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.

July 8th Journal

I have no idea of how to transform some knowledge taken from the museum into a lesson. The reason is that I already have that knowledge, the innovative thing was they way in which this knowledge was display in order to be transmitted to the visitor in an interactive, attractive and clear way.

I would like to take my students to the museum but I cannot reproduce what I've seen there.

What I can apply is what we did in the first part of our visit, the experience about how to figure out things that you can not see or feel by your senses. I liked so much the activity that I wouldn't change a coma. The lesson plan we were given was perfect. Although it could seem that I say this in order to not have to write anything, this is not the case

July 7th Journal

I really have had a fantastic experience at the baseball game, but a fantastically boring one.

The evening was good because the host seating beside me was very nice and I enjoyed talking to him. And I also like to have new experiences and I was eager to know how a baseball game is.

But the game is so boring. And, in my opinion, I was not the only one to feel the boredom:most of the people pay little attention to what was happening in the field. The most exiting situations took place when the ball reached the public.

In conclusion, I liked the experience but, definitely, I don't like baseball.

July 6th Journal

My understanding of baseball has raised significantly, which was not difficult to achieve as my previous knowledge was zero. 

Thanks to my research about baseball fields, now I am familiar, to a little extend, with the places where this typical American game is played.

Nevertheless, what has been definitely vital for my understanding of the subject  has been the practice lesson. After playing for one hour, I feel confident that tomorrow I will be able to follow the game and to shout at the proper time.

July 5th Journal

Part I (13,30 pm)

I am not tutoring but if I were, it would be impossible for me to mention anything about my looking forwardness or my fears relating to this activity because I have no clue as to what it is about.

As for the free writing, I will write about a language experience I had not had but I would have liked to have and that I would like to have over the three weeks we already have got left.

I, as the rest of the teachers I've been talking to, miss more talking and feedback in the classes we are attended. It is our feeling that we are not learning as much English as we expected.

Part II (23,40 pm)

 As if you had read my thinkings, at the end of today's class I knew what tutoring was about and we had started an activity in which we had had to talk to each other(thankfully, all the people in the group agreed to speak English).

I have liked this last activity about baseball much more than simply writing the journal on my own.

Nevertheless, I still miss some feedback. I feel that I will go back to Spain with the same mistakes I used to commit before I came to Chicago. For example, I'm not sure if you "commit mistakes" or just "make mistakes".

July weekend 2th-4th Journal

This weekend didn't seem to be a good one as my for-one-month family was going out for the long weekend. But out of a sudden, a day-host, Karen, appeared and eventually I spent three great days.

On Saturday, I took the bicycle that my family had lent me and I cycled along the lake. I also jump into the water twice. I cannot use the verb “swim” because my two baths lasted less than three minutes. The first one, in the morning, I felt the water really cold.By the time I made my way to the water for the second time, the water had warmed up but I was afraid of leaving my bag alone on the sand. For me, being on my own with a bicycle is synonymous of happiness.

On Sunday, I met Karen and two other teachers at the Art Institute. Karen turned to be not only a great host but also a lover of art, so we had a lot of fun at the museum. Later on we went to the Botanic Gardens. They are splendid but too huge to be visited in just a couple of hours.

And the big day arrived. In the morning we did an architectural tour in Oak Park, again with Karen. In the evening, we went shopping to an outlet. I don't like going shopping very much (just sport items). But visiting an outlet in the US is one of the must-do things for a tourist. Finally I bought nothing but at least, I'm done with outlets. And to finish the weekend as well as it had started, we took part in the barbecue hosted by Alejandro's host.

July 1th Journal

I would focus the students on things that they were able to do in order to contribute to global sustainability. They don't usually worry about saving resources (paper, water, electricity, etc) and when they do, they tend to think that there is little they can do. And even more, if they finally are aware of the importance of that issue, they argue that as they are the only ones doing something, the effort is worthless.

I would make my students calculate the amount of paper and electricity we were able to save in the school by means of changing certain habits. Later on, we would translate this amount into trees and into money(the language they understand the best). To end with, we would design a campaign to convince the rest of the students in the school to modify their habits relating to wasting resources.

The questions I would make sure my students respond to are:

Are resources endless?
Does nature suffer because of us (human race)?
Is there something we can do to release some of the nature suffering?
What easy things can we change relating to our conssumpsion habits?

June 30th Journal

The smallest park in the biggest city would supply with a bit of sustainability. Just because it is a park, Millenium Park is a sustainable resource to the city of Chicago. Especially if the grounds where the park currently lies used to be occupied by parkland, rail yards and parking lots. For sure, it is better to leave future generations a field full of green living things than tones of concrete.

When it comes to focus in specific aspects of the park that you notice that are sustainable or that promote sustainability, the task turns into a hard one. I have found just three :

• The Exelon Pavilions, that are certificated as sustainable. All the apparently mirrors that cover the buildings, are in fact solar panels.

• McDonald's Cycle Center. A place to hire a bicycle to ride not only the park but the city too. 

• Some bins to recycle waste.

June 29th class journal

The lab I think it would be easier for me to incorporate into my teaching back in Spain is "Egg Bungee Jump".

Introduction.
This lab is important to me to teach my students because I can cover lots of concepts with an activity that students will find fun. This way they will be motivated and therefore willing to learn so, consequently, they will learn (or at least, the probability that they learn something meaningful is the highest).

Objectives (what I want my students to learn):

• To undersntand concepts related to Physics and Ecology:
• Gravity force.
• Elasticity.
• Inhuman treatment to hen.
• To use Maths (proportions and equations) to solve problems.
• To realize that Maths matters and that it is a basic tool to solve problems you might have to deal with on a daily basis.
• To use different units of measure and to change one into another .
• To take measures and to reduce the error obtained. 
• To work in group.
• To discover things on their own.

Procedures (how my students will reach the objectives).

• They will apply the scientific method.
• Under the guise of a game, they will be given an otherwise tough lesson.
• They will work in group.
• They will discover things by themselves.

Simulations

I have chosen the simulatios "Build an atom".

I would use it in the third year of  "Diversificacion" (a group of students with a variety of learning  difficulties) to illustrate what otherwise is so complicated for them to understand.

After explaining that atoms are made of three kind of particles: electron, proton, neutron, I will encourage my students to construct an atom. They have to discover that each particle has an specific part of the atom to be placed and that not any combination in the number of particles results in an stable atom.

Finally, they will have to find out the rules to build any atom:

• Protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus and electrons in the shell .
• The number of protons equal the number of electrons.
• The number of neutrons can vary.
• The number of protons identifies an atom.
• The mass of an atom is the mass of sum of protons and neutrons.

Click to Run

June 28th On my own

Over the course of a school year, I want out of my students:

• To find what I teach them meaningful.
• To awake their cuiosity.
  To enjoy classes.
• To improve their health habits
• To know how to work in a group.
• To don't trust even the teacher.
• To be independent.
• To know how to learn on their own.
• To respect other people's opinion.
• To appreciate their abilities.

June 28th class journal

First I wrote:
'So far I don't like Google Docs but I do like Google Sites and Blogger. So I will just talk about the latter two'.

But after talking to Pat, who usually use Google Docs, I've changed my mind and I will include it.

No matter what the context is: this program, my classes and my students, etc, the utility of either Docs, Blogs or Sites is that you can share stuff in an interactive way.

With Docs you can work in any office document more than one person at a time. If you want your students to do a teamwork that should be presented as an office document (presentation, written document, etc), with Docs they can work online and in the distance.

Both a blog and a website is convenient when you want other people to see your work (or the teamwork), for example if they are to be shared with the rest of the group.

A blog is easier to create and it's a good way to show information and to obtain a response, if needed, to this information. For example, in the program we are taken, the information will be our answers to the questions made by the teacher and that will conform our class journal.

With a website you can organized all the information in a better way. If the students are doing a work, the different sections can be displayed on the website in a clear way.

In my opinion, a website is the most useful of the three, because it includes all the possibilities or options.