Essential Questions

1. We all enjoy the conveniences of nearby shopping centers, fast food, and gas stations on every corner. How do you think this development will impact our environment in urban, suburban and rural areas?
2. How is your personal health affected by the choices made by others?
3. Do you have any control at all over human-induced hazards to our environment.
   

• Billboards...

  Objective: to give the students an opportunity to "take a stand."

  Materials: large pieces of paper, markers

  Activity: Explain that often times, the best way to begin to solve a problem is to make more people aware of the problem. Billboards are an outstanding way to get your message out there! Spend a few minutes talking about problems that need solutions in our world then let the students form their own working groups based on a mutual idea for a billboard. If you can, display the finsihed billboards in the classroom or hallways. See what kind of response they receive!

  
  
• Drama...theme: I Want To Live
  Objective: Each group will find a purpose and message that they want to express to the world. Using performance based learning, students will make a statement to as many people as possible through dramatic interpretation.
  Materials: Song lyrics, paper and pencil
  Activity: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will read through the lyrics of "I Want To Live" looking for inspiration and a subject that has special meaning. The group will then write a short drama on their chosen topic. The students should choose a recorder/writer, researcher for the topic chosen (quick search on the Internet), and actors to play the parts. There should also be a narrator to introduce the skit to the audience. Give the students at least one class period to write the short drama. The performance should be for as many people as possible so that the students feel as though their message was heard.

Additional Educator Resources

Books:

• "Take Action! A Guide to Active Citizenship" by  Marc and Craig Kielburger Published by Wiley  and Sons 2002
• "ECO-fun: Great Projects, Experiments and Games for a Greener Earth" by David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden
• "You Are the Earth" by David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden

Videos:

• "Let Us Begin: What Are We Making Weapons For?"... This powerful video was created especially for the Windstar Foundation to raise awareness.
• "Spaceship Earth: Our Global Environment" by WorldLink Media
  

Websites:

• EARTHweek: diary of the planet
• Where Are Environmental Hazards?
• Volunteering...resources
• Watershed Protection
• Kids F.A.C.E.
• Adopt Your Watershed!...from the EPA
• Educational Resources
• Education Index...Environmental Science

As researchers and scientists create more and more powerful drugs that cure disease, how are we defeating the pupose of these drugs by introducing chemicals into our environment and ultimately into our own bodies?

Student Self-Evaluation

Teacher Evaluation

1. The student used the journal question as a reflection after the program.
2. The student was able to answer the self-evaluation questions.
3. The student worked as part of a group to design a billboard which makes a statement, and teaches the community to     be aware of environmental occurrences which will affect the population.
4. Working in a group, the student completed his/her job as writer, researcher, actor, or narrator for a short drama     depicting social issues and the natural environment.