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=**__Energy Interdisciplinary Unit__**= = =
 * What am I going to do today?**
 * You are going to be REBORN! You will be reborn as a person that has some kind of connection to nuclear power and to Vietnam.
 * You will be placed in a group with other people who have also been REBORN and you will work with them to prepare for a debate on the topic of nuclear energy in Vietnam.
 * You and your group will have to decide what roles you will play.
 * Then you will research, plan, create and practice many things together to prepare for the debate.
 * Finally we will have a debate where your group will try to convince people that your ideas are the right.
 * What is my part in all this?**
 * Well it depends on what you are good at and how you want to push yourself to try new things.
 * Are you an actor who likes to be on stage? Are you someone who likes to designs wikis, blogs, or websites? Are you a confrontational person who likes a good disagreement? Are you a salesperson capable of selling ice cubs to penguins? These are some of the roles you could play, and then there are others that will come up as the day continues.
 * What is the goal of this activity?**
 * This IDU is an opportunity for you to practice using skills you have acquired in maths, science and humanities (and probably some other classes as well).
 * The most important goal is to have fun and to work as a team. You can only be successful in the debate if your team plans together and works together.
 * In the end we would like you to live this famous adage: “To walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”. By using the Renaissance practice of perspective, you will look at nuclear power with a new set of eyes for a day. If you allow yourself to get into this role, you will be able to understand your own feelings about this topic better. Give it a go! You’ve nothing to lose!

You and your group will have __6 hours__ to complete all of the tasks for the day (4 for preparation & 2 for the debate). This is the process you will do today. Check in B5 110-111 || Various then B5 110-111 ||
 * ~ Time ||~ Activity ||~ Location ||
 * 8. 20 - 9.20 || **//Tuning In://** Overview of Japan crisis, sharing work from Sci/Hum/Math, overview of the culminating activity || B5 110-111 ||
 * 9.23 - 10.23 || **//Getting organized://** Know interest group, what their role is and begin to put together wiki with research information || B5 110-111 then various ||
 * 10.35 - 11.35 || **//﻿﻿Research://** Continue research and preparing wiki; research must be done!
 * 12.15 - 1.15 || **//Preparing://** mouthpiece practices with information, speeches practiced, lobbyists need to look on other wikis to search for friends/foes etc. Finalization of website || various ||
 * 1.18 - 3.25 || **The Town Hall Debate** || B5 110-111 ||

**Group Roles**


 * The CEO** - If you are the CEO, you are the big picture person! __You are not a dictator__ and you are not a person who needs to make all final decisions. You are good at facilitating (that means you help others get things done by asking questions, making suggestions and sometimes just listening). You are a delegator (that means you figure out what skills you have and what skills your group members have and you help to organize who does what). You are definitely a problem solver, someone who uses creativity and quick thinking to get around or through obstacles. You do hold people to the tasks they take on and __you are mindful of the time__ as things move on. **A good CEO knows that people need compliments when they have done a good job! The teachers on Friday will expect the CEO to make sure the team meets all deadlines (see IDU schedule)**.


 * The Research Person (People) -** If you are a research person, you are good at identifying the information that is useful and also what information is needed to fill in gaps. In this case, your group needs to be seen as LEGITIMATE (a group to take seriously), so you will need to 1) find information to go on the wiki that looks and sounds smart, 2) you will need to scope out weaknesses in the other groups as they prepare, and 3) find information that helps the mouthpiece make his or her speeches in the debate. This means you are a committed team player! You are aware of what others in your group are doing and what information they need, so you can find information as the planning process continues. You are a very good person for looking at your opponents’ blogs, websites, etc and finding weaknesses.


 * The Mouthpiece -** If you are a mouthpiece you are the primary spokesperson for your group. You will make an introductory statement about your group’s concerns related to the nuclear plant and you will also make passionate concluding remarks for the group as the debate ends. **You will also delegate other speaking responsibilities to other members as needed (with the help of the CEO), for instance question askers and answerers, specialist information people, etc.** The mouthpiece is the most PUBLIC face for the group and you hold the responsibility of making the group look good during the debate. You are a good public speaker BECAUSE you can prepare ahead of time and also BECAUSE you can speak to others on the fly (off the top of your head). You like to make arguments and you really like to win them.


 * The Lobbyist(s) -** If you are a lobbyist, you will try to cajole (sweet-talk) support during the lobbying section of the debate by paying attention to what potential allies are saying and finding compromises and making concessions to win over other interest groups for the final voting stage of the debate. During the planning stages, you will help the CEO to do things that the group needs (research, wiki design, speech writing, etc), but you also need to be a spy for your group by paying attention to what other groups are doing. You are NOT a loose cannon because you can keep a cool head even when people are attacking your organization. You are a good listener and you are good at passing information on to others when you think they can use it. But you can also keep a secret if you need to. **You will not simply agree to something before checking with your group, but you might SUGGEST that you are willing to do something even if you are not.** You must have the trust and confidence of your other group members. You cannot under any circumstances agree to something that goes against your group’s mission in this debate.


 * Wiki Designer-Editors** - The wiki people create the initial site and edit it as the planning process continues and changes are made. These designers are also monitors of other sites to see who the potential friends and foes might be and then report this info to the lobbyists and the CEO. The wiki people pride themselves on both SHOW and CONTENT. They want the wiki to be original and not just a mirror of what the others are doing. A good wiki person is mindful of developing trends in the planning stages with other groups and is also prepared to “borrow” ideas or to try and go in a completely different direction if they think lots of groups are doing the same thing. And though the wiki person is creative and flexible enough to make changes, **the wiki person also understands the need to meet deadlines**. The wiki person knows how important the group wiki page is to the debate and he or she will be ready to do what is necessary to keep the group wiki ready ahead of the game!

These are two key things that must be done early and then regularly updated as the group’s mission statement and the group’s policy statement take form. These will be crucial when the debate starts.

Image Credit: Venting Some Steam **By [|James Marvin Phelps] licensed under CC BY NC **