Unit+2.+The+Challenges

//**Anticipated Length of Unit**: ~ 40, 50-minute classes // toc

In Unit 1 students explored the what a sustainable world might look like identified the key challenges that keep humans from securing a sustainable world. In this unit, the four care instructions for sustainability guide an closer examination of the challenges to sustainability. Systems analyses, mathematical modeling, biological models and remote sensing data are used to examine the challenges analytically and to evaluate possible responses that may support the goal of creating sustainability.

=2.1 Humans: Demand for Goods and Services from Nature = //**Anticipated length of Subunit:** 7 sessions of 50 minutes each // > Marooned Part II - Island System[PowerPoint] > Models - Energy and Sustainability [PowerPoint] > Marooned Part II - Data Table and Graph [MS Excel] > Marooned Part II - Blank Data Table and Graph [MS Excel]
 * 1) Activity: Easter Island Activity -Teacher Notes Revised [MS Word]
 * 2) Handout: Easter Island Timeline Revised [MS Word]
 * 3) Report Form: Easter Island Student Report Form [MS Word]
 * 4) Activity: Marooned Part II! Teacher Instructions [MS Word]
 * 5) Lecture:
 * 1) Handout: Marooned Part II - Island Information  [MS Word]
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Report Form: Marooned! - Student Data Report [MS Word]
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lecture:
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity:
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity:
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video : Introdution to Excel Spreadsheets<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> [screen capture video .mov]
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marooned Part II - Data Table and Graph [MS Excel]
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vensim: <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Simple Island Fractional Distribution Model <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> [Vensim]
 * 4) <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video – Introduction to Vensim [screen capture video .mov]

=<span class="wiki_link_ext"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="wiki_link_new">2.2 Experimenting with Biological Model System  = //**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anticipated length of Subunit: **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7 sessions of 50 minutes each //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This methods developed in section 2.1 are tested in a biological model -- yeast. Yeast that lives in an “ecosystem” in sourdough starter dough that includes competing and symbiotic organisms is able to sustain an equilibrium population for perhaps as long as 100 years whereas yeast given ample food and space grows exponential and then <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anticipated length: 7 50-minute classes
 * 1) Lab: Yeast Simple Population Dynamics Part I – Student Instructions [MS Word]
 * 2) Lab: Yeast Population Dynamics in a Simple Ecosystem – Student Instructions [MS Word]
 * 3) Lecture: Yeast Population Dynamics [PowerPoint]
 * 4) Video: Secrets of Sourdough: Science on the Spot [Video Link]
 * 5) Video: Sourdough starter/yeast growth – time lapse 12 hours [Video]
 * 6) Activity: Sourdough Time Lapse Analysis [MS Word]
 * 7) Activity: Exploring Population Dynamics – Predator Prey Simulation [<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MS Word]

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. 3 Human Population - Help People Globally to meet their Needs = //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Anticipated Length of Subunit:** 7 sessions of 50minutes each //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The essential question addressed in this section is: What factors will affect population growth? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This section examines patterns in human population dynamics that resemble the case of yeast isolated from normal controlling factors. However, future projections for human population growth predict a leveling off at 9 million. In a project using Gapminder World as their principle data source, students will explore possible explanations for this trend and consider the potential sustainability benefits of both the stabilizing of human population and the causes for that stability on sustainability


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: Studying Human Population Growth [.pdf and Excel]
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: Using Excel [series of 3 screenshot videos .mov]
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: What Will Limit Human Population Growth? Project [MS Word]
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Assessment: Rubric for Project [MS Word]

=2.4 Prevent Accumulation of Chemicals that Persist in the Environment= //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Anticipated Length of subunit**: 5 sessions of 50 minutes each //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Humans are the only creatures that produce waste that cannot be reprocessed and used by other organisms. Are we creating too much waste to sustain the necessary ecosystem services that we need? Are there simple solutions for at least some of the non-biodegradable waste that we produce? In this section students consider the fate and accumulation of waste and our human footprint on the Earth and practice techniques for preventing and limiting the use of plastics in this context.


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video: The Majestic Plastic Bag (Mockumentary)
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: The Majestic Plastic Bag and Dare County Ban [MS Word]
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video: TED : Let's Talk Trash [video]
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: Student Worksheet for Let’s Talk Trash [MS Word doc]
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: Google Earth Human Footprint on the Earth [MS Word]
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pre and Post Lab: Black Ice [PowerPoint]
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video embed Pre and Post Lab PowerPoint: Goodbye Glaciers [.mp4]
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lab: Black Ice [MS Word doc ]
 * 9) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lab: Black Ice - Teacher Setup Video [Video .mov]

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2.5 Reduce Destruction of Nature = //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Anticipated Length of Subsection**: 5 session of 50 minutes each //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In this section students consider some examples of resource consumption that produce lasting damage. Are there sufficient resources to supply human food, energy, water and construction needs while still leaving sufficient resources to support the health of the ecosystems that provide many of those essential services? In this unit students will consider resource recovery methods and their impacts.


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: Coal Mining and Mountain Top Removal (will be adapted from current post)[.pdf]
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: The Dead Zone [.pdf]
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: The Ozone Hole - Successful Response [MS Word]
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reading: A Climate Success Story - New York Times [.pdf]
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Activity: Ecological Footprint (will be adapted from current post)[Powerpoint]
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Activity: Ecological Footprint and I = PAT(will be adapted from current post) [.pdf]

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2.6 Biomimcry - Nature Knows Best? = //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Anticipated Length of subunit**: 10 sessions of 50 minutes each //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The National Academy of Engineering identified learning from the sustainable design in nature to rethink and redesign products, building and other systems holds enormous promise for the future. In this section students will explore new inventions that have relied on the science of biomimicry for inspiration. They will learn about North Carolina high school students who used a lowly beetle as inspiration for an award-winning project to collect water from the air. Students will explore biomimicry design to improve on that water collection system and examine seed pods for ideas for better attachment and fastening systems.


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video: TED: Janine Benyus: Biomimicry in Action [Video]
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: 14 Best Inventions Using Biomimcry [MS Word]
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: 14 Best Inventions Using Biomimicry Teacher Notes [MS Word]
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lecture: Biomimicry [PowerPoint]
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity(Research) : Find Your Favorite Example [MS Word]
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Activity: Brainstorming and Video Series: Exploravision Project [mp4 format]
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lab: Lessons from Water’s Nature Harvester [MS Word]
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teacher Notes: Cool Biomimcry Possibilities [MS Word]
 * 9) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lab: Velvet Hook[MS Word]
 * 10) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Assessment: Design and Propose a Product from Nature [MS Word Doc]
 * 11) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video: Grand Challenges of Engineering - Sustainability