Initial Publication Date: May 18, 2018

Alycia Lackey: Using Ocean Sustainability in Bio 103: Saving Planet Earth at Murray State University


About this Course


60
students

Two 75-minute lecture sessions

Bio 103 Syllabus (Acrobat (PDF) 223kB May18 18)

In a two-week module on climate change, we had previously covered a broad array of consequences of climate change. Incorporating Unit 3 provided an in-depth look at the effects of climate change on ocean ecosystems. The videos with personal stories helped students identify with the real-world impacts of climate change that are already occurring. These data gave students detailed insight into the threats to coral reefs, many of which are exacerbated by climate change.

Using this unit, students were much more engaged in the consequences of climate change when they could dig into these specific examples, compared to previous semesters when I only covered consequences broadly without depth or additional data to examine.

My Experience Teaching with InTeGrateMaterials

I really enjoyed how these materials connected climate change to impacts on the ocean. This is a topic I had covered generally in previous classes, but these materials motivated me to cover ocean warming and acidification in much more detail. The essay assessment helped this material stick with the students. On their final exam, many students included details they learned from this unit in an open-ended essay.

Relationship of InTeGrate Materials to my Course

Unit 3 made up approximately 75-min lecture session in a two-week module on climate change. I implemented this unit two-thirds into the course. Earlier in the semester, we covered ecological principles, including relationships among organisms in an ecosystem, as well as biological diversity and threats to diversity. Thus, I emphasized Unit 3's learning goals #3 and 4 on how global climate change affects coral reefs, diversity, and food webs.

I modified this unit to emphasize learning goals we had not yet covered at this point in the course. I integrated the slides into existing lecture material. I organized the videos and some lecture materials into a worksheet-guided small group activity interrupted by whole-class discussion.

Classes were usually 50% lecture and 50% in-class group work. Also, students had completed multiple group exercises guided by a worksheet in class. Thus, students were used to interactive, small-group activities.

Assessments

I used the individual worksheet and the essay as assessments. The individual worksheet was graded for correctness and completion. The essay was graded based on the rubric provided in the "Unit-by-Unit Breakdown" above. The worksheet assessment encouraged students to engage with the material and each other in class, and class discussion provided them with feedback before submitting their answers. Students received the graded worksheet before the essay was due. The essay encouraged students to synthesize what they learned from these activities and to add their perspective on the consequences of climate change on ocean ecosystems.

Outcomes

My goal for incorporating this unit was to provide in-depth coverage and examples of effects of climate change. In class, students appeared engaged in the videos and threats to ocean ecosystems, including coral reefs. Student essays reflected their elevated concerns about effects of climate change on the ocean after completing these activities. Using this unit, students were much more engaged in the consequences of climate change when they could dig into these specific examples, compared to previous semesters when I only covered consequences broadly without depth or additional data to examine.

Classroom Context

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