Introduction
Have you ever been amazed by the vastness of the ocean or the majesty of a mountain? Have you ever explored the mystery of the forest or journeyed across the plains? Even if you have not done one of these things, you have probably observed the beauty of our Earth! It provides everything we need and keeps us alive! Did you know we have a whole day set aside to celebrate this planet we live on? Despite all it gives us, we often take the Earth for granted and do not put much effort into taking care of it.
In this webquest, you will learn all about Earth Day and how to better care for our beautiful home planet that keeps us alive!
Task
Think about it: What do you do to care for and protect the Earth? How can you get your family and the community to give back to our planet?
Your task is to work in groups of four to research Earth Day and to create a powerpoint describing the information you find! The goal of your powerpoint is to teach your family and the community more about Earth Day and what they can do to care for this planet! Detailed instructions on what to include in your powerpoint are found in the process section.
Process
Step 1: Spend a few minutes finding some general information on Earth Day using the websites and resources provided below this section. What is Earth Day? When is it? Why is it important? What do you think about it? Write down general information about Earth Day and interesting facts you find. (Be sure to include where you found the information.)
Step 2: Share and discuss your research with your group. Decide which group member will take the role of Historian, Environmentalist, Activist, and Publicist.
Step 3: Once you have decided who will fill each role, go more in-depth with your research based on the specific instructions for each group member below. Use the resources provided below and find some on your own. Make sure you write down all the information you find and note where you found it. Write down additional information that interests you and tell your group members if you find something that relates to their research.
- Historian: Your job is to find out everything you can about the history of Earth Day! Here are some starting points: Who started Earth Day? When and why? What is its importance? How has it changed over the years? Where is it celebrated?
- Environmentalist: Your job is to find out everything you can about recycling! Here are some starting points: What is recycling? Why should we recycle? How do we recycle? What kinds of things can we recycle?
- Activist: Your job is to find 10 different things that you, your family, or your community can do to take better care of the earth! These can be small changes in daily habits that any individual can do or larger projects done by many people.
- Publicist: Your job is to find 5 events that happen in honor of Earth Day! Look for events happening in our community and across the nation. Be sure to include at least one of each. Briefly describe each event.
Step 4: Work together with your group to create a powerpoint using Google slides.. Your powerpoint should be interesting, well-organized, and visually appealing. It must include:
- A creative title and visually appealing title page.
- A brief history of Earth Day, what it is, and why it is important.
- Information about recycling, how to do it, and why it is important.
- Ten different things people can do to care for and give back to our planet.
- Five local and/or national events honoring Earth Day.
- Two to four credible websites (other than the ones I have provided you with) where your readers can find additional information about Earth Day and taking care of our planet.
Step 5: You and your group will present your powerpoint to our class!!!!
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/nature/save-the-earth
https://kids.niehs.nih.gov/topics/reduce/index.htm
https://www.earthday.org/billion-acts-green-reduce-ecological-footprint/
http://www.planetpals.com/earthday.html
http://www.kidsface.org/pages/newsletter/home.html
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/kids-club/cool-kids/general-kids-club/earth-day/
http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-content/richmedia/1/1143/project/dist/mobile.html
Evaluation
Below is the rubric I will use when I grade your presentation. Do your best and strive to make an excellent slideshow! You can do it!
Rubric
| # | 4-Excellent | 3-Good | 2-Almost | 1-Needs More | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content | The slideshow includes all required information as well as additional information. | The slideshow includes all required information. | The slideshow has most of the required information. | The slideshow has little of the required information. | _____ |
| Organization | The slideshow is very well organized and easy to follow with each part clearly labeled. Information is ordered in a strategic manner. | The slideshow is organized and has each part labeled, but it is sometimes hard to follow. | The slideshow is somewhat organized but needs to be more clearly labeled. The order of information is not always logical. | The slideshow is confusing and hard to follow. | _____ |
| Attractiveness and Creativity | The slideshow contains a good mix of graphics and information. It is creative and visually appealing. | The slideshow contains graphics, but they do not always add to the information. It is somewhat visually appealing. | The slideshow contains few graphics and is not visually appealing or creative. | The slideshow contains none or very few graphics. It is not visually appealing and lacks creativity. | _____ |
| Mechanics and Spelling | There are no mistakes in mechanics or spelling. The slideshow reads easily, and vocabulary is appropriate for the intended audience. | There are no more than two mistakes in mechanics or spelling, and they do not hinder understanding. The slideshow reads fairly easily, and vocabulary is appropriate for the intended audience. | There are at least three mistakes in mechanics or spelling, which hinder understanding. The slideshow does not read easily, and vocabulary is not always professional. | There are at least five mistakes in mechanics or spelling, which significantly hinder understanding. The slideshow does not read easily, and vocabulary is not professional. | _____ |
|
Total Score: _______ |
Conclusion
Discuss with your group your thoughts on Earth Day and anything you found that would like to learn more about or get involved in.
Start taking care of our planet today by picking one of the ten ways to care for our planet from your powerpoint and commit to do it! This is something you can do with your friends and family.
Credits
TEKS Objectives:
112.16. Science, Grade 5
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student conducts classroom and outdoor investigations following home and school safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to:
(B) make informed choices in the conservation, disposal, and recycling of materials.
Teacher Page
