Complete BOTH of the "Required Activities" listed below. THEN, complete 2 of the 4 "Optional Activities" listed below.
Required Activities:
Activity 1:
The Green Squad need your help to identify health hazards in their school! With a partner, go to the Green Squad website. Click step 4 and then press the "get started" button. Click around the page to identify potential health and environment problems located at the school. Read the information listed each time you click on a problem. At the bottom of the box is a link to a "quick tip." Click on that link. Then, click on the "go to factsheet" button. The fact sheet explains why the problem matters, what you can do to help, what schools can do, and then finally, project ideas. After looking at several problems in the school, complete two of the project ideas. Once you select a project idea, get approval from your teacher. She will let you know if you will be able to display your project throughout the school.
You will need:
Activity 2:
We use a lot of resources, and create a lot of waste, in our classroom! For this activity, you are going to work with a group of three people to identify the resources we use in this classroom and throughout the school. You will need a pass from the teacher in order to look around the school for different resources. Once you have left Ms. Donoho's room, you will only have 10 minutes to look around the school before returning to the classroom. With your group, create a list of all the resources you see being used in the classroom and around the school. Once you have identified all of the natural resources you observed, you and your group will create a plan for how the school can use more sustainable practices in order to conserve some of our resources.
Then, your group will create a short narrative and use that narrative to create a short picture book in which you show the steps the school needs to take in order to be more sustainable. Your picture book should include at least 8 pages, with words and illustrations on each page.
You will need:
The Green Squad need your help to identify health hazards in their school! With a partner, go to the Green Squad website. Click step 4 and then press the "get started" button. Click around the page to identify potential health and environment problems located at the school. Read the information listed each time you click on a problem. At the bottom of the box is a link to a "quick tip." Click on that link. Then, click on the "go to factsheet" button. The fact sheet explains why the problem matters, what you can do to help, what schools can do, and then finally, project ideas. After looking at several problems in the school, complete two of the project ideas. Once you select a project idea, get approval from your teacher. She will let you know if you will be able to display your project throughout the school.
You will need:
- Computer
- Pen or Pencil
- A partner
- more materials, depending on topic chosen
Activity 2:
We use a lot of resources, and create a lot of waste, in our classroom! For this activity, you are going to work with a group of three people to identify the resources we use in this classroom and throughout the school. You will need a pass from the teacher in order to look around the school for different resources. Once you have left Ms. Donoho's room, you will only have 10 minutes to look around the school before returning to the classroom. With your group, create a list of all the resources you see being used in the classroom and around the school. Once you have identified all of the natural resources you observed, you and your group will create a plan for how the school can use more sustainable practices in order to conserve some of our resources.
Then, your group will create a short narrative and use that narrative to create a short picture book in which you show the steps the school needs to take in order to be more sustainable. Your picture book should include at least 8 pages, with words and illustrations on each page.
You will need:
- Paper
- Pen or Pencil
- Crayons or Colored Pencils
- Stapler and staples
Optional Activities:
Optional Activity 1:
For this activity, you will work with a partner. Together, read the story The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. While you read the story, take notes in your science journal. Record some of the similarities and differences between the characters and events in the story and American society. In a paragraph, write about what you think the main point of the story is and what you learned from reading it. Then, with your partner, you will create a skit warning your classmates about the danger of not taking care of the Earth and stressing why natural resources are important. Your skit should last for at least one minute. Then, you will perform your skit in front of the class.
You will need:
Optional Activity 2:
Have you ever examined all the stuff you throw away? Well in this activity, you are going to see what we throw away in our classroom in a day! Ask Ms. Donoho for a trash bag full of goodies to complete this activity. Once she has given you a trash bag, empty out its contents on the floor. Sort the trash into different piles based on the types of material they are. Record how what you materials you find, how much trash there is, what types of resources your find in the trash and anything else interesting that you find. Once you are done sorting the trash, write a paragraph in your journal reflecting what you learned about what you throw away. Was any of it wasteful? Could some things been recycled? How can we reduce the amount of trash we throw away?
You will need:
Optional Activity 3:
With a partner, go to the NeoK12 website. For this activity, you will be creating a mini online presentation about natural resources. You will be able to use the information from this website for your final presentation. To create this presentation, first, read the article. Then, choose pictures to add to your presentation. Follow the directions on the screen. Then, add a description to each of the pictures. Once you have completed your presentation, show it to the teacher. If she is not available, print off the presentation. You should include at least 5 pictures in your presentation and at least 5 descriptions to go along with the pictures.
You will need:
Optional Activity 4:
It is time to test your knowledge on natural resources!
With a partner, go to this link on the NeoK12 website. Beside the second down arrow on the webpage, there is a section called "Play Quiz Games." Complete each of the 6 quizzes with your partner, using the information you have learned in this unit or have written in your science journals. Once you have taken the quiz, print off your results. Correct any answers you missed, and write an explanation for what the correct answer is.
You will need:
For this activity, you will work with a partner. Together, read the story The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. While you read the story, take notes in your science journal. Record some of the similarities and differences between the characters and events in the story and American society. In a paragraph, write about what you think the main point of the story is and what you learned from reading it. Then, with your partner, you will create a skit warning your classmates about the danger of not taking care of the Earth and stressing why natural resources are important. Your skit should last for at least one minute. Then, you will perform your skit in front of the class.
You will need:
- A copy of the book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
- Science Journals
- Pen or Pencils
Optional Activity 2:
Have you ever examined all the stuff you throw away? Well in this activity, you are going to see what we throw away in our classroom in a day! Ask Ms. Donoho for a trash bag full of goodies to complete this activity. Once she has given you a trash bag, empty out its contents on the floor. Sort the trash into different piles based on the types of material they are. Record how what you materials you find, how much trash there is, what types of resources your find in the trash and anything else interesting that you find. Once you are done sorting the trash, write a paragraph in your journal reflecting what you learned about what you throw away. Was any of it wasteful? Could some things been recycled? How can we reduce the amount of trash we throw away?
You will need:
- A trash bag from Ms. Donoho
- Science Journals
- Pen or Pencils
Optional Activity 3:
With a partner, go to the NeoK12 website. For this activity, you will be creating a mini online presentation about natural resources. You will be able to use the information from this website for your final presentation. To create this presentation, first, read the article. Then, choose pictures to add to your presentation. Follow the directions on the screen. Then, add a description to each of the pictures. Once you have completed your presentation, show it to the teacher. If she is not available, print off the presentation. You should include at least 5 pictures in your presentation and at least 5 descriptions to go along with the pictures.
You will need:
- Computer
- A partner
Optional Activity 4:
It is time to test your knowledge on natural resources!
With a partner, go to this link on the NeoK12 website. Beside the second down arrow on the webpage, there is a section called "Play Quiz Games." Complete each of the 6 quizzes with your partner, using the information you have learned in this unit or have written in your science journals. Once you have taken the quiz, print off your results. Correct any answers you missed, and write an explanation for what the correct answer is.
You will need:
- A partner
- A computer