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TeachingMethodsUsingBrownfieldsasaPlatform:ContextualPieceMelindaAngeles
Advisor:RobertGiegengack
(alsopostedonhttp://brownfields101.wordpress.com/)
ABSTRACT
Thisthesisprojectaddressestheeducationalpotentialthatbrownfields,“[whose]redevelopmentmaybecomplicatedbythepresenceofapollutantorcontaminant,”inherentlyholdineachofPennsylvania’sacademicstandards:Arts&Humanities;CareerEducation&Work;Civics&Government;Economics;Environment&Ecology;Family&ConsumerSciences;Geography;Health,Safety,&PhysicalEducation;History;Mathematics;Reading,Writing,Speaking,&Listening;andScience&Technology.Asapieceofland,theexperienceofusingdifferentunitsofmeasurementandmeasuringinstrumentscanbeincorporatedintothethirdgrademathcurriculum.Becauseofthechanginglandusesofbrownfields;local,regional,ornationalindustrialfluxescanbeteasedoutandfulfillthehistoricalcomplexitiesrequiredforelementaryeducation.Acomparisonofgreenfielddevelopmentandbrownfieldredevelopmentdiscussestheuseoffinitenaturalresources,publichealth,andtheadvancedideaofenvironmentaljusticethatmaybeseeninanenvironmentorecologyclass.Andthosearejustafewexamplesofeducationalopportunitiesthatarisewithbrownfields.ThisthesisisacollectionofpossiblelessonplansthataddressoneormorePennsylvaniaacademicstandardsandcanbeintegratedintocurrentcurriculaofawideage‐rangeofstudents.
TABLEOFCONTENTS
1.0INTRODUCTION 3
2.0FORMULATIONOFLESSONPLANS 4
THEORETICALCONSIDERATIONS 4STEPONE:LESSONOBJECTIVES 5STEPTWO:KNOWLEDGEASSESSMENTS 7STEPTHREE:LESSONPLANDESIGN 8LEARNINGTECHNIQUES 9PROBLEM‐BASEDLEARNING 9SOCIODRAMAANDROLE‐PLAYING 10BRAINSTORMING 11PEEREDITING 11FIELDTRIP 12LESSONPLANDISCLAIMER 13
3.0FURTHERSTEPS 13
4.0REFERENCES 14
APPENDIXA–BROWNFIELDBROCHURES 15
ListofTablesTable2.1PennsylvaniaAcademicStandardsAddressedinLessonPlansListofFiguresFigure2.1MultipleMethodsofAssessment:FromLeasttoMostComplexFigure2.2RecommendedAssessmentTypestotheDesiredRangeofUnderstanding
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThisprojectwouldnotbepossiblewithouttheunderstandingandpatiencefromGiegandDr.D,formallyknownasDr.RobertGiegengackandDr.JaneDmochowski,respectively.AwordofthanksalsogoestoDr.YvetteBordeauxwhosuggestedthatIpursuethistopicasmythesis,Dr.DeborahLangewhohadintroducedthisprojecttomeinthefirstplace,andDavidNeibauerwhohelpedmewithlessonplanideas.Lastbutnotleast,IneedtothankNancyLeeBergeyoftheGraduateSchoolofEducationwhoprovidedmewithencouragementandsuggestionsfortheformatofmythesis,andvariousonlinesources,likeCurriki,thathelpedmewritetheselessonplans.
TEACHINGMETHODSUSINGBROWNFIELDSASAPLATFORM–contextualpiece 3
1.0Introduction
Usuallyuponhearingthedefinitionofabrownfield,whichisasiteoflandthat“maybe
complicatedbythepresenceofapollutantorcontaminant,”(“Brownfields”)the
subject’susualeducationalfocusisecology/environmentbecauseof“pollution”orthe
ideaofdwindlingnaturallandresourceswiththegenerationandabandonmentof
brownfields.However,brownfieldsholdmoreeducationalpotentialthaninitiallymeets
theeye.Usuallyalargebrownfieldhasastrikinghistoryduetoindustrialriseandfall;
ortheredevelopmentofabrownfieldcanillustratetheroleandperspectivesofthe
media,residents,landdevelopers,andlocalgovernmentofficialsconcerningashared
dispute.Sowhilebrownfieldsholdadistinctenvironmentalfocus,theyarereally
multifacetedandareusefulinbringingabstractconceptslikesocialandpolitical
responsibilityintoareal‐lifesituation.
Becauseofthis,itdoesnotmakesensethatbrownfieldsarenotcommonlyusedas
educationalplatformsforclassroomlearning.TheexecutivedirectoroftheWestern
PennsylvaniaBrownfieldsCenter(WPBC),Dr.DeborahLange,posedthisquestiontome
in2007duringmysecondsummerinterningattheCenter.Tomyknowledge,this
problemhasnotbeenaddressedbyanyotherestablishedonlinesources,likeCurriki–a
communityofeducatorsandotherlike‐mindedindividualsthatdistributefreeteaching
materialsworldwide.Inresponsetoherquery,Idesignedanddevelopededucational
pamphletsthatintroducetheterm“brownfields”tothreedifferentagelevels:
elementary,middle,andhighschoolstudents(seeAppendixA).Theycanalsobefound
onlinethroughWPBC’swebsite:
http://www.cmu.edu/steinbrenner/brownfields/Current%20Projects/schooloutreach.ht
ml.
However,thesebrochuresonlydefinebrownfields;theydonotusebrownfieldsasa
learningplatform.Toaddressthatideaofbrownfieldsasalearningplatform,acourse
plannerneedstohaveathoroughunderstandingofthesubjectmattertobeableto
identifythekeyconceptsandskillsinthesubject.MyexperienceatWPBCandmy
enrollmentinENVS463,“BrownfieldRemediation,”attheUniversityofPennsylvania,
hasledmetobelievethatIhaveenoughbackgroundknowledgeofthesocialand
politicalissuessurroundingbrownfieldsaswellastheinsiderexperienceinterviewing
keyplayersintheredevelopmentandsummarizingthehistoryofPittsburghbrownfields
tothinkofandcreateinnovativelessonplanswithbrownfieldsasateachingtool.
Insteadofthebasiccontentthatwascoveredinthebrochures,thisthesis’schallengeis
toformulatesuccessfullessonplansthatcanintegrateintoestablishedcurricula.
Educationisnotmyforte,norhaveItakenaneducationdevelopmentclassincollege.
Inthecourseofthisthesis,Ihavereferredtoseveralbooksaboutcurriculumandlesson
plandevelopment,soughtadvicefromNancyLeeBergey,theAssociateDirectorof
TeacherEducationintheGraduateSchoolofEducation;wasinvolvedwiththegraphical
developmentofanentrepreneurialcurriculum;rememberedtheplanninginvolvedwith
JuniorAchievement(aprogramthatprovideslessonplanstoolderstudentswhothen
volunteerafterschooltoteachelementaryschoolclasses)inhighschool;andrecalled
mypersonaleducationalexperiencesinelementary,middle,andhighschool.
2.0FormulationofLessonPlans
TheoreticalConsiderations
Afterresearchingcurriculumandlessonplandevelopment,IrealizedthatIhad
originallyusedthetwotermsassynonyms,wheninfacttheyarenot.Thegoalsof
individuallessonplans,whensuccessfullyformulatedandintegrated,shouldcreatean
empoweringinterdisciplinarycurriculum.Curriculumisnotmadeupofexperiencesor
activitiesthatsupportthelearningofanidea.Rather,curriculumiswhatisintendedto
belearned(Posner&Rudnitsky,1994).Tofurtherdistinguishthisdifferenceusinga
previousexampleinthisthesiscontextualpiece,researchingthevariedhistoryofa
brownfieldcouldmakeupalessonplan,buttheideathathistoryisdynamicandthat
landuseconstantlychangeswouldbepartofthecurriculum.Sothepurposeofthis
TEACHINGMETHODSUSINGBROWNFIELDSASAPLATFORM–contextualpiece 5
projectisnottoformulatethecurriculumitself,rather,tocreatelessonplansthatcan
fitintoateacher’sexistinggoalsetandcurriculum.
ThedesignprocessforthesegoalsismodeledthoughtheUnderstandingbyDesign
processcreatedbyWigginsandMcTighe,whereStepOnerequiresaneducatorto
identifythedesiredresultsofinstruction,StepTworequiresaneducatortodetermine
acceptableevidencetoevaluatethequalityoftheachievementofthoseresults,and
StepThreerequiresaneducatortoplanlearningexperiencesandinstruction.Thisisa
backwardsdesignprocesswheretheendresultsarethefocusoflessonplanning
(Understanding).
StepOne:LessonObjectives
Fortunately,differentgrade‐levelsgoals,orStepOne’s“desiredresultsofinstruction,”
foreachcourseofstudyareexplicitlystatedonthePennsylvaniaDepartmentof
Educationwebsite.Thesegoals,knownasthePennsylvaniaAcademicStandards
documents,aremandatedbythestategovernmentandarepublicallyavailableat
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_board_of_education/
8830/state_academic_standards/529102.Thetablebelowlistsmoststandardsthatare
addressedbythelessonplans.Somelessonplanstouchonotheracademicstandards,
butthelistedstandardshavealargerfocus.
Table2.1PennsylvaniaAcademicStandardsAddressedinLessonPlans
LessonPlan PennsylvaniaAcademicStandards1.1TheRiseofIndustryinPittsburgh(notpublished)
2.6StatisticsandDataAnalysis;4.8HumansandtheEnvironment;6.4EconomicInterdependence;7.1BasicGeographicLiteracy;7.4TheInteractionsBetweenPeopleandPlaces;8.1HistoricalAnalysisandSkillsDevelopment;8.2PennsylvaniaHistory;8.3UnitedStatesHistory
2.1TheDeclineofIndustryinPittsburgh(notpublished)
2.6StatisticsandDataAnalysis;3.1UnifyingThemes;4.8HumansandtheEnvironment;6.4EconomicInterdependence;7.4TheInteractionsBetweenPeopleandPlaces;8.1HistoricalAnalysisandSkillsDevelopment;8.2PennsylvaniaHistory;8.3UnitedStatesHistory
3.1Brownfields:an 3.1UnifyingThemes;3.5EarthSciences;4.2RenewableandNonrenewable
Introduction Resources;4.3EnvironmentalHealth;4.6EcosystemsandtheInteractions;4.8HumansandtheEnvironment;4.9EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations;6.4EconomicInterdependence;7.1BasicGeographicLiteracy;7.4TheInteractionsBetweenPeopleandPlaces;8.3UnitedStatesHistory
3.2BrownfieldsinaBottle
4.2RenewableandNonrenewableResources;4.6EcosystemsandtheInteractions;7.1BasicGeographicLiteracy;7.4TheInteractionsBetweenPeopleandPlaces
3.3MeasuringandMapping
2.1Numbers,NumberSystemsandNumberRelationships;2.2ComputationandEstimation;2.3MeasurementandEstimation;2.9Geometry;3.3BiologicalSciences;4.6EcosystemsandtheInteractions;7.4TheInteractionsBetweenPeopleandPlaces
3.4EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations(notpublished)
1.5SpeakingandListening;1.8Research;4.2RenewableandNonrenewableResources;4.3EnvironmentalHealth;4.6EcosystemsandtheInteractions;4.8HumansandtheEnvironment;4.9EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations;5.1EnvironmentalJustice,InterpretingCourtDecisions;8.1HistoricalAnalysisandSkillsDevelopment;8.3UnitedStatesHistory;9.1Music,Theatre,andVisualArts;10.1ConceptsofHealth;13.3CareerRetentionandAdvancement
3.5EnvironmentalJusticeandEnvironmentalHealth(notpublished)
1.8Research;4.3EnvironmentalHealth;4.8HumansandtheEnvironment;4.9EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations;5.1EnvironmentalJustice,InterpretingCourtDecisions;6.4EconomicInterdependence;7.4TheInteractionsBetweenPeopleandPlaces;8.1HistoricalAnalysisandSkillsDevelopment;8.3UnitedStatesHistory;10.1ConceptsofHealth;10.2HealthfulLiving;11.2BalancingFamily,Work,andCommunityResponsibility
4.1CommunityMeeting
1.5SpeakingandListening;1.8Research;2.2ComputationandEstimation;4.3EnvironmentalHealth;4.6EcosystemsandtheInteractions;4.9EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations;6.4EconomicInterdependence;7.1BasicGeographicLiteracy;7.4TheInteractionsBetweenPeopleandPlaces;9.1Music,Theatre,andVisualArts;13.3CareerRetentionandAdvancement
4.2WritingPersuasiveLetters
1.4TypesofWriting(Persuasive);1.8Research;2.9Geometry;4.3EnvironmentalHealth;4.6EcosystemsandtheInteractions;4.9EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations;6.4EconomicInterdependence;9.1Music,Theatre,andVisualArts;10.1ConceptsofHealth
5.1Entrepreneurship 6.4EconomicInterdependence;9.1Music,Theatre,andVisualArts;13.3CareerRetentionandAdvancement;13.4Entrepreneurship
5.2RunningaBusiness
13.3CareerRetentionandAdvancement;13.4Entrepreneurship
6.1ResearchProject 1.4TypesofWriting(Informational);1.8Research;3.6TechnologyEducation;9.1Music,Theatre,andVisualArts
6.2WritingaNarrative
1.4TypesofWriting(Narrative);1.8Research
6.3CreatingaBrochure
1.4TypesofWriting(Informational);1.8Research;3.6TechnologyEducation;9.1Music,Theatre,andVisualArts
TEACHINGMETHODSUSINGBROWNFIELDSASAPLATFORM–contextualpiece 7
StepTwo:KnowledgeAssessments
Aftersomethingistaught,aneducatorshouldmeasuretheunderstandingofthenew
information.Iftheassessmentispoor,thenthestatedgoalsfromStepOnemaynot
havebeenreachedoralessonplancannotbeproperlyevaluated.Knowledge
assessmentsthatdefinewhatconceptsneedtobeexemplifiedcanalsodirectthetypes
ofactivitiesthatcanbeusedinalessonplan.Inaddition,evidenceofknowledgeshould
beconsideredwithanopenmind.Forinstance,well‐writtenmultiple‐choicequestions
canbeareliablewayofassessingfactualknowledgeandpossiblydeterminewhetheror
notthestudentcanapplythatknowledgeindifferentcontexts.However,skill‐related
knowledgecanbemoreeffectivelyassessedthroughactualperformance
(Understanding).Differenttypesofassessmentsarelistedinorderofcomplexityin
Figure2.1.
Figure2.1MultipleMethodsofAssessment:FromLeasttoMostComplex
Itisimportanttonotethatthereisnohierarchyofassessments;the“best”assessment
dependsonthedesiredrangeofunderstandingforthestudent(seeFigure2.2)
Figure2.2RecommendedAssessmentTypestotheDesiredRangeofUnderstanding
Themajorityofthelessonplansincludedwiththisthesisarebestevaluatedwitha
rubric,orascoringsystem.Rubricsallowforstandardizedwaysofevaluatingstudents
andalsoprovideguidanceforstudentsastheyworkthroughatask.Eachindependent
criterionshouldbescoredinsingle‐digitvalues(0‐9)becauselargerscorepoints(10+)
mayleadtoreliabilityconcerns.Forinstance,ascoreof70/100and71/100probably
couldnotbeduplicatedoverdifferenteducators’assessments(Understanding).
StepThree:LessonPlanDesign
Afterthegoalshavebeenidentifiedandanaccurateknowledgeassessmenthasbeen
generated,lessonplansneedtobedesigned.McTigheandWigginscreatedadesign
toolforsuccessfullessonplandevelopment,alsoknownasWHERE.WHEREisan
acronym,whichstandsfor
o “Whereistheunitheadedandwhatisthepurposeofday‐to‐daywork?
o Hookthestudentsthroughengagingworkthatmakesthemmoreeagerto
explorekeyideas.
o Explorethesubjectindepth,equipstudentswithrequiredknowledgeandkillto
performsuccessfullyonfinaltasks,andhelpstudentsexperiencekeyideas.
o Rethinkwithstudentsthebigideas;studentsrehearseandrevisetheirwork.
TEACHINGMETHODSUSINGBROWNFIELDSASAPLATFORM–contextualpiece 9
o Evaluateresultsanddevelopactionplansthoughself‐assessmentofresults.”
(Understanding)
Thatacronymcanbesummedupinthe“Questions”sectionoftheincludedlesson
plans,wherethequestionsframethelessonplan.McTigheandWigginsrecommend
thatthesequestionsprovokeandsustainstudentinterest,occurnaturally,address
philosophicalorconceptualaspectsofadiscipline,raiseothercross‐disciplinary
questions,andprovidediscussion,inquiry,andresearch(i.e.havenoobvious“right”
answer)(Understanding).
LearningTechniques
Afewdifferentteachingstyleswereutilizedintheselessonplans.Accordingtothe
NationalTrainingLaboratoriesLearningPyramidforAverageRetentionRates,students
retain5%ofwhatyoutellthem,10%fromwhattheyread,30%fromaudiovisual
sources,30%throughdemonstration,40%fromdiscussiongroups,75%frompracticeby
doing,and90%byteachingothers(Stone,2007).Thestrategiesusedintheselesson
plansprimarilyfocusondiscussiongroupsandactiveparticipationwithanopportunity
toteachothersduringthefinalpresentation.Thefollowingsectionsdescribedifferent
broadlearningtechniquesalongwiththeiradvantages.Thespecificplansthatusedthe
particulartechniquearelistedbeforethesection’scontent.
Problem‐BasedLearningUsedin“3.4EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations”(notpublished)
“3.5EnvironmentalJusticeandEnvironmentalHealth”(notpublished)
Problem‐basedlearning(PBL)isamethodwherestudentsimagineproblematic
scenariosandusenewandexistingknowledgetosolvetheproblem.Theseproblem
scenariosstimulatetheneedtoseekoutnewinformationandsynthesizeitinthe
contextofthefictitioussituation.PBLispackagedinawaythatismoreappealingand
memorablethanrequiringrotememorizationofinformation.However,thistechnique
requireseffectivefacilitationanddialoguebetweentheteacherandstudentssoinorder
toeffectivelyutilizePBL,ateacherneedstoknowhisorherstudentsanddirectthe
conversationtopromotegoal‐orientedlearning.PBLisalsohighlyeffectiveifstudents
workingroupsandcollaborateasateamtoansweraproblem(Lambros,2002).
ThegeneralwaythatPBLworksisthatstudentsarepromptedtolisttheknown“Facts”
thatwereprovidedintheproblemandthe“NeedtoKnow”detailsnecessarytosolve
theproblem.Inthisprocess,studentswillfigureoutwhattheyneedtoresearchin
ordertoarrivetoasolution.Andiftheylist“NeedtoKnow”detailsthatarriveat
differentpossiblesolutions,thestudentswillpracticeprioritizationandinformed
decision‐making.Thislistmayneedtobebrokenfurtherinto“PossibleSolutions”then
“DefendableSolution/s”lists(Lambros,2002).
Inthecaseof“3.5EnvironmentalJusticeandEnvironmentalHealth,”thePBLshouldbe
passedoutamongthestudents.Whenthescenarioisreadaloud,onestudentpractices
readingandspeechwhiletheotherspracticeslisteningtechniques.Itisalsoimportant
thattheteacherfollowsalongtoensurethatkeywordsarenotemittedorsentences
werenotskipped(Lambros,2002).
SociodramaandRole‐Playing
Usedin“3.4EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations”(notpublished)
“4.1CommunityMeeting”
Sociodramaandrole‐playingaregreattechniquesofparticipationandinteraction.
While”4.1CommunityMeeting“createsamockcharretteforbrownfield
redevelopmentand“3.4EnvironmentalLawsandRegulations”createsamocktrialthat
discussesbrownfieldliability;role‐playingisalsousedinhistoricportrayals,United
Nationssessions,andvarioustelevisionprogramslikeMeetthePress.Ifutilized
correctly,dramaticrole‐playingactivitiesletstudentsanalyze,describesituationsunder
TEACHINGMETHODSUSINGBROWNFIELDSASAPLATFORM–contextualpiece 11
theroles’particularperceptions,andunveildeeplynestedissuesthatdifferentpeople
face.Conceptsandideasareexaminedfromdifferentviewpoints,whichpromote
understandingofatopicarea.Italsocombinestheelementsofgroupwork,research,
study,andpresentation.Thisisespeciallyeffectiveiftherolerepresentsthestudents’
opposingviewsinceareversalofrolesdeepenstheawarenessofthecomplexand
controversialnatureofmanyissues(Callahan,1988).
BrainstormingUsedin“4.1CommunityMeeting”
“4.2WritingPersuasiveLetters”
“5.1Entrepreneurship”(notpublished)
Likewise,brainstormingiseffectiveingroupsoracrosstheclassasawhole.In
brainstorming,studentsgenerateideasandstimulatemeaningfuldiscussion.Students
canstatewhatevercomestomind–allcomments,nomatterhowfarfetched,are
acceptedandrecordedanonymously.Thereisnodiscussiononthecontributionsuntil
allideashavebeenpresented.Alaterdiscussionmayexamineandnarrowdownthese
ideasanddecideonthenextsteps.Ultimately,theseideasareaspringboardfor
researchandproblemsolving(Callahan,1988).
PeerEditingUsedin“4.2WritingPersuasiveLetters”
“6.1ResearchProject”(notpublished)
“6.2WritingaNarrative”
Thismethodasksstudentstocreatesubstantialfeedbackonthecompositionsoftheir
peers,whichshouldbenothingshortofa“revision,”orconsideringanewperspective
inthewriting.Usuallythiscanbesuccessfulbyreadingapapertwice.Thefirstread
allowsbasicgrammaticaleditingtotakeplace.Unfortunately,peereditingisusually
knownas“asimplegrammarandminororganizationalerrorcheck”andhardlygoes
beyondthat.Asecondreadfromthereviserallowsthemtoremarkontheorganization
andcontent(Gottlieb).
ThisconceptofrevisionisexpandedinACommunityofWriters(1999),whereauthors
PeterElbowandPatBelanoff,prominentmembersoftheEnglishandWritingPrograms
oftheUniversityofMassachusettsatAmherstandStateUniversityofNewYork‐Stony
Brook,respectively,describedthreelevelsofrevision:
1.Reseeingorrethinking:changingwhatapiecesays,orits‘bones.’
2.Reworkingorreshaping:changinghowapiecesaysit,orchangingits‘muscles.’
3.Copyeditingorproofreadingformechanicsandusage:checkingfordeviations
fromstandardconventions,orchangingthewriting’s‘skin.’(pg.124)
Becauseitmaybedifficultforstudentstoproperlyreviseacomposition,aguiding
worksheet(whichwillbegiventotheoriginalcomposer)forcesstudentstothinkmore
sophisticatedly.Sampleworksheetsareprovidedinthelessonplans“4.2Writing
PersuasiveLetters”and“6.2WritingaNarrative.”
FieldtripUsedin“3.3MeasuringandMapping”
Fieldtripsprovidestudentswithexperiencesthatcannotbeduplicatedintheschool
becausetheyexpandbeyondthewallsoftheclassroomintothe“realworld.”They
provideeducatorswiththeopportunitytomakeconnectionswithout‐of‐school
resourcesandthesurroundingcommunity(Melber,2008).Inthecaseof“3.3
MeasuringandMapping,”atriptoanearbybrownfieldwouldcreateapersonal
associationwiththebrownfieldconceptalongwiththeideaofitsprolificnaturesince
brownfieldsarecommoninthatarea.Thisbyitselfismuchmoreeffectiveininstilling
thoseideasthancitingstatisticsabouttheubiquityofbrownfields.
TEACHINGMETHODSUSINGBROWNFIELDSASAPLATFORM–contextualpiece 13
LessonPlanDisclaimer
Thelessonplansforthisthesiswillbecollectedinonedocumentandonline,proceeded
byrecommendedpreparationstepsandadisclaimer.Asisthecasewithusingany
externalsourceforinspirationforlessonplans,anoteofcautionneedstobeaddressed:
Theselessonplansaresimplysuggestionsthatneedtobemodifiedtofittheinstructor’s
currentcurriculumandplannedincontextwithotherlessons.Also,theyshouldbe
tailoredfortheinstructor’steachingstrengthsandthestudents’individualneeds.The
students’maturity,needs,interests,abilities,andknowledgeneedtobeconsidered,
andthelessonplansshouldchangebasedonwhattheteacherfeelsthestudentsshould
belearningandhowthestudentswilllearnbest.
3.0FurtherSteps
TheselessonplansandreferencebookletwillbesentelectronicallytoWPBCbeforethe
endofSeptember2010foreditingandapproval,withthehopethattheywillultimately
bedistributedtoPittsburgh‐areapublicandprivateschools.Currently,theyareboth
beinguploadedontoanonlineformat(seehttp://brownfields101.wordpress.com)so
thattheycanimmediatelybewidelyaccessible.AfterWPBC’sapproval,thewebsitewill
undergoseveralface‐to‐facebuzz(e.g.contactswitheducators)andonlinesocial
marketingadvertisements(e.gmessageboards)togeneratetrafficamongeducators
andstudentsalike.Thiscollectionoflessonplanswillbecontinuallyeditedandgrowas
newlessonideasaregenerated.
4.0ReferencesButt,G.(2003).LessonPlanning.London:Continuum.
“BrownfieldsDefinition.”EnvironmentalProtectionAgency.
<http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/glossary.htm>.
Callahan,J.&Clark,L.(1988).TeachingintheMiddleandSecondarySchools:Planning
forCompetence(3rded.).NewYork,NY:MacmillanPublishingCompany.
Drake,S.(1998).CreatingIntegratedCurriculum:ProvenWaystoIncreaseStudent
Learning.ThousandOaks,CA:CorwinPress,Inc.
Elbow,P.&Belanoff,P.(1999).ACommunityofWriters:AWorkshopCourseinWriting
(3rded.).NewYork,NY:McGraw‐Hill.
Gottlieb,E.,Mackin,K.,Dill,B.,&Schneider,J.“Peerediting.”Retrievedfrom
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~mclark/p‐e.html
Lambros,A.(2002).Problem‐BasedLearninginK‐8Classrooms:ATeacher’sGuideto
Implementation.ThousandOaks,CA:CorwinPress,Inc.
Melber,L.(2008).Informallearningandfieldtrips:engagingstudentsinstandards‐
basedexperiencesacrosstheK‐5curriculum.ThousandOaks,CA:CorwinPress.
Posner,G.J.,&Rudnitsky,A.N.(1994).CourseDesign:AGuidetoCurriculum
DevelopmentforTeachers(4thed.).NewYork,NY:LongmanPublishingGroup.
Stone,R.(2007).BestPracticesforTeachingScience:WhatAward‐WinningClassroom
TeachersDo.ThousandOaks,CA:CorwinPress.
UnderstandingbyDesign.FromtheSSCEDToolKit,Curriculum,Instruction,and
Assessment,PDFDocument.Adaptedfrom
McTighe,J.andWiggins,G.(1999).TheUnderstandingbyDesign
Handbook.Alexandria,VA:AssociationforSupervisionandCurriculum
Development.
TEACHINGMETHODSUSINGBROWNFIELDSASAPLATFORM–contextualpiece 15
AppendixA–BrownfieldBrochures
Theseweremeanttobetrifoldbrochures,printedonthefrontandback.Thebrochuresareinincreasingorderofageappropriateness:Basic(gradesKindergarten–4),Intermediate(grades4–8),andAdvanced(grades9–12).
What is a brownfield?
... and other cool stuff about the environment
Grades K-4
A B
C
D
E F
G H
I J K L M N O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V W X Y Z
z
y
xw
vu
t s
r q p o nml
kji
hg
f
e dcb a
Use your magnifying glass to decode the answers. Replace each green letter with a white one to
spell out each of the environmental clues.
Decoder
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ can affect air, land, and water.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ are polluted places that were
abandoned, like empty gas stations, dry cleaners,
and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. You can help the earth by
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. You can also _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the
lights when you leave the room.
KLOOFGRLM
YILDMURVOWI
UZXGLIRVH
IVXBXORMT GFIM LUU
ANSWERS TO DECODER:POLLUTION can affect air, land, and water. BROWNFIELDS are polluted places that were abandoned, like empty gas stations, dry cleaners, and FACTORIES. You can help the earth by RECYCLING. You can also TURN OFF the lights when you leave the room.
Pick up litter you see and throw it away or recycle it. Recycling stops lots of garbage from ending up in landfills.
Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
Ask your parents to buy items with less packaging or to buy items in bulk. Overpackaged foods and other products waste paper and plastic.
Don’t use styrofoam cups – Styrofoam is not biodegradable. Instead, buy recyclable and compostable paper cups. Or, better yet, drink from reusable cups and mugs.
For lunch, don’t bring plastic forks and spoons. They are not biodegradeable and not recyclable in most areas. Instead, carry your own utensils and food containers and wash them later.
Store drinking water in the fridge rather than letting the tap run to get a cool glass of water.
What you can do for the environment
Deborah Lange, Executive Directorhttp://www.cmu.edu/steinbrenner/brownfields/
[email protected], phone 412-268-7121, fax 412-268-7813
MaterialsA bucket
WaterCorn starch
A handful of dirt(in a sandwich bag)
Baking sodaVegetable oil
Liquid soapA few strips of
shredded paperand tin foil
Food coloring
Clean-up kitA clear jarA sponge2 small cupsFunnelCoffee filters or paper towelsToothpicksSmall pieces of cardboardWire mesh kitchen strainerPlastic spoonStrawEyedropper
try this at home with an adult
Fill a bucket with clean water. Pretend this bucket of water is a lake and follow the instructions in italics below while you read the story.
In 1960 a rural dairy farm and apple orchard bordered the lake. Later a small fishing access and parking lot were built to allow for boating. A campground with a store followed and attracted many visitors. Then in the 1980's, a new factory and houses were built along the shore. The water quality in the lake has slowly changed over the years. The farmer’s fertilizers and manure were washed into the lake by rain. (Add corn starch and dirt.)The orchard’s pesticides were washed into the lake by rain as well. (Add baking soda.)Oil, antifreeze, and windshield wiper fluid that dripped from cars was washed into the lake from the street by the rain. Boats on the lake, too, leaked fuel and engine exhaust directly into the water. (Pour a small amount of vegetable oil in your bucket.)When people washed their cars in their driveways, the soapy water from that also
washed into the lake. (Pour some liquid soap into the bucket.)Campers’ litter also found its way into the lake. (Place some small strips of paper and tin foil into the water.)When the hillside was cleared to make way for new construction, the hill’s soil also washed into the lake when it rained. (Add more dirt to the water.)The factory leaked chemicals into a nearby stream, and the chemicals also ended up in the water. (Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the water.)Now it is 2010, you are a manager of the water-treatment plant that has been built to clean up this lake. Using your clean up kit, make the lake as clean as possible while keeping as much water available for use. Put all of your pollutants and discarded water in the clear jar. ¤ Which one of your treatment plans worked the best? ¤ Is the water completely clean? ¤ Does it look clean? ¤ Smell clean? ¤ Is this water you would want to drink? ¤ Do you think fish or other animals would want to swim in this water? ¤ What else could you try to clean the water? ¤ Why should we be careful about what we put on the ground? ¤ Which do you think is easier: cleaning up water or keeping it clean in the first place?
Do this activity with other kids to find out who could get the cleanest water. Compare how they cleaned their water with your methods.
Pollution Solution
What is pollution?
So, what is a brownfield?
Pollution (puh-loo-shuhn) is a big word that means anything that is harmful to the environment. If people are careless, they can spread pollution in the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the ground on which you play.
Many places can be polluted, like a landfill (from the garbage)
or a big city (from car smoke). Brownfields are polluted places
that have been left alone because a new business does not want to use the dirty land.
Some examples of brownfields are empty gas stations, dry
cleaners, and factories. Brownfields can be cleaned and
made into stores, parks, and neighborhoods!
Pollution spreads quickly.
Find out howeasily it spreads in
the following activity.
What is a Brownfield?
A Young Environmentalist’s Guide
GraDes 5-8
Deborah Lange, Executive Directorhttp://www.cmu.edu/steinbrenner/brownfields/
[email protected] 412-268-7121, fax 412-268-7813
Review
ACROSS
3 This program was established to identify the nation's most severly contaminated sites. 7 This Act required the EPA to establish air quality standards. 8 This was the first Superfund site. 9 This Act regulated water quality standards in the United States. 10 The president who established the EPA.
DOWN
1 The acronym for a group formed to establish and enforce environmental protection standards. 2 An insecticide used in the mid-1900s to control insect outbreaks.3 The book that increased awareness of the environment. 4 A day celebrated yearly to promote the awareness of environmental issues. 5 Sites of abandoned land that may be (moderately) contaminated.6 The author of a major environmental book, and mother of the modern environmental movement.
Brownfields are...
Why pay attention to brownfields?
ANSWES TO FRONT PAGE “WHAT IS A BROWNFIELD” A - I (all of them)
ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD PUZZLEACROSS: 3. Superfund / 7. Clean Air Act / 8. Love Canal / 9. Clean Water
Act / 10. Richard Nixon || DOWN: 1. DEP / 2. DDT / 3. Silent Spring / 4. Earth Day / 5. Brownfields / 6. Rachel Carson
A B C
D E F
G H I
Are any of these brownfields?
- Reduces Sprawl
Sprawl is the movement of people from the city to the suburbs. This movement has hurt existing communities. The redevelopment of brownfields keeps neighborhoods from moving outwards onto undeveloped land.
- Provides Easy Access
Since many brownfields were sites where major industries were placed, they are often close to highways and airports.
- Reduces Ugly Properties
Brownfields are often neglected, making them ugly. Redeveloping the site can make it more attractive.
- Creates a Place for Business & Recreation
Common uses for redeveloped brownfields are office space, shopping and entertainment centers, and recreational parks that people can enjoy.
- Creates Cleaner Land in the Process
Developers are required to clean up brownfields during the development of the land.
... abandoned or under-used industrial and commercial lands that might be contaminated. Auto repair shops, gas stations, factories, warehouses, dry cleaners, and railroad facilities are all brownfields.
Redevelopment of brownfields...
THE EARTHON THE BIG SCREEN
A Civil Action (1998) Starring: John Travolta, Robert Duvall
Is contaminated water responsible for deaths and sickness in a suburban New England town? Can it be proved in court?
Based on a true story, this movie relates the efforts of an attorney to bring an industrial polluter to justice.
Erin Brockovich(2000)
Starring: Julia Roberts
A barely qualified clerk in a law office uncovers evidence that a large electric utility has poisoned the water supply of Hinkley, CA
with toxic chromium, causing disease & death among many locals. Erin Brockovich's efforts to find facts & push through a major lawsuit were
central to the ultimate $333 million award. Based on a true story.
he 1960s were a dynamic period for ecology in the United States.
An insecticide, DDT, hit the market and was popular for the control of diseases such as typhus and malaria. Its persistence later became the basis for public concern over possible hazards involved in the pesticide's use. Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring in 1962 warned of its possible negative effects. Carson's alert made the nation much more aware of environmental issues.
In 1970, April 22 was established nationally as Earth Day. Twenty million demonstrators and thousands of schools and local communities participated in the initial event.
The president in 1970, Richard Nixon, created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and enforce environmental protection standards, conduct environmental research, and provide assistance to others combating environmental pollution.
The EPA was also responsible for amending the Clean Air Act in 1977, which brought dramatic changes to the federal air quality program. The Act required the EPA to establish national air quality standards as well as national standards for significant new pollution sources and for all facilities emitting hazardous substances.
The EPA also enacted the Clean Water Act that same year, which gave the EPA authority to implement wastewater standards and water quality standards for all contaminants. It also funded the construction of sewage treatment plants.
T
The Day After Tomorrow(2004)
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum
Take a look at the world if the greenhouse effect & global warming continued at catastrophic levels. A
paleoclimatologist (a scientist who studies the ways weather patterns changed in the past), tries to save
the world while also trying to get to his son as the city witnesses the beginnings of the new Ice Age.
DISCLAIMER: This movie may not be scientifically accurate.
In the mid 1970s, there came strange reports from a small Niagara Falls town called Love Canal. Children and dogs were developing skin irritation after spending time in the field around their school, and rocks were exploding when dropped.
It was discovered that their elementary school was built on a dumping site and rest of the town was built on buried toxic chemicals. Love Canal’s landmark case made it clear that a program was needed to fund the clean up of this and similar sites.
The Superfund program was established to identify those severely contaminated sites. Once identified, the sites are placed on a National Priority List (NPL) which deter-mines when they will receive further inves-tigation and long-term clean-up actions. Hundreds of sites have already been removed from the NPL list, but there are still lesser contaminated areas called brownfields.
Brownfields are usually sites where former businesses - such as auto repair shops, gas stations, factories, warehouses, dry cleaners and rail-road facilities - were abandoned and the land has been left idle. The term ‘brownfields’ first cameto use in 1992.
Brownfields have become large shopping malls, housing developments, office space, research facilities, and parks.
The poss ibi l i t ies are endless!
Deborah Lange, Executive Directorhttp://www.cmu.edu/
steinbrenner/brownfields/[email protected]
phone 412-268-7121
Developing Brownfields lessens Greenfield development.
A general rule of thumb:
1 acre of Brownfield development spares 4 acres of Greenfields
- Existing InfrastructureBrownfields take advantage of existing infrastructure - roads, airports, and other utilities. - Government Funding The government helps pay for brownfield redevelopment in the form of grants and loans. - Productive Use of an Idle Property Development of brownfields contributes to the long-term sustainability of communities, turning idle land into an active site.- Cleaner Land in the Process Developers are required to clean up brownfields during the development of the land.
Greenfields vs. Brownfields?
... land that has never been developed.Greenfields are...
BROWNFIELD?Why develop a
Other advantages?
Remediation, Funding, & LiabilityRestoring a brownfield to usable conditions can be
a long and costly process involving legal issues.
Brownfields must be assessed for environmental contamination before they can be remediated. The environmental assessment process consists of a preliminary investigation, sampling, and analysis in order to determine the contaminants present.
The way that contaminants are treated depends on the chemicals found, the types of soils, and the depth of contamination at the site.
A common way of treating the site is capping the contaminated ground with pavement, several inches of gravel, or soil.
There are various types of federal and state funding for the remediation and redevelopment of brownfields.
In legal terms, the word liability refers to responsibility. Many developers shy away from brownfields because they could be potentially held responsible for the site’s contamination, even if they did not contaminate the land themselves.
Many states have enacted brownfield legislation that limits liability, or responsibility for those who would like to purchase and develop a brownfield site. a reference guide
WHAT IS A
FIELD?
brownfields in your area
This area along the Monongahela River was one of the three manufacturing facilities for J&L Steel, later to become a site for the LTV Steel Co. The decline of steel left the site as a contaminated, unutilized piece of land. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Pittsburgh completed remediation of the site, and the developer Soffer Organization turned the site into a first class riverfront development – including office space, a sports medicine complex and practice fields, housing and retail. This development required a total private investment of approximately $250 million and now provides up to 5,400 employment opportunities and more than 400 housing units.
SOUTHSIDE WORKS
Brownfields are...“abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.” (EPA)
In the mid 1970s, there came strange reports from a small Niagara Falls town called Love Canal. Children and dogs developed skin irritation after spending time in the field around their school, and rocks exploded when dropped.
It was discovered that their elementary school was built on a dumping site and rest of the town was built on buried toxic chemicals. Love Canal’s landmark case made it clear that a program was needed to fund the clean up of this and similar sites.
The Superfund program was established in 1980 to identify those severely contaminated sites. Once identified, the sites are placed on a National Priority List (NPL) which determines when they will receive further investigation and long-term clean-up actions. In contrast, areas of lesser contamination were dubbed ‘brownfields.’
Brownfields number in the hundreds of thousands nationwide. Often abandoned, these sites sit in small towns and large cities, on waterfronts and in urban centers. People living next to brownfields often want to move away from the contaminated site, but their nearness to a brownfield depreciates the value of their land and they become trapped.
Undeveloped brownfields degrade the environment and represent lost opportunities to bring jobs and a broader tax base to communities.
KeyEach picture on the left is an example of a brownfield site in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
(a/d) = after/during redevelopment(b) = before redevelopment
The Waterfront(Homestead Steel Works)
(a/d)
(a/d)
(a/d) (a/d)
(a/d)
(a/d) (a/d)
(b)
(b)
(b)
(b) (b) (b)
(a/d) (b) (b)
Washington’s Landing aka Herr’s Island
(Meat Packing Plant)
Summerset at Frick Park aka Nine Mile Run
(Slag Pile)
Pittsburgh Technology
Center
(LTV Steel)
Neville Island(Military Production)
Duquesne(Steel
Works)
PNC Firstside
(Railroad)
Station Square
(Railroad)
