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Activities
Group Discussion- What is Environmental Awareness?
This activity is to further children's thinking on the subject of environmental awareness. During this activity notes will be taken by the teacher on a whiteboard to help the visual learners, and there groups will then create a concept map based on discussion to demonstrate understanding. This discussion will be used to asses children's prior knowledge, and changes to planning may need to be made to accommodate for the needs of all students.
Teaching Strategies
Whole group, on carpet. Discovery learning, and enquiry learning with teacher asking questions like "How can we find out more about this?" and "What do we want to find out about....?"
Students will be asked to write an individual report based on the group concept map that was created. During this activity, students will be encouraged to use their spelling this words, and emphasis will be placed on correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. Genre will also be concentrated on, with all students encouraged to used the correct structure for report writing.
Teaching Strategies
Students at their desks. Peer tutors will be used to assist those students having difficulty.
The student will gain further understanding of the extent of environmental issues both locally and worldwide. The student will be encouraged to make links about this. Students will work at their own pace. Students will hopefully stay on task as they should find these web quests a fun way to learn.
Teaching Strategies
Group Work (4 or 5), at computers
Resources
Kid Power
http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/~keheley/kidpower/kidspage.htm
Students will be asked to design puzzle for use in later session by other classmates. The words from spelling list will be used for further practice of these words. The students will design word search, print it out, then type word list for puzzle. Top level structure will be looked at.
Teaching Strategies
Group Work at computers
Resources
Puzzle maker
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/chooseapuzzle.html
Email Environmental Organisation
Students will construct a list of questions that they would like to find out about. These questions will be written in individual SOSE books. Once grammar and punctuation, spelling, genre and top level structure are checked, students can research environmental organisations and decide who they wish to email.
Teaching Strategies
Group Discussion (small groups), Individual writing.
Resources
Scrap Book
Students will write a letter to the teacher stating the most important two environmental issues that they would like to find out about. These letters will be addressed using correct genre, and placed in an addressed envelope. The students will draw a stamp on the envelope, representing their issue. These letter will be used to group the final assignments.
Assessment
Formative: Observation of students understanding of letter writing. A formal lesson may need to be added, depending on understanding.
Teaching Strategies
At desks, Student centred
Students will collect items from their environment. They will make a group story box and place items in it. The children then write an impromptu story based on the item they hold. The story will be about preserving the environment.
Assessment
Formative: Observe group participation and interest in activity, and listen to the ideas students come up with; these should be used in discussion of preserving environment.
Teaching Strategies
Student centred, group work
Resources
Story Boxes
http://www.uoregon.edu/~leslieob/storybox.html
Group Discussion- Why are forests important?
During this activity, students will discuss the uses for forests, the reasons why we need forests, and whether any one knows about any problems that are occurring with forests. Students will gain more of an understanding of logging, and discuss ways to find out more about it.
Teaching Strategies
On carpet, Whole Group, Enquiry Learning
This activity will enable students to see why loggers cut down trees, and the use of timber. Students will either be interviewer, who's role is to come up with ten questions for logger, or logger, whose role would be to find out why trees are cut down. These interviews will be videotaped and played to the whole class, to help share ideas with those who may not have thought of it.
Teaching Strategies
Student Centred, Work in Pairs
Resources
Scrap Book
www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/scrapenvironmst.html
This activity involves students learning an environmental song, and discuss other reasons why we should not cut trees down.
Teaching Strategies
Whole Group, Teacher Plays music
Resources
Environmental Songs, published by The Gould League of Victoria Inc.
"Leave That Tree Alone"
Students work in small groups to study to follow worksheet included with song "Leave That Tree Alone". Students will number trees, and compare amounts of living things on tree. Children will come up with way to record information.
Teaching Strategies
Student Centred, small groups
Resources
Environmental Songs, published by The Gould League of Victoria Inc.
"Leave That Tree Alone"
Students will design a tree mobile based on the study that they conducted. They are open with the design, and can choose the way they create it. They may choose to draw it on the computer, to a collage, use clip art, or draw it. They must include all the animals that they found in their trees.
Teaching Strategies
Small Groups, Student Centred
Students will prepare a report on logging to show cause and effect. They will be given a choice in presentation: Power Point, Oral, Role Play in Groups, Poster, however, rough draft must be written in SOSE books
Teaching Strategies
Group, Individual work, student centred
This activity involved taking children for a walk to a local creek/waterhole/park/nature reserve, and discussing what it is that they can see. The children have to write down the items that they see, and the effect that these may have on the environment. Groups will then research what effect pollution has on Animals, Birds, Fish, Trees, or whatever else that is there.
Teaching Strategies
Small groups, student centred
Students research as in above act, and present to class in a way of their choice: PowerPoint, Oral, Role Play, Poster, Report, Interview, Web Page, Write Song.
Core Learning Outcomes
Teaching Strategies
Student Centred, Small Groups
Resources
Library Books, Scrap Book
www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/scrapenvironmst.html
Students will choose web quest to complete, and achieve the outcomes on that web quest.
Teaching Strategies
Small Group, Student Centred
Resources
Scrap Book
www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/scrapenvironmst.html
Air Pollution Gremlins Maths Lesson
During this activity, students will do maths problems involving environmental hazardous gases. The teacher should first introduce the characters, then talk about what they represent, then demonstrate the activity
Teaching Strategies
Whole Group On carpet, indiv work at desks, Modelling
Resources
Air Pollution Gremlins
http://www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/air/monops/lessons/mathlesson.html
Students will read a poem on rubbish, and talk about other things that they could do with rubbish.
Teaching Strategies
Whole Group on carpet, enquiry learning
Resources
Lesson Plans Page
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more/poem.htm
Students will use technology to visit recycle city, and complete a scavenger hunt. This should enable students to gain an understanding of how we can reduce waste. Teacher note, this is a busy page, so keep an eye on students.
Teaching Strategies
Group Work, student centred
Resources
Lesson Plans Page
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more/recyclecitywebquest.htm
In this activity, students will find out how compost works, by developing their own. They will gain further knowledge of the items that break down, and the ones that wont. They will fill in the worksheet, after printing that, and the instructions off the site
Teaching Strategies
Student Centred, Groups
Resources
Lesson Plans Page
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more/AttheDumpStudent.htm
Students will make paper for a fun activity, an will gain understanding about the process of paper making. They also should discuss why it is impractical to make all paper recyclable. Other resources used instead of paper could be discussed.
Teaching Strategies
Group Work, Teacher guided
Resources
Info Stuff
http://www.infostuff.com/kids/paper.htm
Students will graph (on excel) the amount of litter found in the school everyday for 2 weeks. The students will be asked to weigh it, and present it in an effective, easy to read way. Class discussions will determine presentation.
Teaching Strategies
Student Centred
Students will devise a plan for a recycling activity that will be permanently implemented in the school. The students will do all preparation, and be responsible for money handling, negotiations etc.
Teaching Strategies
Student Centred
Students will write an advertisement promoting the recycling scheme that will appear in the school newsletter. The children will have to concentrate on genre, grammar, spelling
Teaching Strategies
Whole Class
Students will put into action the recycling scheme that they have planned
Teaching Strategies
Student Centred
All Groups will choose to present a summary of the topics learnt about these groups will be decided by letters to teacher in week 1
Teaching Strategies
groups Student Centred
Resources
Library Books, Scrap Book
www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/scrapenvironmst.html
All students will participate in courtroom presentation to a younger class. The students will be expected to research their role, and the influence that they have on society, and the environment. All angels will be addressed. Some roles may be: logger, industry worker, student, animal. The list will be made by the whole group
Teaching Strategies
Whole Group, Student centred
Resources
Library Books, Scrap Book
www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/scrapenvironmst.html