Service Learning
Direct Service and Project-based Service
Service-learning will take two forms in this course:
- Direct service (assisting with routine community partner tasks)
- Project-based service (focused creative work that meets a community partner need)
These two forms of service-learning complement one another and when combined with opportunities for reflection, promote deep learning of course material.
This semester, our course will have three service-learning partners, complementing three major course themes as follows:
| Theme: Biodiverse-City
(human dependence on ecosystems)
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Community Partner: Bloomington Urban Woodlands Project (BUWP) www.indiana.edu/~sustain/programs/buwp/
BUWP Contact: Wendy Anderson, weeander@umail.iu.edu Direct Service: Propagate native woodland species in the Jordan Hall greenhouse. Waterproof shoes and clothing for working with plants and soil are recommended. Gloves and equipment are provided.
Where: Biology Greenhouse, Jordan Hall 139 Project-based
Service: Research the
primary scientific literature on nature therapy (effect of time spent in nature on
physical or mental health, such as cardiovascular health, recovery time, stress
level, mood, etc.). For one study
of your choice, produce 1) a one-paragraph annotation in your own words that a)
provides the citation for the study following the format indicated below, b) summarizes the main point of the
study and c) evaluates the study’s credibility; and 2) a 2-3 sentence “Nature
Rx” that makes the study’s results accessible to IU students. For tips on
summarizing and assessing sources, see: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/. For example Nature Rx’s, see: http://sustain.indiana.edu/programs/buwp/docs/Nature_Rx.pdf.
Citation Format: Last Name First Initials. Year. Article Title. Journal Title Volume Number, Volume Issue:Pages. e.g. Brown JB, Smith AC. 2010. Exposure to nature reduces physiological stress indicators. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 18, 5:35-44. Time Frame: Direct Service: Tuesday Jan 26 during class time, Project-based Service due by Sat February 13th.
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| Theme: Global Change (human domination of
ecosystems)
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Community Partner: Bloomington chapter of Citizens
Climate Lobby (CCL) http://citizensclimatelobby.org/
CCL Contact: Julie James, julajame@indiana.edu
Project-based Service: Write one letter to the editor of a local newspaper (e.g. Herald-Times, IDS, other hometown paper), discussing carbon fee and dividend legislation as a solution to global climate change. Letters must be respectful and exhibit rigorous science and information literacy skills. Letters must be prepared in Microsoft Word and must specify a newspaper and provide and follow that newspaper’s word limit and any other criteria for letters to the editor. Letters
must be factual and all facts in the letters must be rigorously researched and
footnoted, with a References section at the end. The References section must
include at least three relevant, credible sources, including at least one relevant scientific journal article,
formatted following the Chicago Manual of Style (http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org.proxyiub.uits.iu.edu/tools_citationguide.html - use the author-date format for citations, but rather than a parenthetical in-text citation, use a simple numbered footnote).
Time Frame: Orientation in class on Thursday, Feb 18th, letter due by Sat Feb 27th.
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| Theme: Sustainability (human alliance with
ecosystems)
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Community Partner: Hilltop Garden & Nature Center at Indiana University (Hilltop Gardens) http://www.indiana.edu/~landscap/hilltop/
Hilltop Gardens Contact: Lea Woodard, lemawood@imail.iu.edu
Direct
Service: Students will work on diverse aspects of food production including garden bed preparation, seed starting, transplanting, greenhouse and garden maintenance, harvesting produce, and composting. Waterproof shoes and clothing for working with plants and soil are recommended. Gloves and equipment are provided.
Time Frame: Orientation in class on Tuesday, March 22nd; 3 hours of direct service due by Thursday, April 21st.
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