Inventing the Future
Professional Development Series
Getting my students to talk about ‘inventing’ the future causes them to think maybe there is one! I like how ‘Inventing the Future’ gets them to think about cause and effect. It empowers them to have new beginnings in their own personal development. -Inventing the Future Teacher
What Is Inventing the Future?
Inventing the Future is a semester-long Participation in Government course that prepares high school students for effective local, regional, national, and international leadership and participation in our changing world. It is designed to meet the content and performance standards of a Participation in Government course as well as standards for English Language Arts, Math, Science and Technology, and Art. Inventing the Future can be purchased individually or as a school license including a professional development program and course site license for up to 35 educators. Read a summary of AED's assessment here.
How Is Inventing the Future Different From Other High School Government Courses?
Inventing the Future teaches students about government through engagement in the process of inventing their own future. This is accomplished through student-led projects that effect positive change in their communities.
Inventing the Future helps students to:
DEVELOP a sense of place and value local knowledge, in an effort to begin the process of restoring and improving the beauty, integrity, and health of the places in which we live and work.
EXPLORE the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizens in a democratic society, and study the range of ways in which to participate.
DISCOVER “the commons” in our communities and our society—that which is shared by all, upon which we are all dependent, and for which we are all responsible.
INVESTIGATE new ways of thinking about the relationship between society, the economy, and the environment.
ENVISION the future of our communities and develop quality of life indicators.
DOCUMENT and examine the assets (what do we have going for us?) and the liabilities (what are the challenges we are facing?) that exist in our communities.
RESEARCH the world of public policy and policymaking and how policies influence our lives and our future.
SCAN the driving forces that are at work in the world and develop projects that contribute to positive change (examples include creating community gardens, policy recommendations to the City Council, etc.).
What is included in the Professional Development Series?
The introductory four-day professional development series on the use of the Inventing the Future course includes an introduction to sustainability and an in-depth look at the course. Participants will model course activities, analyze course content and pedagogy, and share course implementation strategies. Follow-up professional development allows the opportunity for teachers to share student work and best practices, and to gain access to new course material. In addition, The Cloud Institute offers community based partnership development opportunities, local/regional case studies development and individual state standards alignment upon request.
Who Developed Inventing the Future?
The content design and development team included The Cloud Institute, teachers, and curriculum developers and assessment practitioners from Learner Centered Initiatives and Communities for Learning (C4L). The planning and implementation partners include The Center for Education in Law and Democracy, The Tomales Bay Institute, and the City University of New York Children’s Environmental Research Center.
What Content Does Inventing the Future Include?
Introduction
Acknowledgments; Welcome; Using the Inventing the Future CD-Rom; “Inventing the Future” Student Learning Outcomes; A Note to the Teacher Regarding the Rubrics; Scope and Sequence; Notes to Teachers; Teacher Resource Packet
Module One: Introduction to Community and Citizenship
Course Diagnostic: Diagnostic
Chapters 1-7: Community; Exploring the Concept of Citizenship and the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens; Participation; The Commons; The Commons Game; Society, the Economy and the Environment; Document-Based Question
Module Two: Creating Sustainable Communities
Chapters 1-4: Analyzing Sustainable Community Initiatives; Creating a Vision; Indicators; Assets and Liabilities
Module Three: What If?
Chapters 1-5: The Policy Making Process; Reading Public Policy; Symptoms Vs. Problems; Selection of Problem and the Action Plan; Inventing the Future
Course Post-Test: What kind of future will we invent?
Appendices: Additional Lessons, Weblinks, Blank Templates, Works Cited, Student Handouts
Professional Development Series (4 days): $1,000 (includes curriculum, CD, and license for 35 teachers)
