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You are here: Courses / Spring 2021 / Sustainability: Balancing the well-being of people and the planet

Sustainability: Balancing the well-being of people and the planet

$124.50

“My daughter thoroughly enjoyed this course on sustainability. The class discussions that Professor Aparna led were always so rich, open and respectful. My daughter left the class having reached a new level of understanding and learned things that she will take with her throughout her life regarding sustainability. I highly recommend this course for all students!” ~Parent Sara Geierstanger

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Offered By Instructor

Aparna Varadharajan, M.S. in Architecture
Content Level

Junior High – Lower High School – Grades 7-10
Course Length

8-Week Course – Spring (January start date)
Day & Time

Thursdays, 10 AM Pacific – 1/21/21 – 3/20/21
Enrollment

Enrollment Options Linked Below

Description

“When I say, ‘Sustainability’, do you think of the environment? If you do, you only have a part of the answer. Sustainability is about endurance of people, planet, and the environment. Can we truly be sustainable in our actions? That is the tough question we are going to try to figure out through this course. Will we find straight-forward solutions? It is highly unlikely but we will try to better understand how complex this world really is and realize that sustainability is a convoluted concept.” 
~Instructor, “Prof.” Aparna

Using United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, we will build a holistic definition of sustainability. Each goal leads to action; each action has consequences that can be at direct odds with another goal. So there are many dilemmas that come with making decisions.

We will weigh human development projects, their environmental consequences, & balance urban and rural growth.

We will examine how resources are finite (the bane of everyone’s life!) and how policy makers and planners have to make choices that are hard and end up like a tightrope act. It’s not easy, it is not a clear-cut, black and white world. It is a world full of grays but I think we can see that it is still a world worth fighting for with a future that can at least be positive.

This will be a thought-provoking class with a look into sustainable development projects across the world. I want students to be able to see how complex these projects can be and through their research, look at the consequences of some of these projects. They will also be picking up and designing / improving one project that they present to the class.

Notes for Parents:

  • The structure of this course follows this plan: concept introduction, discussion of projects, and research.
  • Homework completion is expected. Expect 1-1.5 hours of homework that includes reading  research, or design of a project to be presented during Week 7’s webinar.
  • Please contact the instructor, “Prof.” Aparna Varadharajan. to help you determine if this course is right for your child.

Offered by:

 

What to Expect

What to expect in the Required section in the classroom each week:

  • Homework completion is expected. Expect 1-1.5 hours of homework that includes reading and research with one poster project.
  • Reading and thinking assignments to lead to thoughtful introspection.
  • Answer weekly questions–questions that require research.
  • Presentation of the poster project during the course’s last webinar.
  • Respond with positive and encouraging comments on their classmates’ posts in the classroom forums.

What to expect in the Highly Suggested & Optional sections in the classroom each week:

  • To excite learners and to add depth to the subject matter, curated resources, including websites & videos, are provided.

What to expect during the weekly webinar:

  • Weekly webinars are 50 minutes long. Webinars are recorded and are available for students with schedule conflicts. Although recorded sessions will be available, students should be able to attend most of the webinars.
  • Primary instruction and guided discussions are provided during live webinars.
  • This is a content-heavy class with poster presentations of design ideas in the 7th week.
  • Active Participation (via the microphone and chat) in online class discussions.

What to expect during the course:

  • Week 1: Introduction to holistic sustainability, UNSDGs.
  • Week 2: Goals 1-6.
  • Week 3: Goals 7-12.
  • Week 4: Goals 13-17.
  • Week 5: Global vs. local approaches.
  • Week 6: Economy and culture.
  • Week 7: The notion of competition.
  • Week 8: Poster presentations.

Materials & More

Before taking this course, students should be able to: 

  • Read non-fiction at a solid 7th-grade level or above.
  • Read complex information and be able to research and discuss issues clearly and with respect to others’ opinions.
  • Possess the skills needed to create a poster using software or materials of choice for the final project.
  • Write a paragraph independently.

Students should be willing to:

  • Actively participate (via the microphone) in the class discussion.
  • Encourage class discussion by adding their questions/ideas in the chat window during the webinar.
  • Respond with positive and encouraging comments on their classmates’ projects.

Required books & materials:

  • No textbook required.
  • Access to project software or poster materials of choice (not mandated).
  • Materials you will need: Poster board with pens and decorating supplies, or software.

Enrollment Options

Live Webinars - Thursdays, 10 AM Pacific – 1/21/21 – 3/20/21

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