Overview
(Weeks 8-10)
Given the power of a good story, translating climate science to an impactful story is a key skill for communicating the climate crisis. Building on the previous units’ development of an understanding of audience, in this unit we will examine a number of popular forms and genres of climate change communication, including visual forms (as in video, photography, or memes), textual forms (as in blogs, journalism, essays, and fiction), and audio forms (podcasts). The objective of the unit will be to examine the tone, language and style of various forms of content and subsequently effectively apply what is learned to your own efforts at climate communication, such as in translating science or traditional ecological knowledge, for broader or specific specialized audiences like policymakers or community groups.
Activities and Assessment Overview
- Unity 4 Activity 1: Complete Week 8 readings.
- Unit 4 Activity 2 (Week 8): Zoom session for group discussion of readings.
- Unit 4 Activity 3: Complete Week 9 readings.
- Unit 4 Activity 4: Complete Week 10 readings.
- Week 10: Complete Assignment 4.
- Unit 4 Activity 5 (Week 10): Final group Zoom session.
- Week 10: Assignment 1: Tiny Ecology must be complete.
- Unit 4 Activity 6: Final reflections.
Unit 4 Activity 1
Complete the readings for Week 8. Look in your email for the weekly update, which will provide more context, prompts, and questions for you to consider as you work through this material.
Unit 4 Activity 2
Join our class Zoom session for any remaining questions on your assignment, as well as any questions you may have to discuss about wrapping up your Tiny Ecology project. Think of this as an opportunity to resolve any loose ends and learn from your peers as you near the end of the course.
Unit 4 Activity 3
Complete the readings for Week 9. Look in your email for the weekly update, which will provide more context, prompts, and questions for you to consider as you work through this material.
Unit 4 Activity 4
Complete the readings for Week 10. Look in your email for the weekly update, which will provide more context, prompts, and questions for you to consider as you work through this material.
Unit 4 Activity 5
Join our final class Zoom session. Think of this as an opportunity to resolve any loose ends, address any remaining discussion items, and learn from your peers as you near the end of the course.
Unit 4 Activity 6
Final reflections in Moodle forum either via text or padlet. Reflections are open to your interpretation, but to help guide your thinking here you might consider a few questions:
- What role do you think storytelling has in climate communication for your community or the changes you hope to facilitate as a climate action leader?
- How has your perception of storytelling and communication changed in the course of your learning?
- In what ways does being a storyteller empower you to connect with multiple groups of people about the climate crisis?
- How has the Tiny Ecology project and being regularly connected to a specific place inform your work as a climate leader?