Course: Integrated Service Learning – A Food System Approach
Instructor: Tom Sabo
(c) 802-522-3586 (h) 802-223-6323
Course Description
Service Learning has the potential to increase student engagement, and therefore achievement, by bringing relevance and rigor to your lessons. Why stop there? The complex nature of most authentic learning experiences provides many opportunities to further enhance student learning through cross-curricular integration. This course will provide students the support and training necessary to create engaging, experiential units in their respective discipline, using the food system as a vehicle for curricular integration.
Course Expectations
Participants will:
- Complete assigned readings and journal entries.
- Attend classes and actively participate in discussions and activities.
- Create a unit of instruction in your discipline that incorporates experiential lessons, service-learning projects, and interdisciplinary connections, tied to the food system.
Evaluation
Completion of all assignments and participation in class discussions/activities 40%
Journal 20%
Final Project 40%
Readings:
Selections from:
Deep Economy, Bill McKibben
Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollen
Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser
Earth In Mind, David Orr
Consulting the Genius of the Place, Wes Jackson
Tomatoland, Barry Estabrook
Recommended Reading:
Brain Rules, John Medina
Introduction to Student-Involved Assessment for Learning, Richard Stiggins
Practical Aspects of Authentic Assessment: Putting the Pieces Together, Campbell Hill, B & Ruptic, C
Course Plan (subject to change as needed)
Date |
Topic |
Guiding Questions |
| March 13 |
Food System Overview |
Why Food? What is a Food System? How does it create powerful educational opportunities for teachers and students? |
| March 20 |
Student Engagement
|
What does student engagement look like? How do you increase student engagement? |
| March 27 |
Service Learning Basics
|
How does Service Learning differ from Community Service? |
| April 3 |
Academic Rigor
|
What is “Rigor”? How does “rigor” relate to student engagement? |
| April 10 |
Experiential Education
|
Is “experiential education” a fancy term for “hands-on learning”? |
| April 17 |
Integrating Curriculum
|
What is gained by integrating curriculum across disciplines? What are the barriers to integrating curriculum at the high school level?
|
| May 1 |
Common Core
|
How can the Common Core standards be addressed with this type of teaching?
|
| May 8 |
Incorporating Student Voice
|
What is the relationship between “Relevance” and “Student Voice”? |
| May 15 |
Authentic Assessment
|
How can we assess student learning in this integrated service learning model? |
| May 22 |
Long Term Goal Setting |
What does success look like?
|