Thursday, October 9, 2008

Poverty: Problems and Solutions?




The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is on October 17th. IB PYP and MYP around the world are looking at this as a global issue and a classroom lesson to be taught.

Sometimes stepping back from a narrow focus allows you to see the whole picture more clearly.

In my science classes my 9th grade students are learning about the periodic table of elements and how atoms combine to form compounds.

However, my MYP students are beginning to consider how science can be used to better the human condition and to solve some of the global issues facing us in the 21st C. Accordingly, we are looking at poverty and hunger.

We gathered background information and made some suggestions as to solutions. We will follow this up with informal discussions in class as well as another global learner / internet / blog assignment later.

Global issues will be a central theme as I teach these students over the next two years.

Please check their comments to my post located at http://09chemistry.blogspot.com/ You will also find links to IBO which will direct you to PYP and MYP / TOK suggested lesson plans and activities.

My students are still becoming comfortable posting comments to blogs etc. Over time we will work on our posts as “literacy writing assignments” and will incorporate the 11 sentence paragraph format (and others).

These strategies will improve our students communication skills as global learners!

Thanks for your time and consideration. Doug

2 comments:

Dave Tarwater said...

Doug,

What great opportunities your students are getting to learn both content and real world application. Older folks such as myself will be counting on this generation to solve some of the global issues we face going forward into the 21st Century. I will watch with interest as your students tackle some of the issues.

Joseph Miller said...

Doug,

Cool lesson. I read through the chemistry blog comments. Your students have a lot of confidence and are generous in their ideas.

I left a hole bunch of questions as a comment. What an interesting topic.

Joe