SALT Curriculum Objectives

SALTA CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES

SESSION 1: Getting to Know Each Other

SESSION 2: Getting Toxics Out of Your Home

Become aware of the volume and danger of products currently in their homes
Explore the influence of the media on buying habits
Learn more about non-toxic alternative cleaning products
Make and demonstrate a non-toxic all purpose cleaner in the classroom
Make a commitment to test the non-toxic all purpose cleaner for one week
Make a commitment to share information on non-toxic cleaners with a neighbor or a neighborhood institution

SESSION 3: Getting Rid of Pests

Explore their current attitudes toward pests
Recognize that not all pests present the same level of risk to the health of their families.
Learn the major organs and systems of the body, how these can be damaged by pesticides and other toxic chemicals, and how these chemicals enter the body.
Understand the basic three-step approach to non-toxic pest control
Design an appropriate control program for a pest problem in their homes.

SESSION 4: Getting the Lead Out

Become familiar with lead and its dangers
Learn how to test products for lead
Understand where lead is found in the home and how to protect their families against lead poisoning
Make a commitment to get their children tested for lead poisoning or to help a neighborhood or relative

SESSION 5: Our Neighborhood is Important

Gain confidence in their ability to carry through on prior commitments.
Recognize the value and strengths of their neighborhood.
Be able to name 6 Industries in your neighborhood that use or store large quantities of acutely hazardous materials.
Begin to recognize the complexity of issues surrounding toxics in their neighborhoods: multiple sources of pollutants, incomplete information on sources and effects of pollutants, special issues regarding communities of color.

SESSION 6: Leaders in Our Neighborhood

Recognize that they each have the ability to be a community activist.
Understand that being a community leader originates from one’s concern about her community, it involves many of the same traits of a family hero or community activist but there are separate “ leadership” skills; that being a community activist or leader requires sacrifice but also has many personal rewards.
Learn the name of their elected city leaders: City Council, County Supervisor representative and/or Mayor.

SESSION 7: Organizing for Change

Recognize the Promotora as an organizer
Work together to accomplish specific tasks for the Community Summit
Feel part of a larger movement knowing that other groups are working on other necessary tasks to accomplish this strategy
Be empowered to recruit other friends and family members to attend the Community Summit

SESSION 8: Latinas Taking Action

SESSION 9: It’s All Connected

Learn basic vocabulary concerning water pollution: point vs. non point sources of pollution, urban runoff, watershed, used oil recycling.
Be able to identify major point and non point sources of pollution entering the Inland Valleys.
Be able to understand and visualize a watershed.
Be able to identify ways to reduce both point and non point sources of pollution entering the Inland Valley.
Commit to share information on oil recycling with their spouses and/or others they know who change their own motor oil.
Reaffirm the value of their SALTA experiences, their personal worth and the worth of their community by taking the Post Test and planning for the Graduation.

SESSION 10: Making a Commitment to Environmental Health

Recognize how much they have learned.
Make a commitment to continue to participate in efforts to protect their family’s and the community’s health.
Be honored for completing the SALTA course.