Why This Class
You see news stories about Earth’s health and natural resources every day, and you want your student to be informed about the factors behind these issues. This course leads your student on a scientific study of energy and agriculture to expand their perspective on the challenges facing Earth—and the choices facing humanity—today.
Mentors in this course guide students to examine two of Earth’s assets: the often-overlooked resource of soil and the much-discussed resource of carbon-based fuels. Students explore and deliberate the processes that, over the course of decades or millions of years, create the dirt to grow our food and the energy to power our homes, cars, and technologies. Students participate in class discussions and debates about climate change, nuclear power, and alternative energy sources.
By the end of this course, students gain a detailed understanding of the challenges facing humanity in the current and future use of Earth’s soil and energy resources. They also appreciate their role in deciding the outcomes of these issues.