Starter:  Summarize with a partner the thesis of Leopold's Land Ethic.  What questions do you have about it?


Leopold's "Land Ethic"
Important Quotes:  React to each quote on the mini-whiteboard.  Sketch? Hashtags? Verse? Connection?

• "A land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it."
• "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
• "A land ethic of course cannot prevent the alteration, management, and use of these 'resource,' but it does affirm their right to continued existence, and, at lease in spots, their continued existence in a natural state."
• "We have no land ethic yet, but we have drawn nearer the point of admitting that birds should continue as a matter of biotic right, regardless of the presence or absence of economic advantage to us."
• "A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land.  Health is the capacity of the land for self-renewal.  Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve this capacity."
• "Perhaps the most serious obstacle impeding the evolution of a land ethic is the fact that our educational and economic system is headed away from, rather than toward, an intense consciousness of land."

Discussion:  "The Land Ethic" by Aldo Leopold
1.  What struck us?
3.  What are the benefits and limitations of the land ethic?

Helpful resource on "The Land Ethic" for your review.


What is The Gaia Hypothesis?

Everything is Connected:  Listen to the first segment
What is your reaction to the ideas of this podcast?  Can you connect this to the concept of the Gaia hypothesis?  How does this connect to the land ethic?  


FOUR CORNERS

• (In matters of environment) "We have to start acting as one species with one destiny." 
• Industry has an ethical obligation to embrace sustainability and take responsibility for the health of the environment.
• Climate change is a threat to national security.

Work Time:
1. Finish readings for quiz tomorrow.  Annotate with attention to the EnviroEthics concepts
2.  Listen to the other segments of "Everything is Connected."
3.  Critique next Thursday!

From Business Insider:  The future of our coastlines?


Part 2: Environmental Ethics
(I would take notes on this part!)


READING/WORK TIME
Read Leopold and Carson
Review Chief Seattle
For tomorrow, come having at least read "The Land Ethic" (and Carson if you can get to it!)

TURN IN YOUR BOOKS!!!!
Honors, get The Bluest Eye!

Today's Goal

• Understand some basics about environmentalism and environmental ethics
• Be able to define the following concepts
• Instrumental and Intrinsic Value
• Anthropocentrism
• Ecology
• Preservation
• Conservation
• Sustainability

Video:  The Overview Effect
Key Question: How has our relationship with Earth changed in the last 50 years?



Lecture:  Intro to Environmental Ethics, Part 1


Readings for Quiz:
BY THURSDAY:  Aldo Leopold's "The Land Ethic"
Vocab and Discussion Questions for "The Land Ethic"

Rachel Carson's "Of Man and the Stream of Time," Commencement Address from Scripps College, 1962.

ADVICE:  annotate for the concepts we learned about today, as well as any connections between these readings, The Lorax, and/or Chief Seattle's speech.


TO DO:
Read Rachel Carson
Read Aldo Leopold
Review Chief Seattle speech
Revise H&M Project (Critique next week)

Wednesday, April 20

Prep for Earth Day fun with the littles!!

1. Overview of Friday

8:25 Meet at in my room and review itinerary.
8:35 Walk down to catch the bus
8:45 Depart for Needham
9-11 Activities on 4-class rotation

• We lead seminar on The Lorax
• Spirit Sticks and Rocks (BYO?)
• Planting Activity or Story
• Games

11:20 Depart for lunch (Main St walking distance?  Bring a lunch?)
12:10 Meet at Fassbinder Pk/Debrief
12:30-1:45 Earth Day reading and journal assignment

2. Jessica reads The Lorax
Discuss:  Study Questions
Groups

Decide:
Who will read the book? (This person should practice a few times...there are some tongue-twisters!)
Who will hold the book?

WORK TIME FOR FOOD ETHIC ASSIGNMENT

Announcements
Earth Day fun with the littles is on!

• Will anyone be absent Friday?
• Who has babysitting experience or a knack with kids?

Honors

• Sign out a copy of The Bluest Eye
• Turn in A Tale for the Time Being
• Assignments due!

This week

• Tuesday/Thursday testing
• One assignment to be done over the course of the week
• Work time today (1+ hours) and Wednesday (1 hour)
• Friday field trip

MUST RETURN PERMISSION SLIP BY WEDNESDAY! Fill it out in its entirety!

Please fill out this Google Form for the field trip roster if you did not do so already.

FOOD ETHIC ASSIGNMENT due Thursday midnight

(Click link on header for full details of assignment)

What is a “food ethic”? What is your food ethic?

Ethic:

a :  a set of moral principles :  a theory or system of moral values <the present-day materialistic ethic> <an old-fashioned work ethic> —often used in plural but singular or plural in construction <an elaborate ethics> <Christian ethics>

b plural but sing or plural in constr :  the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group <professional ethics>

c :  a guiding philosophy

d :  a consciousness of moral importance <forge a conservation ethic>

Instructions

1. TOGETHER: Watch the following videos as a class and discuss the ethics contained therein.  
1. America’s Eating Habits
2. One Million Gardens  (Who is Vandana Shiva?)
2. TOGETHER: Discuss Part 4 of the book:  How does Michael Pollan’s experimentation with the DIY food ethic extend our understanding of the modern American omnivore’s dilemma?
3. Read and annotate Wendell Berry, “The Pleasures of Eating.” (Who is Wendell Berry?).  Identify elements of his food ethic in Part 1 of the assignment.
4. Write--analytically or creatively--a brief expression of your own personal food ethic for Part 2.
5. Turn in both Parts 1 and 2 by Thursday, April 21st at midnight.

WORK TIME: Food Ethic Assignment

Film Screening:  Fresh (2009)

Written Response:  Synthesize film and content of Part 3 of The Omnivore's Dilemma
1.  Write about a page (2-3 paragraphs), preferably typed.
2.  You should refer to evidence from both the film and the book in your response.
3. Answer one or more the following prompts in your response.  Feel free to mix!  (If you have a different angle you want to take, chat with me about it.)

a. Compare and contrast the paradigms behind the industrial system and sustainable systems.  How does each show a different "ethic," that is to say, a different kind of thinking about the human relationship with our food and the human relationship with the Earth?

b. Is the local sustainable movement elitist?  Is it reasonable to think that we can figure out to feed "the many" on sustainable agricultural?  What would have to happen for this to occur?  What policy changes would we need?  How would the paradigm need to change?  What we need to be willing to give up?  Is it even desirable?

c.  Do you agree with the perspective of the book and movie in regards to the local sustainable food chain being more desirable than the industrial one?

• If so, explain why and what changes you would like to see.  Include a discussion of how consumers can impact change at the policy level.  
• If you don't agree, explain why you think the industrial chain is necessary or superior.  Refer to specifics in from the book and movie that you disagree with or find unrealistic.

HONORS

Choice Project and Seminar Post-write due Monday.

Don't forget to bring your book to turn in!

EVERYONE

Finish The Omnivore's Dilemma for Monday!

Today we will...

• Collaboratively process the content of the Omnivore's Dilemma
• Discuss the concept of muckraking journalism and examine its role in a democratic society
• Think critically about the relationship between industry and regulation, as it pertains to food

Agenda
1. Starter:  Watch this video and react verbally with a partner.


2. What questions do we have about this book so far?


3. Muckraking Journalism

What is a "muckraker"?  (Michael Pollan is a contemporary one, nowadays known as an investigative journalist.)

Muckraking Journalism Circle


4. A Century Ago's Muckraking Journalism and the Food Industry:
Throwback to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle (1906)
Historical Context
Excerpt from The Jungle


5. What is the FDA?  Why does it exist?  Should it exist?
Does the food industry have too many regulations?  Not enough?


6. If time, watch clip from Food, Inc.  (51:00-58:00)


Exit ticket:  What role should the federal government play in the food industry?


WORK TIME (if time)
Keep reading (Part 3 by tomorrow, Part 4 by Monday)
Project work

Agenda
1. Part 2, Mini-Quiz
2. TED Talks
3. Project Work Time
4. Continue Reading the OD
***Modified due dates for reading:

• Part 3:  Thursday
• Part 4:  Monday

5. Honors Seminar tomorrow during X-Block!

QUIZ on Part 1

Continue work time protocol

Part 2, Industrial Organic, due Monday!  There will be a mini-quiz, but not like today's.

Honors seminar Monday:  A Tale for the Time Being


For our enjoyment:  The Meatrix

Three Cheers for Independent Learning!!!
Click here for an explanation of the tasks you should be engaged in.


The Omnivore's Dilemma

• Check out a book!
• Grab a copy of the study guide questions for Part 1.
• Quiz Friday on Part 1

Senior TED Talk Schedule and Research Questions

• Don't forget that it is my expectation that you are engaged in the content of these talks and questioning the presenters.  Don't just be a passive audience member!

Conference with Me on Happiness and Meaning project?

Welcome back, mis amores!!!!!

Today....

• We ease back in to academia.
• Seminar with the freshman
• Preview what's to come in the next few weeks.
• Sign out a copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma