Criterios de evaluación bloque I

1. Definir los conceptos de medio ambiente y de sistema y explicar el concepto de medio ambiente bajo un enfoque sistémico
2. Reconocer la importancia de un enfoque global e interdisciplinar en el estudio de las ciencias ambientales.
3. nterpretar y diseñar modelos ambientales del tipo caja negra indicando las características que los definen, valorando su eficiencia y siendo capaces de deducir las diferencias existentes entre estos y la realidad.
4. Identificar las relaciones causales simples y los bucles de realimentación que relacionan entre sí las variables de un modelo referido a alguno de los principales problemas ambientales, como el crecimiento de la población, la regulación del clima planetario o la evolución de las relaciones humanidad-naturaleza, siendo capaces de interpretarlos y deduciendo una serie de consecuencias encadenadas derivadas de cualquier cambio en alguno de los parámetros.
5. Aplicar la teoría de sistemas a los estudios medioambientales (Tierra como sistema de caja blanca, Tiera como sistema de caja negra, etc.)
6. Investigar las fuentes de energía utilizadas por la humanidad a lo largo de su historia, evaluando su rentabilidad pasada y presente y su tendencia futura.
7. Relacionar las actividades de la humanidad a lo largo de su historia con las fuentes de energía y recursos utilizados y con los impactos producidos.
8. Ubicar correctamente en la escala del tiempo geológico los cambios medioambientales de origen natural acaecidos a lo largo de la historia del planeta y compararlos con los que tienen su origen en las actividades humanas (cambios en la composición de la atmósfera, impactos ambientales en la historia de la humanidad,etc).
9. Diferenciar, desde la óptica sistémica, entre un modelo de desarrollo que propicie la explotación incontrolada y otro que abogue por un modelo de desarrollo sostenible. 
10. Diferenciar ante un problema ambiental los argumentos de explotación incontrolada y los de desarrollo sostenible.
11. Proponer una serie de medidas encaminadas a paliar los problemas derivados de los cambios ambientales o de la explotación incontrolada de los recursos.
12. Proponer medidas comunitarias que pueda seguir la ciudadanía encaminadas a aprovechar adecuadamente los recursos, a disminuir los impactos, a mitigar los riesgos y a conseguir un medio ambiente más saludable.
13. Explicar las limitaciones que presenta el sistema económico aislado y resaltar los principios básicos para su inclusión dentro del sistema ecológico.
14. Detectar y señalar los gastos ocultos de un producto, explicando las repercusiones ambientales que puede originar.
15. Analizar las interacciones mutuas entre el sistema económico humano y los sistemas naturales terrestres, utilizando los conceptos de de recursos, residuos, riesgos e impactos y clasificar cada uno de ellos según diferentes criterios.
16. Explicar qué es un indicador ambiental y qué tipos existen y saber reconocerlos en un caso de problema ambiental.
17.  Conocer los mecanismos básicos de las modernas técnicas de teledetección y telemática, y señalar sus principales aplicaciones en el estudio y la mejora del medio ambiente, así como para prevenir, predecir y valorar los riesgos
18. Definir los siguientes términos: albedo, huella ecológica, desarrollo sostenible, impacto ambiental, indicadores ambientales, recurso natural, recurso renovable, residuo, teledetección, Sistema de Información Geográfica (SIG).
19.  Conocer y emplear, si procede, los siguientes términos o expresiones: simulación medioambiental, escenario, límite/capacidad de carga, bucle de realimentación positiva, bucle homeostático, tasa de renovación, tasa de consumo, Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre le medio ambiente y el desarrollo (Río de Janeiro, 1992), potencial biótico.

July 15th Journal

Rube Goldberg project experience

The objective of the experience was to make us think in an inquiry way of a design for an apparatus in which some exchanges of energy have to take place. Apart form this main objective, a side aim for me would have been to exchange ideas with the classmates in my group using the English language. I achieved the first one but not the later.

At the beginning, most of the group didn't like the activity, but I did. It's my feeling that we, Spaniards, are not used to this kind of open, inquiry activities and that we easily get lost. Nevertheless, finally everybody accepted the challenge and all of us wanted our apparatus to work properly in front of the jury. 

I like this activity to be done with my students in the Physics class. It's easy to adapt to different levels and it addresses to many types of learners.

July 14th Journal

Fermentation

What most impacted me about this tour was the final experimental activity and the easiness of a process that produces so wonderful results.

I have previously done similar tours in Spain to study the fermentation of other juices. So I was impressed by the different flavors and smells that such a simple organism as yeast can produce from just three components: malt, hop and water.

The process of fermentation is so easy to produce, that you can even do it yourself at home, by using daily cook devices.

You are smart; and you too; and you, and you, and you, and me...

Lab: Invent an apparatus that transforms the simple action of getting some soap from a dispenser into a complicated six-step process (minimum). 

How this lab caters all the following intelligences:

• Linguistic: In this lab there is a lot of discussion and debate and finally you have to explain how your apparatus works to the judge.
• Logical-Mathematical: You have to think of how to get six processes in which an exchange of energy takes place. Consequently, you have to reason, to figure out, to experiment.
• Spatial: Once you have the idea, you have to visualize the way to implement it. It's a good thing to draw the apparatus before starting to construct it.
• Bodily-kinesthetic: You are free to use as much space in the classroom as you need, you can move to take new materials, you can jump onto the table to get more potential energy for the devise you are building.
• Musical: You can work while listening to the music or you can even sing as you work. You also can add a soundtrack to your apparatus.
• Interpersonal: As you have to work in group, someone has to lead and to coordinate the discussion (letting   every member of the group express their ideas), the actions to be carried out.
• Intrapersonal: One can meditate in one of the steps on their own. As there is no limit to the maximum number of steps, any individual idea will be welcome.
• Naturalistic: You can incorporate elements from nature (flowers, wood, water, etc) to your apparatus, both to decorate it o as a part of some of the engines.

HOW

Instructions to get your delicious 6,99$ value meal you are awarded after classes.

1. When the teacher says that it's the time to have lunch, put your things in your bag, stand up and leave the class.
2. Make your way to the elevator or, if you happen to be environmental friendly, to the stairs.
3. Go to the lobby (label as first floor both in the elevator and on the door you will find if you take the stairs).
4. Push vigorously the rotator door.If you are really hungry, I suggest joining another eager-to-exit classmate in the same sector of the door, so as to reduce the waiting line to the half.
5. Once you are out of the building, turn right and walk to the first street that cross with the street you are walking through.
6. Stop until you see a white walking man in the light in front of you. Even if you are really hungry, don't dare to cross without seeing the white man. Otherwise, you will be shouted at by a not-very-nice woman who tries to remain you alive.
7. Cross the street.
8. Turn right and walk straight forward until you see a cafeteria named "55".
9. Push the new rotator door (same recommendations as in stage 4).
10. Take the escalator that leads you down to the cafeteria. Meanwhile you can think of the queue you want to stay to get your food.

July 13th persuasive writing

"Riding the CTA is better than any rollercoaster in the world".

If you have ever thought that riding a rollercoaster is one of the most exciting experiences you have ever had or you will ever have, that is because you haven't tried CTA "El", also known as Elevated Train. I assure you that the experience riding the "El" will be more thrilling, longer-lasting, and yet cheaper than any rollercoaster in the world.

No doubt about the thrill. While in a rollercoaster you just stay sitting waiting for the train to go up and down, in the "El" it's you who decides what will be the next exiting challenge and you can choose among a huge variety of thrill levels, according with your personality.

For instance, if you are a risk lover, you can try to wait close to the turnstile until you hear the train coming; then, jump across the bars (without paying, of course), run up through the down escalator, get into one of the wagons and sit on the belly of the fatter and stronger person you can find. You will be soon flying through the air and landing onto another passenger who, if they happen to be as strong as the first one, will give you a lot of extra fun

As I've said before, there are many other options but for sure it's a better idea that  it's you, the traveler, who design your own adventure.

As for the lasting, you are provided with 370 km of rails divided in eight different lines. Do you know how long is the longest rollercoaster in the world? Only 2,479 km, and you'd have to travel to Japan to enjoy it. So it's impossible for you to get bored as you don't have to pass twice through the same place or do any loop.

And finally, do you know how much you have to pay to have all that fun? 2,25 dollars. Obviously, no single rollercoaster in the world can compete with this fares.

July 12th Journal

2 activities/exhibits that I saw at the Children’s Museum that are science-based. 

1. Fabric picnic. Children have to create different dishes (a hot dog,a cake, etc) for a picnic using cloths. The science comes because instructors take the opportunity to explain scales. It's as when in science we use models to explain the reality. Most of the times these models are scaled up.
2. Build your one-of-a-kind structure. Children have to build kind of a skyscraper using wood struts and real  tools. They learn about Physics and Maths because they have to design a structure that doesn't collapse and, by looking at Chicago's most famous skyscrapers they realize that the best shape is the triangle.