Brain and Behavior Curriculum Proposal

Proposal for Brain and Behavior Institute

Judith Lucas-Odom

Goal:  Why certain behaviors can affect a place over time.  Understand that we have the ability to change and/or affect things in our own community.  How we look at things can change the story that we tell to get the effect that we want.  Finally, the students will begin to think outside of their immediate environment towards a more global environment.  They will be able to control some possible outcome of a real life situation.

Procedure:  The students will analyze some of the effects of development on a wetland, cost effectiveness, short term and long term, and they will decide if the project should proceed for the good the people or for the good of the environment.  Students will be able to think about how the wetland adjacent to them would be affected over time.  Students will research the area of wetland in Delaware County, Tinicum.  Using mapping of the area and NASA satellites, they will look up the history of the past area and they will decide how effective it is to save the wetland or to fill it in for a theme park/casino building project.

Background:  The students will research on web sites the history of Tinicum and create a log or blog of their findings to later be used in their survey.  They will create a map of the actual place from the past to the present.  Different groups will work on different aspects of the project and come together to present the pro/ con sides.  They will research how changes have taken place and how will development affect the animals, environment, ad the people in the immediate area.    They will complete experiments such as the Wetland’s as natures filter, decomposition and composting in wetlands, and understanding the food web of a wetland.

Assessment:  The students will create a power point presentation before a panel of judges (students, parents, teachers, and business men.  They will present what they have learned about what a wetland is, present their reasons based on the evidence they have gathered for their position pro or con of the development of the wetland.  They will also write to their state representatives and congressmen about this issue.

Time period:  Students will begin in November and present in the middle of December.

Materials needed are the money to go toward the purchase of a projector.  The cost of the projector is $499.00.