1. SMS Environmental Education 2012-2013

2.  You were fantastic about putting the kids needs above your won needs. Thanks for all of your great work.  We will host grade school kids again – they’ll be back in march.  Then what do we do now ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

4.  To be able to think critically  Can we think for ourselves?  Why is it important to think for yourself?  How do you learn to think for yourself?  We will try to look at the world from a different perspective  Read and discuss  Takes at least two for this journey

5.  Read and be ready to discuss the “PETA Commando” article

6.  Should you believe everything you read?  internet, newspaper, magazine, book  Should you believe everything you hear?  gossip  Should you believe everything you see?  Einstein, viewing of criminal at the crime scene

7.  You can easily get caught in the trap of not believing anything new if you take Don’t believe everything you read, see, hear to heart – so....  How do you tell if you should incorporate new information, ideas, concepts into your understanding of the world?  Everybody has a story to tell – presidential campaign 2012

8.  Really try and understand what the person, author... Are trying to tell you.  Does it make sense to you?  What is the source of this info?  Can you verify the information from another reliable source another 2, 3, 4 reliable sources?

9.  you become your own intellectual entity (leader not follower)  broaden your understanding of the world http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=030gZ- A8hss  vote – a representative democracy is only going to be as effective if an educated and informed public puts quality people in charge of making our governments decisions

10.  Ideally, Science looks at what is actually there  Politics has the ability to move away and base policy and laws not on what is actually there but what people think should be there  With critical thinking we need to be aware that everyone has a bias, agenda

11.  Science and much of our technological advancements that make life so great (climate control, airplanes, internet, fast food drive through) depend on a scientific look at the world  Global Warming  Mountain Lions in Kansas

12.  1. When have you run into thought or ideas that goes against what is actually there?  2. When have you had to use your powers of critical thinking?  What does this video clip have to do with critical thinking? http://www.ted.com/talks/kathryn_schulz_on_being_wr ong.html *****There is a difference between memorizing facts and actually thinking and using those facts***** Let’s try another – critical thinking about education: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

13.  It’s a little bit of everything  Regular sciences (biology, ecology, chemistry...)  Social sciences (sociology, economics, psychology...)  Politics, Law  Just about anything you can study in school has to do with Environmental Science.  Trying to create a person that has the “jack of all trades but master of none” approach to academia  Basically Environmental Science takes in info and tries to make quality decisions based on that info

14.  Biocentric – “life centered” view of the world  Anthropocentric – “human centered” view of the world  It’s a continuum thing – not an either/or thing

15.  Is the world made for man? or  Is man part of the world?  Our scientific view (taking note of what is actually there) shows us one answer just as our culture (parents, media, schools, religion) guides us to another answer.  There is not a right or a wrong view of the world.

16.  Sustainability  Our whole way of living is not sustainable  This is a major issue that nobody wants to talk about ▪ Is it a problem or should we push ahead and just keep rowing the boat?  Human Population growth – 10-31-11 = 7 Billion Humans  Energy  Evolution/Sexual Selection  Ecology  Read a book, Ishmael

17.  Make a list of things that are necessary, optional and taboo when it comes to the act of riding an elevator.