Yolanda U. Trapp
General Suggestions
INTRODUCTION: Caring About The Environment
More than five million species-trees, flowers, insects, fish, dogs, cats, and humans-share one home, Earth. All of these species comprise the variety of life that Earth supports, our biodiversity. Yet human beings are the one species that can decide the fate of so many others.
How? People have the will and the ability to protect, defend, preserve or destroy other living things. Can students make a difference while they are still young, so that the Earth they inherit is healthier because of them? Yes! And it is up to us to help children make sound and responsible choices. Protecting the environment is the key of this Curriculum Unit, and as a teacher and our students will explore five general goals in this unit; Awareness, Attitudes, Knowledge, Skills and Participation.
OBJECTIVE: How can we actively engage the students in learning about how to protect the environment?
Encouraging them to ask questions about nature and to seek answers, collect things, count and measure things, make qualitative observations, organize collections and observations, discuss findings, etc. (Benchmarks for Science Literacy-Project 2061.) "Hands on" Activities, while essential, are not enough. Students must have "Minds-on" experiences as well. They must show they can apply what they have learned.