This unit is designed as an interdisciplinary, ten week, environmental issues course for ninth grade students. The course centers around the energy crises. Its major objective is to provide a series of experiences which would increase student awareness of the environment and the environmental significance of each persons actions.
The course is scheduled for two sessions per week for a total of twenty classes. The unit is roughly divided into three major areas, allowing six or seven sessions for each one.
Since the course is scheduled to be repeated three times during the year, the format used is to present the major ideas in each section by using a. “discussion-card” form followed by an activity list. The discussion-card form allows the major ideas to be available for teachers and in a form that students could use. Since the course will be repeatedly used, the listing of activities could be useful in that each time around one could select different ones and add to and vary the list.
Part one focuses on studying the ecosystem concept and developing sensitivity to a natural environment. Part two covers five basic areas that are crutial to understanding today’s energy situation. Part three begins by considering different possible energy futures and ends with a special student project. This project is planned to develop and expose the level of student awareness of environmental consequences that certain actions bring and of his or her current and potential influence on environmental issues.
