Going Green!

Title: Going Green!

Name: Mrs. Keri Acord

Welcome/Overview: After the “People and the Environment” Fourth Grade Social Studies Unit, students will research one of two ways we, as a school, can help our environment: recycling or planting a school garden. They may choose which productive method they would like to research. An end product will consist of students determining the pros and cons of either planting a school garden or implementing recycling at our school. They will then present their findings to the class with a group-created PowerPoint presentation with a resources page at the end. The content areas the lesson covers are Social Studies/Civics and Language Arts due to the ethical researching skills involved. Resources needed are scratch paper for each group, Chrome books equipped with Microsoft PowerPoint and Internet for each group, and any other basic materials requested, as needed. Oklahoma Academic Standards covered in this lesson are listed below.

4th Grade Social Studies Oklahoma Academic Standards:

• 4.1.3 Summarize the role of citizens as responsible stewards of natural resources and the environment.
• 4.1.3.A Describe the benefits of participation in recycling and anti-littering activities.
• 4.4.3 Explain how economic activities can threaten the physical environment.
• 4.4.3.A Identify ways in which humans can change ecosystems, such as clearing forests, draining wetlands, and diverting waterways, by examining present-day issues related to the use of resources.

4th Grade Language Arts Oklahoma Academic Standards:

• 4.1.R.2 Students will ask and answer questions to seek help, get information, or clarify information presented orally through text or other media to confirm understanding.
• 4.1.R.3 Students will engage in collaborative discussions about appropriate topics and texts, expressing their own ideas clearly while building on the ideas of others in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
• 4.1.W.1 Students will report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences at an appropriate pace.
• 4.1.W.2 Students will work effectively and respectfully within diverse groups, share responsibility for collaborative work, and value individual contributions made by each group member.
• 4.6.R.3 Students will determine the relevance and reliability of the information gathered.
• 4.6.W.2 Students will organize information found during research, following a modified citation style (e.g., author, title, publication date) with guidance and support.
• 4.6.W.3 Students will summarize and present information in a report.

AASL National School Library Standards:

III. COLLABORATE Work effectively with others to broaden perspectives and work toward common goals.

• • • A. THINK: Learners identify collaborative opportunities by: 1. Demonstrating their desire to broaden and deepen understandings. 2. Developing new understandings through engagement in a learning group. 3. Deciding to solve problems informed by group interaction.

I. INQUIRE Build new knowledge by inquiring, thinking critically, identifying problems, and developing strategies for solving problems.

• • • B. CREATE: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes: 1. Using evidence to investigate questions. 2. Devising and implementing a plan to fill knowledge gaps. 3. Generating products that illustrate learning

Introduction:

            “Kids, we have a problem!! A big, big problem! We humans are destroying our Earth!” The teacher-librarian should go into detail about how everything we buy these days is packaged! As Americans, we have tons and tons of trash that go into landfills. Reiterate facts from the “People and the Environment” social studies unit they just completed that tells how many pounds of litter we, as Americans, deposit each year. Discuss how protocols this past year have added to the problem (not being able to use the water fountain has added so many more plastic water bottles to our trash cans). Ask for ideas on how we can immediately help this problem. Guide students to formulate solutions of recycling our trash so it doesn’t always land in a landfill, and eating less packaged food and more fresh produce.

            On the whiteboard, create a brainstorm web of solutions to this problem of things we can do at school to create a more healthy Earth by doing our part in recycling and/or creating more produce to eat that does not involve packaging (such as a garden with fruits and vegetables). The teacher should bring up the fact that we have not done these things! Why? Why is our school not helping! Is it because it costs too much or because we don’t have the “man power” willing to help carry out the duties necessary for these solutions to take place? Tell the kids they are to take a stance against doing what we’ve always done, and instead establish a chosen method to help our madness of polluting our planet. They may research ways to do this. Finally, on the SmartBoard, show the students what happens when we recycle plastic bottles and grow school gardens in these brief YouTube videos:

https://youtu.be/zO3jFKiqmHo

https://youtu.be/BtNvtGmUqsA

Wrap up the introduction by playing a recycling game with the students on the SmartBoard. National Geographic Kids provides a fun game at https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/action-adventure/article/recycle-roundup-new

Task or Quest:

Essential Questions:

1. How do we depend on the physical environment for food, shelter, and economic activity?

2. How can we take better care of our environment?

3. What are the benefits of taking care of our environment? Why do we need to take care of it?

4. What are some ways we can implement taking care of our environment in our school?

5. What things would need to be done in order to make this a reality? Whose permission would we need? Whose help would we need?

Expected Learning Outcomes:

            I want students to learn that we do have a problem with humans negatively impacting their environment with all of our trash. I want them to find solutions to this problem by ethically finding the answer to all these questions, and creating a PowerPoint Presentation with their group’s findings. Finally, I want them to present their ideas and research findings to the class on how we can make our world better by reducing or recycling!

They may use the following websites to help them answer these questions: 

https://digitalprairieok.net/

https://www.recycleok.org/resources/education-resources/. *(Several links leading to additional information and pages are found on this website).

 http://okfarmtoschool.com/ *(Several links leading to additional information and   pages are found on this website).

Roles:

This is a collaborative group project that 4th Grade students will work on in groups of five with the following student roles:

• • The Computer Whiz-Kid: Conducts the actual search on the computer/internet.
  • The Note-Taker: Writes down or types the website address and the key points each website provides, and records answers to questions.
  • The Scientist: Evaluates the information that is being collected and has the ultimate decision on what resources/information to use/not use, and keeps the group on task. 
  • The Lab Rat: Organizes chosen information, and finds additional information as needed. May use a separate computer for a second search if necessary.
  • The Publicist: Puts the information into the PowerPoint slides and prepares the presentation speaking roles. Everyone must have at least a tiny speaking part! 

Process:

While working in groups, everyone is expected to follow these rules:

1. You must participate and contribute ideas and have a “hand” in the final PowerPoint Presentation Product.
2. You must be respectful of others in the group: listen while others speak, and give everyone ample opportunity to share their thoughts.
3. You will problem solve on your own before asking the teacher/LMS for assistance.
4. You must treat others how you want to be treated: Everyone will have chance to evaluate each member of the group at the end of the assignment.

You will get with your group and decide on the best solution for our school helping our land pollution problem. During the social studies unit, you have already learned the problem of the harm we are doing to our environment, and now I want you to research solutions and why taking care of our environment is important. Using other schools’ success stories as a lead and other valid internet sources, you are to effectively and ethically research a method for our school to aid with the landfill problem, and create a process to make this method a reality at our school. I want you to present your group’s method and any pertinent research findings to the class with a brief PowerPoint Presentation. A good resource to advise students to visit to answer these essential questions is https://digitalprairieok.net/

Presentation:

            Your group should create a 2-5 minute PowerPoint Presentation that tells about you research findings. A simple resource page is required, and all students must have at least a small speaking part during the presentation. Your student groups will present your research findings and “solution” to our school helping with the environmental problem of land pollution. How to make a PowerPoint should be part of prerequisite learning, but a good tutorial to help teach students is provided below. As fourth-graders, they will probably need lots of teacher-student interaction and help during the creation of the PowerPoint Presentations. 

https://youtu.be/cfhnW3bd064

Note: The following links and articles (all of which were found on Digital Prairie) are examples of information that will be useful to the students during the researching process:

Bibliography of Professional Resources:

Blick, S. (2006). Grow a Garden on School Grounds! Skipping Stones, 18(2), 26.

Bye-Bye, Bottle! You put a bottle in the recycling bin. What will happen to it?      (2021). Scholastic News -- Edition 1, 77(7), 1–3.

Education Resources. Oklahoma Recycling Association. (2021, February 20). https://www.recycleok.org/resources/education-resources/. *(Several links leading to additional information and pages are found on this website).

Farm to School. Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. (2021). http://okfarmtoschool.com/ *(Several links leading to additional information and   pages are found on this website).

Hennessey, A. (1997). Recycling with class. Boys’ Life, 87(8), 14.

How a School Garden Rocks School Meals. YouTube. (2017, September 12). https://youtu.be/BtNvtGmUqsA.

How Do School Gardens Grow? (2010). Weekly Reader - Edition 2, 79, 3.

Kasland, K. (2008). “Class Go Play in The Dirt.” Current Health 1, 32(1), 22–25.

National Geographic Kids. (2021, February 10). Recycle Roundup. Games. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/action-adventure/article/recy….

PILING UP: What happens to waste after it’s tossed into recycling bins? It might not be what you think. (2021). Science World, 77(9), 12–13.

Reactions. (2018). How Plastic Recycling Actually Works. YouTube. https://youtu.be/https://youtu.be/zO3jFKiqmHo.

ServicesCalendarAgencies. Oklahoma Digital Prairie. (n.d.). https://digitalprairieok.net/.

Wanna Know. (2020, July 22). Power Point Tutorial for Kids. YouTube. https://youtu.be/cfhnW3bd064.

Evaluation:

            The following rubric will be presented to students before they begin working on their project. This rubric will serve as a guide so that each student knows how they are being graded.

Go Green! Research and PowerPoint Rubric

Conclusion:

            To further engage students, making one (or both) of the projects a reality, even if on a small scale such as recycling within our classroom or planting a small garden in the green space outside our classroom window will give them a sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility in their environment. This extension will involve science standards.

            Another extension activity is to research creative ways places have created positive things with their “trash.” For example, the Tulsa Zoo has displayed “trash sculptures” as artistic décor that adorns their zoo, making it more attractive to visitors. Brainstorm other ways we can safely and effectively make our trash useful.  This extension will include art standards, among other possible subjects.

This WebQuest was created by Keri Acord, teacher at Davenport Public School.

Resources:

Blick, S. (2006). Grow a Garden on School Grounds! Skipping Stones, 18(2), 26.

Bye-Bye, Bottle! You put a bottle in the recycling bin. What will happen to it?      (2021). Scholastic News -- Edition 1, 77(7), 1–3.

Education Resources. Oklahoma Recycling Association. (2021, February 20). https://www.recycleok.org/resources/education-resources/. *(Several links leading to additional information and pages are found on this website).

Farm to School. Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. (2021).             http://okfarmtoschool.com/ *(Several links leading to additional information and   pages are found on this website).

Godsey, M., & Kellner, C. J. (2018). Not for me, please!: I choose to act green. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Green, J., & Gordon, M. (2005). Why should I recycle? Barron's.

Hennessey, A. (1997). Recycling with class. Boys’ Life, 87(8), 14.

How Do School Gardens Grow? (2010). Weekly Reader - Edition 2, 79, 3.

Johnson, J. (2013). Seeds of Change. Lee & Low Books, Inc.

Kasland, K. (2008). “Class Go Play in The Dirt.” Current Health 1, 32(1), 22–25.

PILING UP: What happens to waste after it’s tossed into recycling bins? It might not be what you think. (2021). Science World, 77(9), 12–13.

Seuss. (2021). The Lorax. HarperCollins Children's Books.

Studies Weekly. (2021). Login - Studies Weekly. https://app.studiesweekly.com/online/publications.

References:

AASL Standards Framework for Learners. National School Library Standards. (2021, January 11). https://standards.aasl.org/.

How a School Garden Rocks School Meals. YouTube. (2017, September 12). https://youtu.be/BtNvtGmUqsA.

National Geographic Kids. (2021, February 10). Recycle Roundup. Games. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/action-adventure/article/recy….  

Oklahoma Academic Standards. Oklahoma State Department of Education. (n.d.). https://sde.ok.gov/oklahoma-academic-standards.

Reactions. (2018). How Plastic Recycling Actually Works. YouTube. https://youtu.be/https://youtu.be/zO3jFKiqmHo.

ServicesCalendarAgencies. Oklahoma Digital Prairie. (n.d.). https://digitalprairieok.net/.

Sharber, S. (2021). Curriculum and the Media Center: Module 2 Notes from the Instructor. Blackboard. blackboard.ecok.edu.

Wanna Know. (2020, July 22). Power Point Tutorial for Kids. YouTube. https://youtu.be/cfhnW3bd064.

Teacher Page: Extension activities to follow this research lesson include, but are not limited to:

1.  Creation of art using trash.

2. Creating a school garden in an open-space at school.

3. Starting a recycling program in the classroom or at the school.

• For further examples and instruction of these extension activity ideas, visit the following websites:

https://tulsazoo.org/washedashore/

https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/how-to-start-a-school-garden-your-complete-guide/

https://www.recycleok.org/resources/educational-resources/how-to-start-expand-or-promote-a-recycling-program/

• The following literature may be used in conjunction with this project:

Not For Me, Please!: I Choose to Act Green by Maria Godsey and Christoph Kellner

Why Should I Recycle? by Jen Green and Mike Gordon

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Seeds of Change by Jen Cullterton Johnson and Sonia Lynn Sadler.

This lesson covers the following Oklahoma Academic Standards:

4th Grade Social Studies Oklahoma Academic Standards:

• 4.1.3 Summarize the role of citizens as responsible stewards of natural resources and the environment.
• 4.1.3.A Describe the benefits of participation in recycling and anti-littering activities.
• 4.4.3 Explain how economic activities can threaten the physical environment.
• 4.4.3.A Identify ways in which humans can change ecosystems, such as clearing forests, draining wetlands, and diverting waterways, by examining present-day issues related to the use of resources.

4th Grade Language Arts Oklahoma Academic Standards:

• 4.1.R.2 Students will ask and answer questions to seek help, get information, or clarify information presented orally through text or other media to confirm understanding.
• 4.1.R.3 Students will engage in collaborative discussions about appropriate topics and texts, expressing their own ideas clearly while building on the ideas of others in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
• 4.1.W.1 Students will report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences at an appropriate pace.
• 4.1.W.2 Students will work effectively and respectfully within diverse groups, share responsibility for collaborative work, and value individual contributions made by each group member.
• 4.6.R.3 Students will determine the relevance and reliability of the information gathered.
• 4.6.W.2 Students will organize information found during research, following a modified citation style (e.g., author, title, publication date) with guidance and support.
• 4.6.W.3 Students will summarize and present information in a report.

Resource Notes:

      This WebQuest stemmed from ideas presented in our fourth-grade social studies curriculum: Studies Weekly. This curriculum has a print version, but the digital version can be located at www.studiesweekly.com