Cumberland University (CU) is a small liberal arts university
located in Lebanon, TN. Approximately 35% of students are first-
generation college students. CU offers the course “Principles of
Physical Science” to satisfy the general education science
requirement. It focuses on a wide variety of topics, including
conceptual physics. The course is populated by a wide range of
undergraduate majors and class years, and the two sections have
approximately 24 students each. Beginning in spring 2009, we
have included a module on the book Hot, Flat, and Crowded (HFC)
by Thomas L. Friedman as a vehicle for discussion on energy and
the environment. The module implements a wide variety of active
learning and peer-instruction tools, such as jigsaw techniques for
book readings, discussions guided by the use of classroom
response systems (“clickers”), and a research project in which the
students locate recent media articles on climate change and
describe their relation to the information presented in the focus
book. The module has so far been very effective at helping
students to understand and clarify the issues surrounding the
topic. The module is comprised of a project (worth 10% of the
final grade) and follow-up assessments in a test and final exam.
Primary Elements Other Assessment
Using Friedman’s Hot, Flat, and Crowded in a
Course Module on Energy and the Environment
Heather M. Whitney, Ph.D.
Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN
References
Students submit via Learning Management System (LMS) a one-page, typed paper articulating their current knowledge of the issues of
climate change. *
1. Friedman, T.L., 2009. Hot, Flat, and Crowded : Why We Need
a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America, Picador.
2. Henderson, C. & Rosenthal, A., 2006. Reading Questions:
Encouraging Students to Read the Text before Coming to Class.
Journal of College Science Teaching, 35(7), 46-50.
3. Krauskopf, K. & Beiser, A., 2009. The Physical Universe 13th
ed. McGraw- Hill Science/ Engineering/ Math.
4. Slavin, R.E., 1980. Cooperative learning in teams: State of
the art. Educational Psychologist, 15(2), 93-111.
Abstract
For the course
By the end of the course, students will be able to
• Analyze and solve quantitative problems related to the
physical sciences as demonstrated by predicting states and
dynamics of nature
• Analyze and solve qualitative problems related to the physical
sciences as demonstrated by predicting states and dynamics
of nature
• Demonstrate the ability to devise, execute, and analyze
laboratory experiments.
• Analyze and/or interpret scientific data and evaluate social
implications
• Illustrate mature attitudes of science.
In addition, it is hoped that this class will help to
• Deepen students’ understanding of the concepts of the
physical world.
• Identify common misconceptions about the natural world and
to help clear up those misconceptions.
• Foster scientific inquiry.
For the module
By the end of the module, students will be able to
• Describe the basic issues in the discussion of climate change.
• Assess mass-media portrayals of climate change and
determine how recent information updates a published work
on the issue.
Learning Goals
Warm -up paper
Students submit via the LMS reading questions (Henderson &
Rosenthal 2006) for chapter two of HFC (Today’s Date: 1 E.C.E.
Today’s Weather: Hot, Flat, and Crowded.) “Reading questions”
are used to encourage students to read texts deeply and
Students are assigned to read one of chapters 3 (Our Carbon
Copies (or, Too Many Americans) 5 (Global Weirding), and 8
(Green Is the New Red, White, and Blue.). The students submit
via the LMS reading questions for their chapter. In class, the
students are arranged in jigsaw form (Slavin 1980) for class
discussion, facilitated by the instructor and guided by suggested
discussion questions (see supplemental web page). The “jigsaw
method” is used to divide up the quantity of reading needed
The students meet with a university librarian to receive
instructional training on how to identify and select good-quality
articles from popular media.
Students submit reading questions from course text (Krauskopf and Beiser, 2009) on renewable energy sources.
Reading for Additional Information
Library Training & Article Selection (participation and article choice worth 10 points each)
Issue Reading and Class Discussion (participation worth 10 points of project grade)
Introductory Reading
Warm-up Paper (worth 30 points of project grade)
thoughtfully, as well as prepare for classroom discussion.
Before class, students submit via the LMS questions they have
regarding the reading, which they hope to have answered by
the end of the discussion.*
In this session, the students and instructor construct a summary of the information gathered from the readings in HFC and the
textbook, and review the requirements for the synthesis paper. Clicker questions assist in measuring student understanding.*
Class Discussion
Students submit a three-page in which they summarize the climate change situation as described in Hot, Flat, and Crowded, cite the
article they have chosen and describe how it updates our understanding of climate change. The students should determine to what
degree their article agrees or disagrees with the information presented in HFC and give specific examples from HFC that are either
supported by the article or negated by it.
Synthesis Paper (worth 40 points of project grade)
Each student submits for instructor approval an article of their
choice, published 2007 or later, on the climate change issue.
Guided by the instructor, the students openly share one question they have on the climate change issue they would like to be
answered through the process of completing the project. The instructor facilitates the clear articulation of the students’ questions and
directs the class in considering how their participation in the project can assist in answering them.
Introductory Class Discussion
for the book discussion but also encourage the students to learn
how to thoughtfully and efficiently disseminate the information
they read. For example, in a class of nine students covering
three readings, each reading is assigned to three students. Each
focus group for the class discussion is comprised of a student
from each reading. The students discuss the material and are
responsible for sharing the chapter to their groupmates, who
were not assigned that chapter.*
Synthesis Paper Grading Rubric Needs Improvement
Meets
Expectations
Exceptional
Spelling and grammar 1 point 3 points 5 points
Followed formatting specifications 1 point 3 points 5 points
Summary of climate change situation, as described in HFC 3 points 7 points 10 points
Summary of chosen article 3 points 7 points 10 points
Description of how the article supports or negates HFC 3 points 7 points 10 points
In the test following the completion of this module, students are
given two of the following four essays:
Discuss the factors that have shaped the Energy-Climate Era:
overcrowding due to population growth and longevity, the
flattening of the world due to the rise of personal computers and
the Internet, the fall of the Soviet Union, and other
developments. How have these factors affected your country
economically, politically, and otherwise?
Chapter 2 makes the distinctions between “fuels from hell” and
“fuels from heaven.” How is your life fueled by both categories?
What would it take for you to transition completely to “fuels from
heaven”?
At the heart of Friedman’s argument is the notion that market
demands drive innovation. What would it take to transform
America’s perception so that the Code Green message is seen as
a key to prosperity? How has the image of environmentalism
changed during your lifetime?
What is your overall impression of the content of Friedman’s
book? Do you agree or disagree with his take on the “Green
Revolution”?
As a part of the final exam for the course, students are given a
recent (published in the week before the exam) news article and
asked to again describe its relationship to the principles
discussed in HFC and synthesize how the new information
updates the situation.
For supplemental information, see http://heathermwhitney.pbworks.com
Summary
This module has been so far implemented for the Spring and Fall
2009 semesters at CU, and we look forward to implementing it
again in the Spring 2010 semester. Anticipated additions include
peer interviews on the role of energy in student lives. A newer
version of HFC has just been released in late 2009, and the
Spring 2010 implementation will be adjusted for this newer
edition.
* Indicates that more information is available on the supplementary webpage (see bottom of poster)
For more information, contact
Heather Whitney at hwhitney@cumberland.edu
Acknowledgments
We appreciate Claire Walker, MLIS, for her direction of the
library training sessions.