Social Studies


Regulatory Agencies The students should in


groups choose a regulatory agency to investigate. Through library research, determine the laws, standards, enforcement, and penalties for which water resource agencies are responsible. Obtain the address and phone number of a regulatory agency’s nearest office and the name of someone to contact concerning its water resources work. Have the students take the role of the lawmakers and write five regulations to protect water quality or public health and safety associated with water resources. Have the group discuss some of the following questions: What are the names and responsibilities of the international, national, regional and local agencies with primary resource responsibilities? Why are regulations necessary? What measures other than regulations may be used to maintain the health and safety of water resources? What are some difficulties encountered by water resources staff in creating and enforcing regulations? Have the students make an appointment with agency staff members to present questions or observations. Invite the agency representative to come to the class to address the questions.


— Adapted from Aspen Global


Change GREEN Cross Culturall Part- ners Activity Manual


Environmental Impact Create a large mural on


butcher paper of a natural area complete with wildlife, trees, mountains, rivers, etc. but no human development. After completing the mural, brainstorm a list of things that would happen if a much needed energy source (e.g., coal, oil, uranium, water) was discovered in that area. Draw pictures of these activities and facilities and place them in appropriate places on the mural.


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Discuss the positive and negative impacts the “new development” will have on the environment and wildlife, and create a list of these effects. Now, re-develop the energy source and see if you can come up with ways that the development can have less impact on the environment and still get the energy needed, at an affordable cost.


Mathematics Differential Absorption


Types of soils differ in the amount of water they can hold. Collect a standard amount of each of five or six soil types. Place each soil sample in a sieve held above a container. Pour a measured amount of water onto the soil and measure how much is collected after 30 seconds, one minute, 10 minutes. The amount of water the soil can hold is total added, minus that which drained out at the bottom. From the data obtained, determine which of the soils can hold the most or the least water. On what properties of the soil does this depend? Which soils would erode most easily? Which would be best for plant growth?


Language Arts Operation: Water


Invite the participants to imagine that they have landed on Earth from another planet. The planet they come from only has minerals and air. They had received word that a substance had been found on Earth that could move or hold its shape. They are here to see if the report is true and discover for themselves what this “water” is like. They are equipped with finely tuned instruments for sound, feel, sight, smell, and taste. They are to split into two search parties, one going to the pond area, one to the stream. They have 15 minute to gather sounds, smells, signs of animal and plant life, observe water clarity, etc. The groups


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then discuss and compare the two water sightings and make speculations about the role of water on this green planet. Have students write an essay on their exploration of this strange planet and the miracle substance “water.”


Fine Arts Environmental Art


Visit a natural history museum. Or, have students look through books with photographs of paintings depicting the environment. They may analyze, discuss, compare, contrast art works and give critiques. Pupils may be inspired to write poems or stories about ideas generated from the special works and they may then create their own works of art.


Critical Questions


1. What kinds of support are avail- able in your school, district and community for supporting environ- mental educational activities?


2. In what ways can environmen- tal education activities enhance learning?


3. What are the most effective strat- egies for integrating environmental education across all content areas?


4. In what ways do students, teach- ers and communities benefit from classrooms engaged in environ- mental educational projects?


5. What are compelling environ- mental issues that can be explored through environmental educational


projects? Possible Actions


1. Become well informed about the characteristics of environmental education, effective models and strategies for integrating across sub- ject areas taught in school.


2. Share this information with your colleagues, friends, and others interested in integrating environmen- tal education into their classrooms or conducting environmental action projects in their communities.


3. Know your national, state, and local school standards. You will find them on the Internet. Consider ways in which environmental education activities can achieve many of the standards across various content areas.


4. Learn effective strategies for guiding students in conducting comprehensive and sophisticated research about environmental issues, solving specific local environmen- tal problems, and acting on their solutions.


5. Encouraged by recent brain research, many educators recognize the value of hands-on, project- and problem-based learning methods, and integrated-interdisciplinary approaches. Use the natural environ- ment and local community as the framework, and integrate environ- mental education into your everyday teaching.


-from New Horizons for Learning CLEARING Spring 2018


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