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E-mail contact
Liana Tuller
ltuller@boston.k12.ma.us
Teacher Bio
Liana Tuller is a third-year
history teacher at Charlestown High, a School to Career school.
Committed to interdisciplinary studies in the social sciences,
she works closely with her colleague Kira Jewett, former environmental
sciences professional and now second-year science teacher. Liana's
involvement with health issues began at Harvard University where
she actively pursued problems relating to air and water pollution.
Subject Areas
Social Studies, Science, History
Grade Levels
9 - 12
Students
Inclusive
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Community Environmental Health Fair
| Authenticity |
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Key Question
How can high schoolers discover a relationship
between a community's wealth and its level of pollution?
Overview
Through a city-construction
simulation, students hypothesize reasons for this relationship.
Identifying health as a global concern, they read and write
about environmental causes of six major health issues and
host two community health fairs. Environmental justice becomes
a local issue as they research pro-active solutions on the
Internet and survey community residents. Interviews with individuals
and visits to organizations broaden their knowledge of related
careers. Digital imaging technology helps them prepare exhibits
and brochures. Identifying legal and political avenues that
address health hazards results in reports to community members
and government officials.
| Active
Exploration +
Applied
Learning + Adult
Connections |
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Classroom
Activities
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Community
Activities
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Career
Activities
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Search
Proquest web site for literature on
disease, pollution & issues of environmental
racism & activism. |
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Read & discuss literature. |
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Keep
reflection journals throughout project. |
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Graph
median price of Massachusetts homes vs.
level of bronchus/lung disease.
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Assign
groups to research environmentally-related
diseases.
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Describe
selected health issues in action
reports brochures & letters to elected
officials.
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Prepare
health fair exhibits.
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Attend
Environmental Justice in the 'Hood
conference sponsored by local groups. |
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Visit
community health center & distribute survey
on environmental
health concerns. |
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Plan fairs with area health clinics &
environmental activist organizations. |
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Hold
community environmental health
fairs at high school & neighborhood
health center. |
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Distribute
evaluation forms to health fair attendees
& reflect on results. |
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Share
reports with community centers & organizations. |
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Interview
environmental health professionals from local
clinics. |
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Attend
environmental storyteller performance. |
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Observe professionals at work in community
health centers. |
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Observe
& interact with elected officials &
environmental lobbyists at State House. |
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Coordinate
publicity for community health fair. |
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Assign
roles to groups organizing fair, including
securing space, arranging for security, tables,
refreshments, & interacting with public. |
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Wrap
up reflections on fair with student groups
and participating organizations. |
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Academic
Rigor
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| Learning
Standards English Social Studies |
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Conduct
social studies research. |
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Obtain
information from a variety of sources. |
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Understand
the concepts & details of physical & political
geography. |
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Explore
the role economics plays in shaping a society. |
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Learning
Standards
Science
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Use
technologies to present information effectively. |
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Interview
a practicing or applied scientist. |
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Understand
human interaction with nature over time, technologies
developed, benefits & consequences of our actions
& the impact of science. |
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Research,
analyze, & evaluate social, environmental challenges
through observation, experimentation, research,
& application of unifying concepts of science. |
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Learning
Standards
English Language Arts
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Use
various formats & technology to complete &
enhance work. |
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Use
telecommunications to share information & ideas. |
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Make
effective presentations. |
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Understand
& use the writing process effectively. |
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Collaborate
on project that applies learning to educate others. |
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School
to Career Competencies
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Develop
Communication and Literacy Skills. |
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Organize
and Analyze Information. |
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Problem
Solve. |
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Use
Technology. |
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Initiate
and complete entire activities. |
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Act
professionally. |
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Interact
with others. |
Assessment |
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Students
design their own quizzes
for fair participants. They are also assessed
on action reports and exhibits.
Evaluation form for fair attendees assesses exhibits,
students' helpfulness and expertise. Finally,
students tabulate, and share results in wrap up
reflections.
Software
or Materials Used Internet
Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Word,
Olympus Digital Camera, and Camedia Software,
Proquest online research software by Bell
& Howell; for exhibits: display boards, construction
paper, banner paper, inkjet, photo paper, markers,
paints, glue, tape, scissors. for literature:
Confronting
Environmental Racism: Voices from the Grassroots
by Robert Bullard, 1993: South End Press; From
the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise
of the Environmental Justice Movement Critical
America Series, 2000 by Luke Cole and Sheila Foster,
2000: New York University Press; Pollution:
Opposing Viewpoints edited by Tamara Roleff,
2000: Greenhaven Press; newspaper and articles
(files found using Proquest).
Teacher
Developed Materials Directions
for City Construction Simulation, Directions
and Rubrics for Action Reports and Health
Fair Exhibits.
Student
Developed Materials Action
Reports, Invitations,
Survey on Environmental
Health Concerns, Environmental
Health Web Sites List, Reflection Journals.
Web
Sites Student
Generated List Environmental Health Web Sites.
Final
Words Community
health fairs let students develop activist skills
leading to the realization that they can transform
the world in which they live. By learning the
scientific mechanisms of environmental effects
on human health, they begin to understand how
to influence local, national, and global environmental
decision-making. These are discoveries, skills,
and ethics that remain with students throughout
their education and lives.
Teacher
Tip This project
requires contacts and collaborations beyond school.
From my experience, people and organizations want
to support you. Establish contact with them early
on. Let them guide you in visualizing the fair,
and they will help with information and experiences
your students need. It is too much for one teacher
to do alone-but that's the point: one person may
not change things, but people working together
can!
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