by Lisa Voelker | Aug 28, 2016 | Uncategorized
Some Background There are many ways to structure place-based learning experiences with students. In place-based education, you can give students a range of freedom to make choices. Sometimes it is difficult to frame a place-based inquiry in a way that is clear to...
by Lisa Voelker | Aug 1, 2016 | Community History, Ecosystems / Biodiversity, Environmental Impact, Place-Based Education, Professional Development Materials, Readings
By Matt Siegfried Display image courtesy of Fresh Water and Marine Image Bank, University of Washington The sturgeon, or Na’me in Anishinaabemowin (the language of the many Great Lakes First Nations communities), is an ancient fish just emerging from danger of...
by Lisa Voelker | Aug 1, 2016 | Community History, Environmental Impact, Professional Development Materials, Readings
This reading list was compiled by historian Matt Siegfried. Great Lakes Sturgeon Readings Abel, Kerry M., and Jean Friesen. Aboriginal Resource Use in Canada: Historical and Legal Aspects. Winnipeg, Man.: University of Manitoba Press, 1991. Ashworth, William. The...
by Lisa Voelker | Jul 31, 2016 | Image Gallery, Porter Chair Series, Professional Development Materials
Commons-based educational practices and caring communities are often hidden from public view. Stories of youth, teachers, and communities who are seeking to create “beloved communities” are not often shared by the media. In this pre-conference event,...
by Lisa Voelker | Jul 19, 2016 | Uncategorized
By Bill Boyle We have put together some resources that are based on the 2016 SEMIS Summer Institute. These are resources intended to build on, support and extend the experiences and learning themes that were developed over the course of these four days. (Check out...
by Lisa Voelker | Jul 2, 2016 | Curriculum Integration, High School, Intergenerational Dialogue, Student Voice, Teacher Toolkit, Uncategorized
Students from Detroit Institute of Technology at CODY High School co-authored an article for the 2016 summer issue of Green Teacher Magazine, titled Fostering Youth Leadership in Urban Place-based Education. This inter-generational collaboration challenged us to...
by Lisa Voelker | Jul 2, 2016 | Uncategorized
By Bill Boyle Day 3 was another day of outdoors, experiential immersion. We started at Helms Haven Park for water testing with the excellent instruction from Friends of the Rouge. We did chemical testing and benthic marcro-invertebrate searches. Both of these are...
by Lisa Voelker | Jun 21, 2016 | Events, Professional Development Materials, Video Links
By Bill Boyle Day 2 started with Ethan Lowenstein introducing the Coalition norms for being in community. These norms are a means of ensuring that as relational beings, we create a space that allows us to bring out the best in each other. The SEMIS norms are: *Speak...
by Lisa Voelker | Jun 20, 2016 | Events, Professional Development Materials
By Bill Boyle The day started at an adventurous parking lot of gravel and a large pole barn- all of the signs of the outdoors readily available. After jumping in vans for a short ride, we all arrived at the Detroit International Wildlife Refuge’s Humbug Marsh...
by Lisa Voelker | May 29, 2016 | Ecosystems / Biodiversity, Environmental Inventory, High School, Inquiry-Based Learning, NGSS, Place-Based Education, Teacher Toolkit, Water Quality / Studies, Water quality testing
As a result of the Walk in the Park project, students have developed a sense of responsibility for nature in their community. Students have been able to use Rouge Park as a space to learn stewardship skills such as water quality monitoring, conducting environmental...
by Lisa Voelker | Oct 28, 2015 | Uncategorized
Greetings! This year the SEMIS Coalition received the John W. Porter Endowed Chair in Urban Education, one of the most prestigious awards in the Eastern Michigan University College of Education. One of the roles of the Porter Chair is to create and facilitate...
by Lisa Voelker | Oct 27, 2015 | EcoJustice, Place-Based Education, Porter Chair Series, Social & Emotional Learning, Topics
Recognizing Community, Recognizing Its Members By Bill Boyle October 27, 2015 One of the more promising antidotes to the alienated individualism of the “ethic of achievement” in schools lies in the use of Restorative Practices. As I’ve written previously, “We tend to...
by Lisa Voelker | Oct 14, 2015 | Place-Based Education, Professional Development Materials
Our Fall PD on September 25th, 2015 was a great kick-off to the SEMIS Coalition 2015-16 project year! We had many new community partners and faculty from EMU, and many familiar faces we are happy to see return! It was wonderful to see everyone who was...
by Lisa Voelker | Sep 21, 2015 | Uncategorized
ERIC ZENER: http://abduzeedo.com/hypnotic-paintings-water-eric-zener Claude Monet does many different paintings of water flowers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Lilies Fredrick Remington, Fight for the Waterhole https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Remington...
