Minds On
Sustainability
Quill is going to teach us something important about the Earth.
Check out this video entitled "Quill" to learn more about sustainable actions.
Think about it
What does sustainable mean?
Press ‘Sustainable’ to access the answer.
What do you think unsustainable might mean?
Press ‘Unsustainable’ to access the answer.
Quill taught us lessons about sustainability. What did she teach us?
Press ‘Possible Answers’ to access what some of Quill’s lessons may be.
Brainstorm
What do you think?
What would happen to the forest if people took a lot of plants and trees for their own use?
Why is it important to treat our environment with respect?
Record your ideas in a notebook or another method of your choice.
Action
Task 1: Causes of climate change
What is climate change?
Press ‘Answer’ to access the definition of climate change.
Why is climate change happening?
Scientists agree that the Earth is getting warmer because of a variety of activities.
- What human activities are hurting the environment and contributing to climate change?
- What human activities are helping to protect the environment and slow climate change?
Examine the following images and descriptions of activities. Consider if each activity hurts or helps the environment.
Over the past 150 years, countries have been burning a lot of fossil fuels, which are found in the Earth, such as oil and gas in factories. The pollution from this burning goes into our air and acts like an invisible ‘blanket’ that traps heat from the sun and warms the Earth. This is called the Greenhouse Effect.
Walking, using a bicycle, a scooter, a kayak or a canoe does not require gas. This means that to use these, no one needs to burn fossil fuels.
Did you know that even cows cause climate change? When cows eat, their stomach makes a type of gas (methane), and this gas adds to the “Greenhouse Effect.” This may not seem like a lot, but if you imagine 1.5 billion cows doing this every day all over the world, it adds up!
‘Reduce’ is the most important part of the saying ‘reduce, reuse, recycle.’ Buying secondhand items that have been already used instead of buying something new or borrowing items for use is a great way to be sustainable!
Plants and trees are one of our most important friends in the environment. They help us in many ways, from wood to food. Another way they help us is by turning carbon dioxide (another greenhouse gas) into oxygen. Many of the forests of the world are being cut down for wood, farmland, roads, and other uses that do not help the environment.
We have learned how cows hurt the climate with their eating and gases. By eating less meat and more plant-based foods, we can farm less animals and grow more plants on farms instead.
When we grow our own food, plant trees or gardens, we add more oxygen in the air and reduce carbon dioxide. We can buy or grow fruits and vegetables in our own community!
Complete the Helping or Hurting the Environment activity in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. You can also use another method of your choice.
|
Helping the Environment |
Hurting the Environment |
|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Helping or Hurting the Environment activity.
Explore the completed Helping or Hurting the Environment Answers to check your answers. Do you have the same activities in the same category? Are any of your answers in a different category?
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Helping the Environment |
Hurting the Environment |
|---|---|
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Using transportation that does not use gas Recycling Eating vegetables Growing our own food |
Factories Animals eating the grass in a field Cutting down trees for farmland Clearing plants and trees from the forest |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Helping or Hurting the Environment Answers.
Task 2: Consequences of climate change
Why is climate change a big deal?
What is a consequence?
Press ‘Consequence’ to access a definition of the word and an example.
A consequence is what happens when an action is taken.
An example is, if you pour water on something, the consequence is that it will get wet.
Let’s try to figure out some consequences for our actions with the environment.
What might be some consequences of these sustainable actions?
In the following activity, explore the sentence and choose ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the drop-down menu as an answer for these consequences of sustainable actions.
Now, let’s try to figure out some consequences for other actions with the environment.
What might be some consequences of the following unsustainable actions?
In the following activity, explore the sentence and choose ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the drop-down menu as an answer for these consequences of unsustainable actions.
For each sentence, select the missing letter, word or phrase from the drop-down menu.
Brainstorm
What do you think?
- What might happen if people use too much water?
- Why should we only take what we need from the Earth?
- Why should we say ‘thank you’ when we take a plant from a forest?
Record your ideas in a notebook or another method of your choice.
Consolidation
Making a change
Explore this TVOK News video entitled "Kids Can Change the World" to learn more about how kids can make a change in the world.
What did the students in the video do to help the environment?
Record your ideas in a notebook or a method of your choice.
You can change the world!
Student Success
Think-Pair-Share
If you could send a message to people today about one important thing you learned about consequences of our actions during this lesson, what would your message be?
How could you send that message?
- You could make a poster.
- You could make a small recording about this message.
- You could draw a picture and discuss the meaning of it.
- You could share a video about this message.
- You could create a short play or a song.
Plan your message and however you want to create it. You can use your notebook, computer, or speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your message.
Use the following checklist to help make sure you have what you need to make your message powerful:
If possible, share your message with a partner.
Thinking back
Reflect on the following questions:
- Why is it important to prevent climate change?
- What are examples of actions we can take to help prevent climate change?
Record your responses in a notebook or another method of your choice.
Reflection
How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel...
Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.