home

Welcome to one of the newest members of my [|wikicommunities], "Decade of Extremes: Studying Our Planet’s Unrest." Designed for my sophomore English students, this online collaborative learning environment aims to enhance my students understanding of natural disasters and the issues surrounding such disasters. Through our exploration of interactive maps, streaming videos, online articles, and various photographs, we will work together to investigate three of the most catastrophic disasters experienced by cities and nations since the turn of the century. In order to gain insight into why natural disasters continue to increase both in number and magnitude, we will question the affect overpopulation, climate change, habitat destruction, wildlife extinction, and natural resource depletion has on the planet's behaviors. David Ross, a [|CNN] senior executive producer for Anderson Cooper 360, explains, "So many environmental issues facing the Earth are interconnected -- from deforestation to population growth to global warming to species loss. To fully grasp the extent of these issues, we must examine all of them." Therefore, we will use this space to explore the complex relationship between humans and the planet they populate.

The purpose for this wiki is to 1) show how modern computer technology enhances the delivery of information through various modes of communication; 2) explore current environmental issues in order to gain insight into the natural disasters happening //today//, 3) develop students' abilities to read, analyze, and report on information that is being studied, and 4) build an online resource that both individuals and groups can contribute to and learn from in an effort to illustrate the effectiveness of online collaboration and social software like wikispaces.

All pages can be accessed from the navigation bar on the left. You will want to begin with the Activities page. Once you have read over the activities, click over to the "Tutorial" page. This page is designed to help you successfully navigate and contribute to the wikispace. You are welcome to explore the entire space. I hope you enjoy this resource.