, Professor Emeritus, Botany & Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

Readings

Links of Interest

Week 3 (November 11) - Latin America; Alberto Vargas, Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

Readings

Supplemental Materials

Week 4 (November 18) - Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia; Robert Kaiser, Geography

Russia: Key Environmental Problem areas - map (pdf)

Readings

Links of Interest

Hemispheres, The International Area Studies Outreach Consortium at the University of Texas at Austin, provides a variety of environment-related curricular materials on their outstanding web site. Scrolling down to the page's "Case Studies" section offers links to curriculum units on:

Week 5 (November 25) - Africa; Matt Turner, Geography

Readings

 

English Language News Sources

Belgium & the Netherlands

France

Germany

Norway

Spain

  • El Pais - International Herald Tribune partner site includes an English language PDF version

United Kingdom

 

Expectations

Teachers will be expected to keep a weekly journal and pay attention to news sources both nationally and internationally on environmental issues. Please bring your weekly journal with you to class for small group discussion. We will request copies of your journal entries at the end of the course. Teachers may choose a specific world area to focus on or just notice the world regions in the headlines. Those teachers taking the class for 1-graduate credit will be expected to turn in a lesson plan based on the course. They will have one month after the course to complete their lesson plan. At the first class all teachers will receive a course packet with readings to complete before each session.

Final Assignement (for credit)

To complete the course you will be expected to complete two assignments. The assignments are due on Friday, December 19, 2008. Click here for the assignments. Questions about the assignments should be addressed to Nancy Heingartner by email.

 

Credit

This course can be taken EITHER for PAC credit OR for one UW-Madison graduate credit. If you wish to take this course for UW-Madison credit, please contact Nancy Heingartner (information below.

 

Contacts

MMSD - Jan Lorch
Ph 204.4222
Email jlorch@madison.k12.wi.us

UW-Madison - Nancy Heingartner
Ph 265.6298
Email outreach@creeca.wisc.edu

 

Questions?

Visit the MMSD Registration/Information Page or email Nancy Heingartner. Or the informational flyer for the Fall 2008 PAC class.