SUSTAINABILITY SUPERHEROES
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Sustainability Superheroes blog

Using 
​Using Entrepreneurial Thinking and Decision-making
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 an
​Created by:
University of South Florida Stavros Center
With generous funding from:
​The Coca Cola Foundation and Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC
USF Stavros Center

Florida Educators Use Groundbreaking Technology For Distance Learning During Sustainability Webinar

5/26/2020

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Tampa, Fla. – Over 60 K-12 educators from school districts across the state attended a Sustainability Superheroes webinar focused on incorporating responsible decision making and social emotional learning to help students use critical thinking and solve global sustainable issues.

The webinar was hosted by Deborah Kozdras and Angel Danger of the USF Stavros Center, who have both worked diligently to construct this online workshop and continue to plan much more for the future. The theme for this webinar was saving endangered species. Teachers learned how to use various educational books and videos to form lesson plans through some of the latest technology that makes distance learning a breeze for both teachers and students.
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During the webinar, teachers participated in interactive activities and lesson plans using Nearpod. This innovative software is easy to use and offers many features like open-ended questions, voting polls, collaboration boards, and even digital drawing to effectively teach a multitude of topics. In the Nearpod lesson, Deborah and Angel used The Great Kapok Tree– a picture book by Lynne Cherry. It tells a story about rainforest conservation and provides insight into one of the world’s most abundant natural resources: the Amazon Rainforest. Teachers loved the book and the fun Nearpod activities that were created with it! 

Another quirky, yet educational tool that Deborah and Angel shared with the teachers was ChatterPix. This app allows users to take a picture of anything and make it speak using their own voices! Students love the app, and it’s available on both Android and Apple stores. Teachers also learned how to use Canva to create their own infographics and other digital creations, which is perfect for providing students the exact information needed for a lesson. Students could also create their own! Canva is free to use and comes with themed templates, thousands of clip art images, a built-in stock image and video search, and much more. Teachers also learned about Wakelet. This platform allows students to share images, videos, and text to easily collaborate with their classmates. 
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Despite the current global pandemic, the USF Stavros Center continues to enrich teachers with resources, lesson ideas, and online educational tools to continue effective education through distance learning. The Sustainability Superheroes webinars have been replacing the usual workshops, which cannot be held during this time of quarantine and social distancing. The webinars have been a massive success in providing K-12 teachers with activities, ready-made lesson plans, and the latest technology to give their students the best education possible during these difficult times.
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#SSDecisionMaking: What's Happening in the Great Kapok Tree?

5/21/2020

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The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry, is a wonderful children's book that can be used to teach about decision-making and sustainability. It is also a book that makes us think about the human impact on the environment. In the text, a lumberjack is sent to cut down the Great Kapok Tree. After he works for a while, he gets tired and takes a nap below the tree. While he is sleeping, the different animals whisper in his ear about how the tree satisfies their needs and wants.

At the end of the tale, an anteater whispers, "What happens tomorrow depends upon what you do today." This is a perfect phrase to discuss sustainable economic development. If the forest is destroyed, what do we lose? What goods are provided by the Amazon and other forests? How do the animals, plants, and other living things cooperate in an ecosystem of producers and consumers? How can we better preserve these natural resources so we can continue to enjoy the many gifts they provide?

Check out the interactive Nearpod activity we created. Go to Nearpod.com   and download the lesson into your Nearpod library with this editable link.   
Now learn more about endangered species in the links below. Choose one animal to research and write a persuasive text about the importance of preserving the species. 
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#SSRethinkTank: What does not belong?

5/20/2020

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Join us in the #SSRethinkTank for an entrepreneurial thinking activity that begins with an image. This activity has three steps: 1) See (ask descriptive questions), 2) Think (ask analytic and evaluative questions to define what is broken), and 3) Rethink (use design thinking to consider solutions to the problem). With these activities, we can help students to identify, critique, and provide solutions to some of the sustainability problems that exist in the world. 

These activities can be used as bell ringers or they could inspire deeper analysis and evaluation by using the resources in Part 2. 

Part 1

1) What do you see? In this step, show the image and tell students to provide you with evidence they see. This step isn't about inferences or opinions. That comes in the next step. You can also guide students through some descriptive questions (what, who, where, and when). 
  • What kind of image is this?
  • What do you see in the image?
  • Who might have created the image?
  • Where is it taken?
2) What do you think? In this step, students make inferences and analyze the photo. Ultimately, this is a step where students think critically to identify a problem. The first level this step is to inspire students to use what they see and ask analytical questions that are inspired by the question: What do you think? Encourage the students to think deeper by asking how and why questions. 
  • Why do you think the person took this photo?
  • How did the monkey get the plastic bottle?
  • How can this cause a problem?
3) Rethink! After the analysis phase, we work on an evaluation by asking: What is broken? After defining the problem, engage students in a rethink activity, where they use entrepreneurial thinking to create change. Tell students: "After you define what is broken, get in the Rethink Tank and design a solution. What would you do differently?"
​Here are some questions you can use to help guide their rethinking:
  • Reduce: How can we reduce our use of plastic bottles?
  • Reuse: What can we reuse?
  • Recycle: How can we recycle?
  • Repurpose: How can we repurpose plastic waste?
  • Redesign: How can we redesign the system so we don't have plastic trash in the forest?
  • Reimagine: How can you reimagine a world full of people who care about endangered species?

Part 2
Here are some resources you can use to learn more about endangered species.  After reading through the information, make a personal pledge or design a sustainable solution to some of the problems faced by endangered species. Share your ideas with us on social media: @usfstavros (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
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#SSRethinkTank: What do we do with all that trash?

5/11/2020

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Image of trash on the shore
Join us in the #SSRethinkTank for an entrepreneurial thinking activity that begins with an image. This activity has three steps: 1) See (ask descriptive questions), 2) Think (ask analytic and evaluative questions to define what is broken), and 3) Rethink (use design thinking to consider solutions to the problem). With these activities, we can help students to identify, critique, and provide solutions to some of the sustainability problems that exist in the world. 

These activities can be used as bell ringers by using Part 1, or they could inspire deeper analysis and evaluation by using the resources in Part 2. 

Part 1

1) What do you see? In this step, show the image and tell students to provide you with evidence they see. This step isn't about inferences or opinions. That comes in the next step. You can also guide students through some descriptive questions (what, who, where, and when). 
  • What kind of image is this?
  • What do you see in the image?
  • Who might have created the image?
  • Where is it taken?
2) What do you think? In this step, students make inferences and analyze the photo. Ultimately, this is a step where students think critically to identify a problem. The first level this step is to inspire students to use what they see and ask analytical questions that are inspired by the question: What do you think? Encourage the students to think deeper by asking how and why questions. 
  • Why do you think the person took this photo?
  • Why is this a problem?
  • How did the trash get on the shore?
3) Rethink! After the analysis phase, we work on an evaluation by Recognizing the problem and asking: What is broken? After defining the problem, engage students in a rethink activity, where they use entrepreneurial thinking to create change. Tell students: "After you define what is broken, get in the Rethink Tank and design a solution. What would you do differently?"
​Here are some questions you can use to help guide their rethinking:
  • Reduce: How can we reduce our use of disposables?
  • Reuse: How can we reuse this material?
  • Recycle: How can we recycle?
  • Repurpose: How can we repurpose garbage?
  • Reimagine: How can we reimagine the ways in which we dispose of our trash? 
  • Re-educate: How can we help to change the behavior of people who litter?
  • Redesign: How can we redesign the system so we don't have trash on the shore?
  • Rewrite: How can we rewrite some of the regulations and laws around litter and garbage?

Part 2
Here are some resources you can use to learn more about garbage. Learn about the garbage barge that inspired the beginnings of recycling. Some people make a living by recycling trash! Did you know that people can make energy out of trash? After reading through the information, make a personal pledge or design a sustainable solution. Share your ideas with us on social media: @usfstavros (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
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#SSDecisionMaking: Which Wildflower Would You Choose?

5/7/2020

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Welcome to our new series of elementary interactive decision-making lessons. This lesson involves making decisions about choosing wildflowers and reading the children's book: Please Please the Bees by Gerald Kelly. 
Before Reading: Ask students to look at the image and make a prediction about how a bear, bees, honey, and wildflowers might go together in a story. Encourage students to ask questions about the relationships in the image. 
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During Reading:
Here are some Read Aloud Think Aloud questions to use with the story. Possible stopping points are listed to use with the embedded video below.
  1. Stop at :40 and ask: What were Benedict Bear's wants? What goods did he like?
  2. Stop at 1:17 and ask:  What was the problem?  Why do you think the bees went on strike?
  3. Stop at 2:24 and say: Flowers are a natural resource that bees use to make honey. What flowers should Benedict Bear plant? 
  4. Stop at 2:37 and ask: What work did the bees do before they went on strike?
  5. Stop at 3:10 and ask: What tools and equipment did Benedict Bear need to do his work?
  6. Stop at 3:56 and ask: How did Benedict and the bees trade goods and services? What goods did Benedict like? What services did the bees provide? 
After Reading:
​1) What was real in this story? What was not real? Now read the Once Upon a Bee-conomy to explore and learn more about the connections with Benedict Bear, the bees, honey, and wildflowers!



2) Next, we have created two interactive decision-making lessons in Nearpod.
Here is the 
editable link ​​ for the first lesson, which is appropriate for K-2. If you start your own free Nearpod account, you can edit the lesson to serve your needs. ​Otherwise, you can use the embedded lessons below as activities, as if you were showing a PowerPoint. 

Picking Wildflowers
The Picking Wildflowers activity is appropriate for grades upper elementary and middle school students. Here is the editable link ​.
More Resources:
Here is a collection of more resources to use with this topic. Enjoy exploring and creating some exciting investigations with your students!
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#SSRethinkTank: What doesn't belong here?

5/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Join us in the #SSRethinkTank for an entrepreneurial thinking activity that begins with an image. This activity has three steps: 1) See (ask descriptive questions), 2) Think (ask analytic and evaluative questions to define what is broken), and 3) Rethink (use design thinking to consider solutions to the problem). With these activities, we can help students to identify, critique, and provide solutions to some of the sustainability problems that exist in the world. 

These activities can be used as bell ringers or they could inspire deeper analysis and evaluation by using the resources in Part 2. 

Part 1

1) What do you see? In this step, show the image and tell students to provide you with evidence they see. This step isn't about inferences or opinions. That comes in the next step. You can also guide students through some descriptive questions (what, who, where, and when). 
  • What kind of image is this?
  • What do you see in the image?
  • Who might have created the image?
  • Where is it taken?
2) What do you think? In this step, students make inferences and analyze the photo. Ultimately, this is a step where students think critically to identify a problem. The first level this step is to inspire students to use what they see and ask analytical questions that are inspired by the question: What do you think? Encourage the students to think deeper by asking how and why questions. 
  • Why do you think the person took this photo?
  • How did the bottle get into the water?
3) Rethink! After the analysis phase, we work on an evaluation by asking: What is broken?
After defining the problem, engage students in a rethink activity, where they use entrepreneurial thinking to create change. Tell students: "After you define what is broken, get in the Rethink Tank and design a solution. What would you do differently?"
​Here are some questions you can use to help guide their rethinking:
  • Reduce: How can we reduce our use of plastic bottles?
  • Reuse: What can we reuse?
  • Recycle: How can we recycle?
  • Repurpose: How can we repurpose plastic waste?
  • Redesign: How can we redesign the system so we don't have plastic in the ocean?

Part 2
Here are some resources that you can use to help students learn more about the problems as they create solutions by rethinking!
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    Created by Deborah Kozdras, USF Stavros Center

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  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Resources from Workshops >
      • Sustainable Cities and Communities SDG11
      • GLOBAL LITERACY: INDUSTRIES, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
      • Buy The Change You Want to See
      • Save the Ocean
      • America Recycles Day
      • Ask the Right Questions
      • Birds, Bees, Flowers, Trees
      • Circular Economy
      • SDG 101
      • Earth Day Every Day >
        • Text Sets K-2
        • Text Sets 3-5
      • Energy
      • Frozen
      • Garbage Solutions
      • Gardening
      • In Kindergarten >
        • In Kindergarten Bees
        • In Kindergarten with Peter Rabbit
        • In Kindergarten with the Lorax
      • Rethink Tank
      • In the Shark Tank >
        • Business Model Canvas >
          • Ideation
          • Value Proposition >
            • Customer Segments
            • Value + Customer Testing
            • Channels
            • Customer Relationships
          • Revenue
          • Costs >
            • Key Resources
            • Key Activities
            • Key Partners
      • Industrial Revolutions
      • Meet the Lorax
      • Practice Sustainable Manufacturing
      • Secondary Science
      • Solve Problems and Make Decisions
      • Use Design Thinking
      • Use Text Sets >
        • Text Sets At-risk Turtles
        • Text Sets Adopt a Road
        • Text Sets Recycle
      • Sustainable Development Goals >
        • SDG Ask the Right Questions
        • Good Life Goals
      • Toy Story: Trash to Treasure
      • Use the Arts to Inspire Change
      • Waste Not Want Not >
        • Waste Not Food Waste Lessons and Websites
        • Waste Not Composting Resources
      • Water
    • Decision Making >
      • Nearpod Lessons Part 1
      • DecisionMaking2
      • DecisionMaking3
      • DecisionMaking4
      • DecisionMaking5
      • DecisionMaking6
      • Peter Rabbit Decisionomics
  • register