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Choosing a Course: Education

 

SUNSHIP III PROGRAM WORKSHOP

This one-day workshop includes an overview of the SUNSHIP III program for 13-14 year olds, participation in outdoor activities from the program, and strategies for implementing the follow-through components back at home and school. >bs3 SUNSHIP III focuses on the perceptions and choices new teenagers make about their daily habits and routines. It is about exploration and discovery in the larger context of where and how we live, and examining alternatives and making sacrifices on behalf of a healthier home planet.

Participants in the program learn about SOL, the Ship of Life (our planet), and its Systems of Life – power (energy), recycling (cycles), integrated circuits (interrelationships), and time (change); Senses of Life – ways of experiencing and responding to natural places and processes; Sections of Life – the different ecological communities that make up the “sunship” (i.e., ocean, desert, forest, etc.); and Styles of Life – our personal lifestyles that impact the systems and sections of life on the planet.

During the workshop participants:

  •  Learn about earth education methods
  •  Participate in several challenging learning experiences
  •  Discover how the program “hooks” and motivates participants
  •  Examine some of the props used in the program
  •  Review the steps in setting up the SUNSHIP III program

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Choosing a Course: Education

 

SUNSHIP III LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP

 

T his workshop is a three-day analysis of the entire SUNSHIP III program. We go through the initial portion of the program just as the teenagers do, but we process what we are doing as we go. For each program component, such as the opening “Commencement” with the “P/C Skit,” and activities such as the “Conceptual Encounters,” we look at the physical set-up, props, sequence, important details, etc. SOL-logo-300x298 For “Cycle Factory,” as an example, we head to the activity site and first look at the physical set-up of the “tree” and all three cycles, talking over details of props as well as the physical layout – the hows and whys. We then do the entire activity, stopping at key points to process what we did, looking at important aspects for making it work well, etc. In addition, there are indoor sessions that provide inputs on adjustments and modifications, leadership, and props. This workshop focuses on the details of leading the program. It is designed both as professional development for those who have a great deal of experience with the program and as staff training for those who have little or no experience but will be leading the program. It is very important that those attending already be familiar with the SUNSHIP III program. At a minimum, they must have read the SUNSHIP III book.

During the workshop participants:

  •  Learn details not available in the program book and other materials
  •  Find out why the program components are included, and why they are conducted in a certain way
  •  Examine props and discuss options
  •  Review strategies for implementing the all-important “Quest” portion of the program
  •  Meet others who are leading or have led the program in other locations and situations

Note: This workshop is NOT intended to introduce you to SUNSHIP III or to earth education. It is for those who already lead the SUNSHIP III program or are serious about doing so. It is also not a time to bring ideas for changes in the program. We appreciate getting those ideas, but they should be sent to the international program coordinator (programcoordinator@ieetree.org) so they can be passed along to the SUNSHIP III Development Team.