Matt+Lehning+Curriculum+Reviews

__**Cities **__

SimCityEdu, [|__http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/simcityedu-pollution-challenge/__]


 * What organization developed the curriculum module you are evaluating? **

Glasslab.


 * What is the mission of the organization? **

To “empower youth to claim their path to 21st century success through high-impact digital games.”


 * What is the educational mission and philosophy of the organization? **

To create high impact games that make learning enjoyable for students of all ages.


 * What does the curriculum module aim to teach? In other words: what are the learning outcomes supposed to be? **

To teach students about the decisions that can be made in cities in order to have positive impacts in the environment and the trade offs that come with each decision. The game intends to teach responsible decision making that has the best outcome for the inhabitants in the city and the environment.


 * Do you think the curriculum is appropriately designed to produce the intended learning outcomes? **

I do think it is appropriately designed. First making a game, especially a spin off of a well known and liked game such as the sims, will get students interested and engaged. This is important in any curriculum because students learn much better when interested and engaged. Second I think this specific game directly allows students to see the positive and negative effects on the environment with each decision that they make. One thing I have found in past work with students is that they are very competitive so at the least students will learn the best decisions to make to help the environment to beat their friend in the game, with the best case scenario being they learn the best decisions to make because they care about the environment.


 * Does this curriculum teach the kind of literacies the EcoEd Research Group advocates? **

Yes it does, it teaches most off the literacies of EcoEd, specifically: -“understanding of their own health and well being as shaped by an array of both proximate and far-off causes.” The students see how the citizens of there city are affected through environmental decisions relating to things such as air pollution. -”understanding of government at various scales” This is the premise of the game because the student plays the role of the mayor of the city. They learn about the decisions that can be made at the highest level of the cities government and the impact it has. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-”having creative info-seeking practices, animated analytic capabilities, and a capacity to narrate complex chains of events.” The students need to analyse and think about complex decisions within their city to make the best choice.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What could be layered into this curriculum so that it address more of the learning outcomes that the EcoEd Group advocates? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The decisions made in the game tell the students if they negatively or positively impacted the citizens in the city and the environment. The game could go more in depth as to why the decision is bad for the environment. An example would be if they have to decide whether or not to allow a factory to be built to create jobs in the city, but risk air and water pollution it could have a mini lesson behind the negative effects that factories specifically cause.

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Air Pollution** __

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ciese, Air Pollution: Whats the solution? [|__http://ciese.org/curriculum/airproj/__]


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What organization developed the curriculum module you are evaluating? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ciese.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the mission of the organization? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“To inspire, nurture and educate leaders for tomorrow’s technology-centric environment while contributing to the solutions of the most challenging problems of our time.”


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the educational mission and philosophy of the organization? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To develop innovative curriculum and professional development for STEM topics for students at all levels of education.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What does the curriculum module aim to teach? In other words: what are the learning outcomes supposed to be? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students should be able to describe what air pollutants are, where they come from and the health effects they have on people. In addition the students will be able to read and understand the AQI and determine the presence of air pollutants.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do you think the curriculum is appropriately designed to produce the intended learning outcomes? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I do think it is appropriately designed. I do think the lesson can be a little content heavy, and lacks an aspect to it that will help engage all students. The first part of the lesson demonstrating the effects of air pollution with the leaf example is great because it is hands on and will visually show kids what can happen to plants. This is an example of a great engaging activity that will leave some students wondering and excited to find out what happens to the leaves for the forthcoming days. After that is where the lesson seems to be a little content heavy. After this is it almost entirely analysing graphs or numbers found on the internet and answering questions. While they are an important skill to have, students interest may be lost after a while of it.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Does this curriculum teach the kind of literacies the EcoEd Research Group advocates? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-”understanding of their own health and well being as shaped by an array of both proximate and far-off causes. “ This is the main learning outcome of this activity. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-”understanding of different scientific disciplines and medical specializations, aware that they rely on diverse methods, produce many types of knowledge, and are ever evolving. “ The students are exposed to many different science aspects of science through things like the AQI and looking at weather. They learn how air pollution can be observed and affect through various forms of science.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What could be layered into this curriculum so that it address more of the learning outcomes that the EcoEd Group advocates? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I think the curriculum does not have the depth advocated by the EcoEd literacies meaning that it covers the issues with air pollution but does not have the students think about the different causes for the air pollution. The students may learn that the air pollution came from the factory local to them, but do not learn the governmental decisions that went behind creating the factory. I think adding this extra layer behind the physical cause of the air pollution would significantly help the curriculum cover more learning goals of EcoEd.

__**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fenceline Communities **__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">CFEG, Kids in Danger Zones, [|__http://www.foreffectivegov.org/kids-in-danger-zones-curriculum__]


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What organization developed the curriculum module you are evaluating? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Center for Effective Government


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the mission of the organization? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Enhance public understanding and appreciation of what government does and how it operates in all of our communications.”


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the educational mission and philosophy of the organization? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To teach students about the environmental impacts around them and promote advocacy to fix these problems.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What does the curriculum module aim to teach? In other words: what are the learning outcomes supposed to be? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To learn about vulnerability zones from local chemical plants, research alternatives to the dangerous chemicals being used and become advocates for positive solutions through persuasive presentations and writing of letters to editors, government agencies and elected officials.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do you think the curriculum is appropriately designed to produce the intended learning outcomes? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I do because it covers in depth ways to become advocates for these problems. It goes in depth in having the students contact multiple people that can help them influence these chemical plants. I think the curriculum opening up with a recent, devastating story will help gain the students attention and interest because no one wants this to happen to them.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Does this curriculum teach the kind of literacies the EcoEd Research Group advocates? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-”understanding of their own health and well being as shaped by an array of both proximate and far-off causes. “ This curriculum specifically relates to local chemical plants but goes into the specific chemical that are harmful in the plants and the alternative chemicals that can be used.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-”understanding of potential for change, and of alternative ways of doing things and organizing society” In the curriculum they find alternative chemicals to the dangerous ones and then become advocates for it taking actions to try and create change within the chemical plants.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What could be layered into this curriculum so that it address more of the learning outcomes that the EcoEd Group advocates? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I think this curriculum teaching the learning outcomes advocated by EcoEd. One small thing that could be added is learning how the dangerous chemicals can come in contact with us, whether it be through air pollution, water pollution or other means could be added.

__**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children's Forest **__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.childrensforestco.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/K-1-Curriculum-Kit.pdf


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the mission of the organization? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The mission of Children’s Forest is to provide outdoor places teach healthy living through learning, exploration and engagement with nature to children.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the **educational** mission and philosophy of the organization?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To get the children engaged with nature to get them more interested in it, then to teach them about it to help improve both the children's and natures health.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What does the curriculum module aim to teach? In other words: what are the learning outcomes supposed to be? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This specific curriculum has multiple learning outcomes. On the field trip the students partake in multiple activity that are aimed at providing an opportunity for students to build connections with nature, develop inquiry and observations skills, and to expand upon the science concepts learned in the classroom.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do you think the curriculum is appropriately designed to produce the intended learning outcomes? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I do think the curriculum is appropriately designed. While I do not think it is the most content heavy curriculum this is only for kindergarteners and 1st graders it is designed for. I think going out and exploring nature is a great way to get children interested in nature which will ultimately end up with them caring and taking action to preserve nature. In addition the first activity is intended to help the students observational skills, then each following activity builds upon this. I think this is a great way of teaching because it allows the students to apply what they just learned in multiple examples using different methods.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Does this curriculum teach the kind of literacies the EcoEd Research Group advocates? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One literacy goal that is taught in this curriculum is, “having creative info-seeking practices, animated analytic capabilities, and a capacity to narrate complex chains of events.” Taking them out in nature and teaching them observational skills is an info seeking practice. Often poor environmental practices are happening in your local area and you can go see the effects of it in nature. Teaching students these observational skills can allow them to see the negative effects occurring.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What could be layered into this curriculum so that it address more of the learning outcomes that the EcoEd Group advocates? **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One thing that could be added to the curriculum is a section on how the students actions will affect nature. The students are taught in the curriculum that organisms change throughout their lifetime and will have to make adaptations. They could add an activity to the curriculum that goes over how students actions will affect wildlife, specifically the trees, plants and wildlife already covered in the curriculum.