Unit+Map



This is a basic outline of possible learning experiences. There would be other learning opportunities throughout the unit as well.

Lesson 1- **Research activity with scavenger hunt mystery cue cards**- What is sustainability? What resources are renewable? Which resources are Non-renewable? See "Lesson 1"

Lesson 2- **Show what you know! Show the “Suzuki Speaks” video.** Have students be investigators and fill out a data collection form on the film. See "Lesson 2"

Lesson 3- **Visual art representation of non-sustainable practices**- As a class brainstorm non-sustainable practices (use ideas from the “Suzuki Speaks” film). Use magazines to cut out pictures and other items to make a collage about non-sustainable practices (plastics, packaging, dumping of wastes, consumerism). This idea could be comparable to artists who turn waste into art to raise awareness of consumerism. You could show the students videos on YouTube of people doing this before they begin their own art piece. (Curric. connection- Art) []

Lesson 4- **Jigsaw drama activity**- Split class into groups. Assign each group a topic to research that is a possible consequence of non-sustainable practices (lack of resources for future generations, endangered species, global warming). Have an information on each topic for each group and allow students to access the library. Have each group perform a short skit about the possible consequence they researched and tell the class a little about it. This could also be played like charades. Knowing they will have to act out what they are learning about will "force" them into learning it in a fun and engaging way. (Curric. Connection- Art)

Lesson 5- **Guest speaker!** Have an environmentalist or someone who is educated on the topic at hand come in for one class and speak about resources and how their use affects the environment (forests, tar sands, coal, biofuel). Beforehand, have the students come up with at least three questions each to ask the guest speaker. This could also be done as an interview either in person or on Skype.

Lesson 6- **Plan a class trip** to SarCan or the local recycling facility to learn about recycling, how plastics affect the environment, and dumping of wastes. Beforehand, have the students do some reading about this in Language Arts individually or as a group. Students could also do a survey on their peers and ask questions such as "Do you recycle?" "What do you recycle?" and "Why do you recycle?" before visiting the facility.

Lesson 7- **Taking Action!** Have five chart papers hanging up. Label them “Who”, “Where”, “What”, “When”, and “How”. As a class come up with ideas of actions to take in an effort to sustain the environment and write them down on the chart papers (water conservation, informed decision making of consumers, reusing materials). Have the students choose one individual plan of action to follow and write about it in their journals. You could aslo make a class action- creating a compost pile as a classroom project will demonstrate to students that natural materials can be recycled.