environmental the - files.eric.ed.gov learning in your classroom; getting started 'ecosystems...

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ED 114 268 AUTHOR 'INSTITUTION P.UB DATE NOTE AVAICABLE FPOM DOCUMENT RESUME ,S.E.019.340 .-Fugton,,Carol kBetterPlace to Be. A Guide 'to nvironmental earning irk- Your Clissraos. Department, of-the Interior, Washington, D.C. (75) 431).1 Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, .Washington, D.C. 204n (Stock No. 2400-00805, 11.25) BDPS PPICE .MF-$0.76. HC-$1.95 Plus Postage DESCPIP7ORS -Air P911ution Control; *Ecology; *El&mentary. Grades;. , . Energy CorserVation; *Instructional Materials; . InterdiscapVnary.Approac!h; earning Activities; Resource Materials; *Science Education; Wa'ter Polldtior Control ABSTRACT Thig booklet, designe,d for elementa-ry teachers, contains ideas for involving-students in firsthand experience with their environment and.practiCar suggesions fkr preservation and 'improvement of their own homes and neicihhorholkods. The goals of this booklet are to increase environmental awareness and to help the students become responsible citizens. Among the topics discussed are: Environmental Learning in Your ClassrOom; Getting Started 'ecosystems and Classroom Activities;,'EnVironmental Problems and Activities; Environmental Learning and the Total, Curriculum; School Site D'ev4lopment;. Family Participation; Schoolwide Programsrand : Awards and RecOgrrition..A listing of environmental organizations, materials and sources, suggested readings and audiovisual aids concludes, this booklet. (BT) I 4 ******4$********************************4*****************************,** Documents acgui.red by ERIC include many informal unpublished ,* * materials not available from Other sources. EPIC makes every effort 4 . to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of.marginal * reproducibility.are often encountered and this affects Ale quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproduction's ERIC makes aqailable. * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS), EDRS is not * * responsible for the gualiiiy of the original document. Reproductions.* * s'upplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original., * ******,***************************************************************

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ED 114 268

AUTHOR

'INSTITUTIONP.UB DATENOTEAVAICABLE FPOM

DOCUMENT RESUME

,S.E.019.340

.-Fugton,,CarolkBetterPlace to Be. A Guide 'to nvironmentalearning irk- Your Clissraos.Department, of-the Interior, Washington, D.C.(75)431).1

Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government PrintingOffice, .Washington, D.C. 204n (Stock No. 2400-00805,11.25)

BDPS PPICE .MF-$0.76. HC-$1.95 Plus PostageDESCPIP7ORS -Air P911ution Control; *Ecology; *El&mentary. Grades;.

, .

Energy CorserVation; *Instructional Materials; .

InterdiscapVnary.Approac!h; earning Activities;Resource Materials; *Science Education; Wa'terPolldtior Control

ABSTRACTThig booklet, designe,d for elementa-ry teachers,

contains ideas for involving-students in firsthand experience withtheir environment and.practiCar suggesions fkr preservation and

'improvement of their own homes and neicihhorholkods. The goals of thisbooklet are to increase environmental awareness and to help thestudents become responsible citizens. Among the topics discussed are:Environmental Learning in Your ClassrOom; Getting Started'ecosystems and Classroom Activities;,'EnVironmental Problems andActivities; Environmental Learning and the Total, Curriculum; SchoolSite D'ev4lopment;. Family Participation; Schoolwide Programsrand :

Awards and RecOgrrition..A listing of environmental organizations,materials and sources, suggested readings and audiovisual aidsconcludes, this booklet. (BT)

I

4******4$********************************4*****************************,**

Documents acgui.red by ERIC include many informal unpublished ,*

* materials not available from Other sources. EPIC makes every effort 4 .

to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of.marginal *

reproducibility.are often encountered and this affects Ale quality *

* of the microfiche and hardcopy reproduction's ERIC makes aqailable. *

* via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS), EDRS is not *

* responsible for the gualiiiy of the original document. Reproductions.** s'upplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original., *

******,***************************************************************

.s

4

U.S OEPARTJAENT Ot NEALTNE WIC AT ION wEL ARENATIONAL INSTITUTE Ot

EOUCATION

OOCLNEN HAS BEEN REPRO.OVCEO E xACLY AS RECEvE0 ;Rom1..E PERSON OR ORGANzATIoN 0R.GNAING Po'NS oc OR OP'N,ONSS70NE 0 00 NOT NECESSARILY R,f PRE

SEW, Orr C AL NAY OVAL ,NST,TOTE OreoLdc.-Ri ON Ros,T,oN OR

ABETTER PLACETO' BE

A GUIDE TQ ENVIRONMENTAL, LEARNING iN YOUR CLASSROOM

CAROL EUSTON, Enyirorimental Education Staff, Washington, D.0 Public SchoolsLillian-Tangen, Eyhtor

Clayton E. Anderson, Asscriate Editor

U.S. Pep tent of the InteriorWas ington, DC. 20240

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VI

CONTENTSI

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1. , ..

ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNINGIN YOUR CLASSROOM 1 \2SETTING STARTED " 3 .

4 CLASSROOM INITIATION 34 STUDENT PLANNING 4

ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER OR LEARNING STATIONS 5

SUPPLEMENTAL .AIDS...

IDS . 61

.ECOSYSTEMS AND CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES 7

I. "

...

41'.

TERRARIUMS 8

. ECOSYSTEMS' 8

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. - DECOMPOSERS IN AN ECOSYSTEMDIVERSITY WITHIN AN ECOSYSTEM

. WEB-OF-LIFEFOOD CHAINS IN THE COMMUNITY

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ENVIRONMENT FOOD MAN

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND ACTIVITIES 11

10

1"

1

4AIR POLLUTION

WATER POLLUTION

SOLID WASTE

NOISE POLLUTIONENERGY CONSERVATION

LITTER

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15

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19

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5.ENVIRONMENTAL' LEARNING AND

THE TOTAL CURRICULUM.: /23

SOCIAL STUDIES 23 ,>,°?,

MATH 23

LANGUAGE ARTS 24

ART 24/I

.6..'SCHOOL SITE DEVELOPMENT.

PLANNING RESQURCES ;MATERIALS 27

CONSERVATION AND BEAUTCFICATIO ,ACTIVITIES 30

VACANT. LOTS VEST-POCKET PARKS LiRIAN TRAILS 31

8.SCHOOL

.AWA 6S AND ZECOGNITION 34

7.FAMILY P I TAT' 0.11 .32

'4

E ePROGR. 33

ECOLOGY' CLUBS 33

FUND RAISING 3;

'1 13ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS,

MATERIALS AND SOURCES 35ItSUGGESTED READING 37

12AUDIO VISUAL AIDS 38

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ENVIRONMENTAL.LEARNINGIN YOURCLASSROOM

Environmental education ought to bea total look at where man lives, how he

' lives and why he lives a he does By inn:derstanding man's use and misuse of thenatural community we can better dealwith problems that face us

The suggestions and activities in thisbooklet do not presume to be a completeenVonmental education curriculum Theyare intended -to be a starting point forboth the classrobm teacher and students

There is a tendency amongteachersto feel that an environmental learniOg'pro-gram is a rather complicated and 3crentrfrcprocedure that they are ill prepared tohandle This is lust not sa Environmentaleducation can .occur by creating climatesfor learning and is not dependent upon anauthoritative understanding of facts andconcepts. Ordmary, good teaching meth-ods will allow you to handle experiencesand aetivities in such a way that you will

be able to comtortabi\ discoYer'many in-teresting things right alonskyoth the stu-dents It is pu.sible to set up pleasant,interesting and worthwhile learning situa-tions without being an expert on the ub-ject rryter

Your environmental learning programshould emerge trom the students them-selYes Try to create an atmosphere which

motiyate students to explore enyiron-mental problems

A goodteacher stimulates curiosity.instudents while providing tools the studentscan use to pursue that Curiosity through-out hte A teacher brings continuity to firelearning process enabling the students tosee the interrelatedness of what the arearelearning, and that the too, are pa4t ofthe interrelatedness, Environmental learning can be as sim-ple as looking around at you't own sur-

f roundings to see what they. include andwhat is pleasant and unpleasant .aboutthem. The ultimate objective of involve-ment in an environmental learning pro-

gram is to enable people to think reason-ably and understandingly about theirenvironment to s4 patterns of cause andeffect which make sense and relafe'other aspects of their lies No one canreally be 'taught environmental awareness,it must be experienced

This booklet contains ideas for involv-ing students in firsthand experience withtheir enyirOnment and practical sugges-tions for preservation and improvement oftheir on homes and neighborhoodsHopefully, the results will be not only toincrease environmental awareness but ajsoto_ further understanding and appreciationso that students can become responsiblecitizens' and do their Mare to make thisworld a better place to be ,

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2. GETTING STARTED+,

It possible, a teacher should acquire alittle basic background intormation aboutenvironmental eduk anon Fnd out it yourState Ottice pt Education pros lees. em 1-ronmental education curriculum guides, or\\ rite the Dep'artrnent of the Interior for acopy of A// Around \ot, This and otherenvironmental study guides are ledunder "Suggested Reading' Environmentalbooks \\ ntten for children can help to giveyou an overall teel" tor*the subject Thescience department or science teacher in`our building can recommend te4t Booksor even help implement your program

.Discuss vi-)ur plans tor an envirorimen-

tal learningsprograrn with the school prin-cipal Consider school poll( \r, programs

us'

el I

and schedules present ur .educationalobjectives as well .as lo -range planningfor needed materials, audio-visual equip-ment, books, trip's and projects Stress thatyour students are learning about the envi-ronment as they learn speech and, giatti-mar, science and math,' ollser\ation andcommunications'skillsthe basic elementsof education.

CLASSROOM INITIATION..You can Introduce Your students to envi-ronmental learning in many ways. Oneway might be to shoe a film such as ALand Betrayed" as the vehicle for discus-

^ion of the environment To start the dicussiori you might also use a rec r Ofecologically-oriented songs cu i

.ton," PeteSeeger's lust A F FsoHaBt°1unnri

ties' "Birds Like To Fly- or j hfn

Wrappers, of Chtwving Gum, Woddy

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Guthriels "This land Is Your Land" or TheNew Seekers' "We've Got To Do It NowAnother. wav might be to use photographsor slides depicting beautiful scenes of ourcountry and pictures showing blighted orpolluted areas and have the students ex-change ideas as to cause and effect ofsome of the situations.

' lead discussion'' to elicit students'ideas on the meaning of "environment" inorder to develop such concepts'as :

1. Environment ig .that which isaround you and' in one sense isthe entire Earth.

2. What we do in a restricted en-vironment can effect the world;environment. We are responsi-ble for our actions.

3 All living things-are dependentupon their environment for sur-vival and upon a proper bal-ance of plants and animals. .

Point out to the students that sincewe are each responsible for our actions, itis up to us to take an active part in under-standing environmental problems andfinding solutions to them. Ask 'them howthis can be accomp101ed let them deter-mine areas of investigations and how*theycan gO about finding Out more informa-tion. Have someone, record the sugges-tions ,Help children create an environmen-tal pledge which lists what they y`01 do,tptheir daily fives to help preserve the t,nvi-ronment Keep a large copy of this pledgein a conspicuous,Nt in the, Environmen-tal Center.

STUDENT PLANNING.let the children form a few -initial comenit-tees and be responsible for obtaininginformation One grailp, can write to vari-ous organizationsIseegrources) for pam-.phTets and brochures

Another group can arrange for- classspeakers, such as-

the, school custodian to hearhis. views on the school's envi-ronment;Ai sanitation ;departtnent repre-

ntative -to her about citywaste problems',

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a utility company representa-tive to explain the energy situa-tion in the city,a member of the town or citycouncil to explain. somevof theoverall concerns \of the city gov-ernment,a member of the park depart:ment to teach them about natu-ral ecosystems and food chainsof woodland anicals,a city planner to explain pat-terns and 'problems of urbanI fe

A third group could survey classma tesas .to trips they might want to taketio seesome of the problems firsthand Some suggestions are The dump or incineratorplant, a nearby river or park, a local mu-seum, a recycling collection .center; a

waste, treatmeet plant, a factory or in-dustrial areas of the city, a nature center,zoo or aquarium, etc.

A fourth group could be in charge ofcollecting pertinent bodks and magazinesfrom the library as well as maintaining thenewspaper scrapbook for the Environmen-tal Center

r

OUR*ENVIRONMENTAL

UBRARY

ENVIRONMENTAL CENTEROR LEARNING STATIONThis station or cente r can be,tbe perma-nent core- of all environmental activitiesfor the year:The first display night be theclass' proposed plans for its environmentallearning projects Tfie're'should be-a Ins ofquestions to be answered and ways,to findout this informationLe.. names of corn-..mittees and their tasks, all the printed in-formation that is gathered and graphic dis-

1 plays of various environments.Some other things that might be

included initially are: ifClassroorrttpets, such as gerb'ils, ham -

'sters, guinea pigs, mice, a bird, snakes, anaquarium..

2. Books: pictures, articles, 'etc , aboutthe animals near the cages. Put a "findout" activity' card near (he books that asksuch questions as

What' is the natural envroahlent ofthis gerbil? ,What part does the snake play in afood chain?How are birth helpful to man? andother similar questions that leadchildren to become aware of theinterdependencebf life.

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3. Encourage children to bring in plantsfor the Center, have them plant seeds inpaper cups to.watch the Plants grow or letthem mace cuttings to root from the exist-ing plants. Have :find out" activkty earnsnearby that will give the children reasonto explore the plant world itther by re-,search or experimentation.For example.

How is this' plant nourished?What would happen to thi, plant if

you put a cardboard box over itfor a week?

What would happen if you wateredthis plant four times a dayornot at all?

Would a make a difference in ourway of living if all the greenplants died tomorrow?

Children would then begin to see the /oleplants pla3, in tO environment arid s apart of the food (ham.

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4 Ask the children to bring in Artifacts orInteresting objects they might und out-ot-doors to share \N Ith the class and to in-clude in the Center's collection, it possi-ble, allot -a tens minutes each day for `thispurpose Some suggestions are hone,feathers, drittw nod, an insect, a smoothpebble a halt-eaten leat, a cup of rainwa-ter, a budding branch, a brick, etc What-ever the object, determine it it" is naturalor man-made and how it relates'to manFor example Insects such as ladybugs andbeetles eat other insecK that destroy vege-tatiorti'rainwater is necessary for plvitfor presenting dust, etc , a -brick is madeof haidened day ,and rs used i buildingconstruction, the leaf is a food source forinsects

These diseussions might motivate childrento further investigation or-problem-solvingofthe interdependence of living things.

5 The Center might xstart various types oftt collections to which children can cOntrib-

_ ute, insect, rock, seed, leaf, wildflower orweed Have books'available for identifica-tion purposes, let the children 'do the la-

', beling Empty egg cartons' can hold smalleritems 'Individual collecttons should disc),he encouraged

6- A scrapbook should be kept to whicheveryone can contribute newspaper anmagazine articles and pit tures conerwirogirental problems One group edn

"Be assigned to categorize them

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7 A djcdon-arv, index file of environmen-tal words and definitions*

8 The Environmental Center should be aviable stat!or't Graphic ciASplays of currentprojects', as well as fyture plans of investi-gations, are important to show the stu-dents what they have accomplished and

. where they are going, These displays canbe in the form' of dioramas A shoe box. orcardboard corton can be.used as a con-tamer, background and figures calLbe cut,,out of heavy ptaper and cardboard andmounted inside to give a three-dimen;

-sional eftect

SUPPLEMENTAL AIDS

The Major instructional emphasis in mat.schools, oday is in the area of languageartsespecially reading The following ma- .terials, which 'are paper editions and notexpensive, rxn be used very effectively assupplemental aids to reading as well assources of information and ideas in envi-ronmental learning'

American Education Publications (Educa-tion _ Center, Columbus, Ohio.43216) MY WEEKLY READER PRAC;"TICE BOOKS Ecology Grades 4-6(A,B,C Level), 50-page paper work-'book, 30c Focus on Pollution

. Grades 1-6 (A,B,C level), 30c

National Wildlife Federation (1412 16th. Street, N.W, Washington, D.0 ,

20036) Ranger Rick's Nature Maga-zine, 10 issues for $6.00.

Silver RUrdett Company (250 $t. JamesStreet, Morristown, New Jersey07960) NEED Program, developedby the National Park Service, U.S.Department of the Interior, Adiren-tore in Environment. Grades 3-6,Teacher's Gpicle, $1.20. (Pnce sub-ject to change.)

Look through your school's film li-brary catalogue, and list all appropriatefilms for your environmental program.Order them in advance, and use them toillustrate t4lose concepn'that the childrencannot actually experience. Public librariesand environmertal organrzations also lendthese films Contact them .well aheadthe date that you will need the material.

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ECOSYSTEM AND CLASSROOM 'ACTIVITIES

By creating miniature environmentsstudents learn the specifr natural condi-tions required to support various forms ofplant anti animal life and how these 'ele-ments are ,reneweeto sustain life itself.This relationship is known as an ecosys-tern, the study of ecosystems is calledecology Miniature environments introducestudents to' the basic elements and proc-esses of nature vital to all ecosystems andvisually illustrate the interdependence oflife For younger children they can providpinitial exposure t nd appreciation for,thenatural world They can also provide ameans for advanced instruction in plantlife processes, wildlife behavitm and prob-lems of pollution.

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TERRARIUMS '

Terrariums can be t4ecl to 'provide theb is shell for miniature environments in\\ Filch animal and plant life -live in a

healthy, simulated, ecosystem, The con-t5iners can be varied even a simple, clearplastic drinking cup turned upside downcan become the containertor a miniatureterrarium Aquarium tanks, glass gallon

.., food, i6r's, pr clear glass, wide-mouthedbMtles, all are suitable and should Jzie ableto be sealed ,

There are many commercial hooksavailable on construction of a wide variePy'of terrariums, Int,a -simple, bak type thatthr .ir well in theclassroom is the wood-Ian, variety Many small, plants,,includihgnos -es, ferns, lichens, clover,'etc , are eas-ily, available.,and are-well-s-uned to this en-closed environment Many mosses, eventhosethat grow in the cracks .of city side-

s walks2may be included The plants can bebought at a garden shop or-,dug, from thefields, yarcl or ;voods

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One needs some grave) or sand fordrainage, some moss or dead leaves tokeep the soil out of the drainage material,some, charcoal to sweeten the soil againstsOurness and. finally, some moist pottingsoil will( h should be Mixed with perlite toloosen the soil These are the basic ingre-dients for all terranurfis except cactus Thecactus requires sandy soil. less moisture'and more sunlight

Some condensation on the inner walkof the terrarium is an indication that the.environment is -adequately humid If it is

too heavy, then remove the cover for afew hours or wipe it dry. Do not over-water, about 6 tablespo6ns of water is

enough to maintain an 8-inch containerfor a month A light spraying i$all that isneeded when all evidence of condensationhas disappeared. Since the terrarium is

closed, Moisture is contained, and the wa-ter cycle of nature functions normally 'Di-rect sunlight should be avoided but goodlight is essential

Cactus plants can be purcrsed andishould le grown in sandy soi .

Chameleons can be addedTurtle ponds can be constructedLite in a terrarium can be considered

as population and community study and'will exemplity'produscer/consumer cycles.Mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers, frogs,roaches, can be used.

ECOSYSTEMS'

Ecosystems are niade'of living and non-liv-ing things. The organisms of an ecosystemdepend, on their environment for manyneeds.- -

Design ion paper or make amodel of an ecosystem on yourown that' is completely self-maintaining. Study the relation-.shipof-the producer, cohsuin-ers, predators, scavengers anddecomposers of the system.Some examples of ecosystemsmight include a park, a space-stair), aquarium, terrarium or vi-varium.

`DECOMPQSERS, DIVERSITY WITHIN11\rANECOSYSTEM AN ECOSYSTEM.11,3composers,-such as fungi and bacteria,break down the bodies,of dead organismsin art ecdsstem Try this experiment to

In order to begin to liecielop an under-tanding ot suc cession, change and dA.ersityin nature, children should become aware

find out at what rate decompt)sers break ot the wide vari ty ot lining and non-kingdam organisms as corvared to the rate things that make up an part of a na.t6ralof organisms without decompose6. environment

Get some soggy leaves from Have several-groups of childrenthe ground or gutter, divide the i Ob t a i n hula hoops or large loops

leaves into two groups--,-samples, made from wiry hapgers,A,and B. Toss onto the school grounds

PUt the samples' in sepaeAe or on the grassy surface ot a

containers, pour water. over parkthem to adepth of about one List all the living and non-livinginch. \ , 0 Things found within a perimeter.Boil leaves of sample' A for; a of the hoop. .

low minutes, .don't 'boil sample If possible take one sampleB. What, happenswhen. the leaf from each type of grass, put

-.*' in a plastic bagPut eac.h slirlb into a sepa-

testDraw j?i- name ,each type of in- k

leaves'are b...? '111 ...,IT

rate plastid bag, and seal, punch -1%14P 'Asect

yob think air holes are needed?

observe decomposition rateHow does the rate at which

Set the two groups aside, andthings observed manage cur-Oval?What are some of the,"charac-tensucs which contribute greatly

How do some of the liv4ngseveral 'holes in bag. B. Why do

sample A decays compare with APA to the ability of an ofeanism tothe decay rate of sample B? Aisli survive?

_ A fit in or affect the lives of theHow do the non-living things

.A1

Why? <

living?

WEB-OF-LIFE

The eneigy.<requirements Of man are metprimarily by'- food,' and men are depend-ent 'upoh other organisms through foodchains and food webs

. Using students to represen the...components, construct moof two or three simple foodchains, and convert them to afood Web.Prepare 6" X 12" cards letteredwith such be s as Sun, Soil,Green Plant Mouse, Grasshop-per, 'Earth o m, Snail, Frog,Shrew, Robin, Garter Snake,Rabbit, Owl, Fox,' 'Goldfinch,

. Sparrowhawk, etc Prepareenough cards to 'supplx, abouthalf the class, let- the other halfserve as an audience

You will also need a ball ofstring which can be cut to con-..yenient lengths and used toconnect the links in the food

chain and web.Assign a card to each pupil.Starting with Sun, connect iitoGreen Plants by asking the twopupils to hold a length of stringbetween them.Next, connect one of the her-bivores to the plants, follow thiswith a/carnivore linked to theherbivore. At first the compo-nents will depict simple foodchains but as more and more

4 components are added, cross-links begin to be evident andthe food web concept is easilydeveloped. At the outset, it rs

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achantageous to place (he' pu-pils representing the- sun andplants centrally and then alio.%the remainder ot the web to de-velop around them

Questions to develop

Why is the sun nece.oaxr to all lire?What is the source of rood used by aril-

nials? .r."\in a natural en.tronTent if all the mem-

ers ,of a particular species such asraschopperc w'ere removed from the;

rood web what would be the 'effect'This point can be emphasized by remov-ing the. .appropriate, pupil from themodel

in a natural commumity, what would bethe inert of removing-all predators fin -sect- eating birdc, foxes, etc ) from thefood web?

How would an increase of predators affectthe food web?

(As part of a food web, how does man dif-fer from X11 other organicmc? (Man'at-tempts consciously to manipiAte the.components which make up the web,and man alone has the ability to under-stand the 'complex interdependenciesand, therefore, has the obligation andreAponsibility to preserve the balance ofthe whale web )

-FOOD CHAINSIN THE COMMUNITYPredators are important in helping to keep'the communities in an ecosystem vn bat--

Ta'ke a walk. around you com-munityMake,a list of all' the predatdrsydu see (spiders, 'birds, cats.etc ) ,Selog from your 1,st a predatorthat was most interesting-to you,and find out. all you can aboutitjReport th your class aboutitk'Vh%zuld your communitybe if' the predator youchose suddenly outnumbeied allthe ,other animals in your com-munity?

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Hoy. do you thmk your <om-munit could be v.ithnlit thepredator?

ENVIRONMENT FOOD, MAI1

Whenever we eat, we become part ot aweb of interrelationships ,Since many -!odds are 'produced tar trorn Our (ages,we Must depend on tarmers, pickers,packers, food processors, transportation

tood retailers, but primank we still'depend, on the environment

Collect and examine various',packages of toodcan of beerstew, box ot cereal», package ofhot dogsRead the label and find the lestof ingredientsIn colum.n -A, list' the thingsthat come-from plants, in col-umn B, list the thIngs that comefrom animals, in column C, listPtian-made - products, chemicalsand things vpu're not pure'' f.

iYou may want to researc se

ingredients 1`Have the students make Ii s ofall the food they ,ate during theprevious day. The 4t shQuJcl beas, detailed _as pcAsible Direc(the discussion So that man's de-pendence upon the environ-ment will be demonstrated.

What plants are included in the list?What animals provided the meat food?What do "these plarrts and animals need to

survive? ,

Are any of your food sources threatenedby pollution?

Are the sources of food for plants 43 n d ant-mals themceites in any way threatened?If these 18.015 sources are in dange r, howwill this effect'man? (The economics ofsupply and demand could be introducedhere.)

What can man-do to, protect his food sup-ply?

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4. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND ACTIVITIES

Educators agree that a student learnsbest from4direct, ptirpos'eful experiences. Awell-organized tield trip into the local«-community is an ideal way to give chil-dren an opportunity to use their five sen-ses in the learning process At the sametime, children gain lasting impressions ofthe causes. effects and possible cdntrols ofpollution Field trips need not be long ortaken great distances from the school It is

a good idea for the tepcher to prepare bytaking a preliminary trip in girder to iden-tify material to point out to students

A survey walk of the school buildingand grounds can help you teach studentsobservational skills so that future excur-sions into the community will be more re-

a.

warding. Children can be taught to ob-serve, survey, record, predict, interpret,generalize and conceptualize.

To help children broaden their under-standing of environmental concepts, con-sider trips to zoos, museums, botanicalgardens, aquariums or visits to foreMs,wetlands, lakes, reservoirs if yours is a

suburban community, then visit a city. Ifyou live io a rural area, visit an Urbanneighborhood if possible, take a cameraand tape recorder with you to documentproblems for later discussions Learningabout any specific subject will take placeonly after appropriate and ,varied, experi-ences

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OBSERVADONS ON A POLLUTION WALK

R'oute 11,D.

Date Time

Weathr -Conditions

cmironmental ProblemsNot

" Observed Observed Comments

1 smoke Iron) snys.4,estac ks chtnineYs,burning trash

exhaust turnes tram car: buses trucks

3 ..mog

' deteriorating paint on builclirl,gs,a70_and cars

3 stained ancl soot-ioyored buildings 4

6 dYing plants and trees near street

7 people coughing

8 peoplc using insecticides

9 eroded banks, bilk, lawns

10 leaking pipes, tount'ains

11 cliriv streams, rters

12 trash in streets, -alleys

13 abvdoned 'cars

open clumps A

'\15 rats roaches, dead animals

16 unpleasant odors

17 oil spills

48 junkyard's '19 heavy traffic

20 crowds

21 noisy autos, micks, buses

`2.2 poisy -airplanes"

23 noisy, (onstrut lion equipment

24 ugly billboards and signs

25 rundown_biiildings

26 broken windows

27 writing on walls1,1 28 crowds of people

29 other

it

(

rot

Thc., to"(0.%,,1,4 ,1(''1 fres ore rc corp,rnencicci ;)()12! t(J(i .pe(p(,Huh()n rf ( t The, do no! reclu,rerrixr, Mdtt rialc. or egolornent nor (10. 111(;1

Irr() t2Ort ,it tt:( h'nic O: r1,1h. Is he

elJrertcipt -(K4, ( ((in in( "11111,'1 (.'''nn

Record thiv. purit#,)s- pf(i( ( un-Caj..111)n j(!1\ ht s ler the En\,.#,,) ien-ta4 enter

kr

AIR POLCOTION

The Aerage person.breat,hes 35 Ihs of aireach day--,that's 6 times as much as thefood and drink he mrisvmes, Yet in theriS ve ,,,pollute our a#,r vith over200,0(X),000 tons of aerial garbage' eac hN ear trom industrial smoke %vastes, auto"emis.lons, incinerators, et( 2 1hi. dirty air

03.( )`," .) Inc

\11.. ,fr,hoft (1, h 0,({',( 7 in 114, nO t1,10, noun

1)(

Ihul pi) 1 ;

11

a

costs us over S12 billion a sear,; but it is

more than a costly nuisance Dirk airshortens our lies bv contrrbuting tolungdiseases, egetation, (at.isres: paintto peel and discolor corrodes metals, andvtactes fuel 4 Air pollution can he mini-mized it periple krioNA the problem andvork to control rtAir pollutants are

Solid, such as dusi sort soot,Gases, such a, sulphur dioxideand carbon monoxide

posh( idesAerosol, suc hand ( hemu al,

ppIt,,(1 pp is

90

-r

as

13

4

O

ACTIVITY 1:Identifying Air Pollutants

Cut.63 \ed paper into 2t,squares stale to hea (ardboril

4

Coat the \ed paper- with a 'thin,.laser rat sa'elinePja(4- the papers in arious location

here then can remain undisturbed torw eels Thy clasvo'Qm cafeteria, pia\ -

grourad the .( hildrn s back ards10( al store or the bumper of a carmight be appropriate location.At the end of the week wiled all thepapers caretulls and N.amine' therliwith a magmting glass .to see 4hichreed the most pollutionTry to identity dust, pollen ash,pores soli and other, particles

Which 's as the most common typetouncP /\\ 11,0 location attracted tne most'

particles? Why?Organize- all data into a chart showingdate placed, date collected, locateri,'amount of accumulation, possible,cause ot,'pollution ann reason for vari-ance . . .

()IT* chart in Entironmental Center

ACTIVITY 2:Determining Air Pollution

Obtain a clean, hive plate or saucer,'wash again c ullyWipe it with a clean, while rag, savethe rag ift a,plasfic hag LabelPut the platk outside on the window-sill of- the.classroom for two weeks orlonger then bring inWipe the plale with another clean,white rag the same size as the first oneyou saved, compare the two'rags

C.Record date and possible causes ofthis air pollution Keep the. report ofthe activity at the Entironmental Ceh-ter

i./`ACTIVITY 3:Collecting Pollution /

Bring in a "canister 'vacuum cleanertankcset two .filter papers Cut one a littlelarger than the si(E.: of the intake open-ing, and hold it in place'with a rubber-

,14

.

bapd say e tae other as a control.Let the vacuum run in the claqroombtor 30 minutes ,perhaps during lunch

. hour' .Tale oft the tiller 'land examine atC6mpare it *to unused one try to de-termine causes ol air pollution ifl clss-

, room,It possible, repeat outdoors or idren s homes, vary the activity bycolle4tibg at ditterent times of day in

t the same placeRetord ardata and cOntlusions

.,Environ'nental Center

ACTIVITY 4:Auto Emissions

at the

NOTE FOR SAFETY:.This must tie a careft;Ily supervised activitycarded out only with an adult' present.,fri.'Keep-face and body as far away from car 1(

aspossible.

Tape a' 4" square'orvvhite f cial tissue f;to a pieceof cardboard .The teacher should start or in Qatk :. 'ing lot, let run lot a few min es ) ,prHold the collector paper 'paralleCtol.,1and about 6 inches away, from .thil,'mouth of the exhaust'pipe 'f the car,for one minute. .Jabal the. Collect& paper, with theyear and make of,the car and if possi-ble, type of g,sotirAi used ' ,

,,Writef and ditto the ik<tEuctions for-..", (Chishkperimtilni.ror the parents. Ask for

their cooperati6n .-and supervision .to te the'family car for this activity ' '

G her all collectoivapers,, be surethe are labeled as directed; g pupthem. in .rows from cleanest to datkest.Is there a relationship beivileen heamount, of pollution,and the y.earofthe car? Between pollution and .type Ofgasoline?. Between pollution and kindof car?Record all data and concfusions for

.

the Center.44.

,7

WATER J?OLLUTIO1

Water is essential to all on Earth. Itcomes From rain and sn v. While,:the'amount of' rain akd snow is about thsrsame each year,our population is gi.pwrng,'and per persqn use of water. is incatasirtg 5

the U.S. per person use of watt is foul:times what it was m 19006 Indlistrial useof eater is 13 times what it was in 1900,7and irrigation use up seven times since1900.8

To maintain an adequate Water supplywe need to reuse it and minimize its pol-

siphon.4

ITY 1:Filtering Water Samples

r Collect samples of water from the tap,rainwater, reservoir, a pond, muddywater.Gather a funnel, paper towels or fil-ters and glass jars fo'r each sample. Theglass jars should be. tall enough thatthe mouth of the jar will hold the fun-nel cone and prevent, the spout fromtouchng the bottom

s Neeged Clean Water Charming I. Bete Co , Inc ,GreOnfield, Mass 191, p 4 (Dictobuted by theEnvironmental Protection Agency, Vachengton,D C

and , p 6 7 lbsd , p 6 8 Ibid , p 6

22

0

Fold and cut the paper towels to form,.a cone which will fit the f nel.Pour 'ea water, sample through a fil-ter into ?t',jaz... Be sure to use a new fil- tter and a dean glAs jw for each sam-ple. ,

Replace the licLuid' into originallcontainers. UnfoF!'each apiece of filterpaper ihd dry. .Examine the dried filter pipers witli.ahand lens. From which samples did thefilteF remove color? What about turbid-ity? What types 'of particles removedby the filter? Will 'a filter rbmovechemicals? (Try salt in water.)Describe observations, conclusiosts,record all data.

ACTIVITY 2: Or

Which Detergent ProducesThe Most Fowl?

Obtain small amounts of many differ-ent brands of detefgent; request ,thatthe children ask friends, and neighbors.Collect a number of baby food jarsand lids that are identical in size, You'llneed one jar for each detergent.Add tap water to each jar until it is

approximately half-filled.In other containers (one for each de-tergent) make up soap solutions bymixing, 1 ,tsp. of powdered detergentwith 3 tsp of water. Be sure sa

amounts are added to each contain r.15

1

4

S

Use a medicine dropper .to place 10drOps of one land of soap solution intoone of the jars of water; cap; thenshake 'the jar 10 times.f Measure the height of the soap sudswhich form on top of the water.Record the measurbments.Record the number of minutes ittakes for the suds in *II jar to disap-

, pear.Carry out steps 5, 6, and 7 for eac hbrand of'detergent.On a graph record the height of thesoap suds and. the time which theylasf4compare. Which brand of deter-gent' produced the ittast suds?- Lastedthe longest?Hdw does phosphate level'affect suds?

-.

1./

ACTIVITY 3: .How'Pure Is DrinkingVater?

Put about 1/2 Cup of reguldr w terinto ;3 dean, aluminum foil pail.Evaporate all of 3e water by he tingthe pan over a hoeprate.Note the white mineral' or scum that

. appears. Is the water.pure ?, .Repeat the same activiity using dis-tilled water. Discuss th,e differences.Display the pans showing the mineralspreserit in drjing water compared tothose RiyIkttit In the more purely dis-tilled water.

ACTJVITY 4:Trip ifo A Pofluted Body of Witer

If there .is, aistream or river within'walking distance of the school, take a-trip there to study pollution.

4

0

Observe the water for evideace of:

Natural Pollution

driftwooddecomposed plant

or animal matterdissolved minerak,

Man-Made Pollutantssewagetrashdead animals,oil slicks, dyesodors

Record your observations.

. ACTIVITY 5: .

Water Conservation

Start a campaign in school aod Vhome to conserve water: Don't let the,water -run while you're brushing yourteeth. Watch for dripping faucets at

-1home and at school. When washingyour hands, turn the water off -whileyoU rub your hands-; then turn it back

Ion again to rinse.

16

)

..

'

iO4-.111u$agit ;um. 101111\ I t &rite

ZZ ...4111,1111Z1111N

Io

06

:a. s """ ..

SOP D WASTES

In 1972 urban refuse generated in the U.S.totaled 300. million tons 9the eiluivalentof more than 8 pounds daily for every*man, woman and chijc1.10 -

What to-do wiihtthis refuse presents adifficult environmental problem. Uncon-trolled open dumping is unsightly and tsn-safe.,DumpinF into the sea is no longertolerable. Sanitary landfill space is becom-ing more difficult to find, and use of inad-equate incineration facilities causes airpollution. ,

Solutions lie in good solid waste man- .

agement, reducing, consumption 6f mate-rials and recycling and reusing what other-wise would be waste.

.c

'3' 11'

. .f ( fact ShetI on'Edmonston,,IMO`Solid Wage Re-claing f?olect, Bureau of ,iines, U Si Departmentof the Interior, Washington, D.0 , 1. ,

10 Ibid. -..

N.1

I.- kV:.; 4

..At'

1

ACTIVITY 1:Degradability of Papert Collect several different kind's of

paper." For example: facral tissue, notepaper, newspaper, a page of a slickmagazine and a paper towel.Cut a sample from each to -use foridentification. : Aw

Trim so each piekis the same size.Collect several jars that are the sanesize and hm7e lids."Place equal amounts of water in eachjar.Place, a different kind of paper ineachjar.Tape samples on the outside of the ,

4'4

Label the lids. 1',II.,

Replace the lids; and shake each .jar20 times. Compare the paper insidewith the sample taped outside.Leave the jars undisturbed for on e- ,week. Then shake each again 20 times..Compare. Which kind of paperchangeththe most? The least? How didthey change? Discuss why degradabilityis relevant to solid waste treatment anddisposal.

appropriate jars..

d

,ACTIVITY 2:HoW Much ''Trash"Do 'c'ou'Atcumulate?

obtain.five heavy, refuse bags.Mach day for five dayscollett all class-room refuse in ooe bag. Use a different.bag each day.Record the weight on a Fhart..After five days determine how manypounds-of refuse were accumulated inthe classroom during one school week.

emery, classroom collects approxiimately the same amount of refuse asdoes yours, how many pounds are ac-cumulated in one .week? In one year?Mk a reptesentative of the schoolmaintenance staff to speak to the class.

< I

a

Discuss:.How much refuse does the entire school

accumulate in one day or Week?How is school refuse disposed of?Does the disposal system contribute to

pollution?Are there any ways you can reduce the

amount of, refuse in the classroom? Forexample, can y.ou reuse any materials?Cf) you take some kinds of refuse ma- -

. terials to arecycling collection center orcrap dealer?

i.t/ould eliminating throwaway beverage tcontainers help reduce the solid;wastedisposal problem? Discuss and Compare-,buying and disposing of twenty cans or,bottles, versus reusing thee same con-tainer, twenty times.

ACTIVITY 3:Solid Waste Management

To learn' about community waste treat-ment and disposal arrange with represent-atives of the city or county government'o

. take, the- class on a guided tour of a saelr-tary landfill site or incineration or wastetreatment plant. _Discuss the advantagesand disadvantages of the operation youvisit with your guide.

..

18

95

NOISE POLLUTION .

istoise can be defined as Unwanted sound.Noise pollution .occurs when poeple aresubjeeted toexcessive ddgrees of unpleas-ant sounds.

These sounds may be unpleasant be-cause of their loudness or volume (meas-ured in decibels), shrillness, suddenness orduration.

. The world around us is. ,,gettingnoisier. We are exposed. to noire 4,orhplanes, traffic, machinery, constructioh andsometimes "rock"' music. At home, televi-sion, 'air conditioners, blenders, vacuumcleaners, washing machines, power lawn-mowers and many other household itemscan contribute to noise pollutiOn:

Noise pollution interferes with conser-vation, sleep, recreation and the generalquality of life 11 and can cause hearingimpairment. Permanent hearing loss canbe caused by steady exposure to about 90

' decibels 12 a level which cat: be generatedby a single trailer truck at expresswayspeed 13

11 The Third Annual Report of the Council on En-vironmental Quality, Washington, D.C., U.S. Gov -eminent Printing Office, 1972, p. 132.

. 2

ibid.

h First Annual Report .on the Council on En-vironmental Quality, Washington, D.C., U.S! Gov-ernment Printing Office, 1970, p..124.

13

ACTIVITY 1:Noise and Its Effects on Hearing

Obtain a watch and a radio.Listen to the.watch tick.Turn the radio on, and increase thevolume until it is loud. Do not let 'itbecome so loud that the sound is un-

1comfortable to you.Place your ear near the speaker, andlisten for 5 minutes. .

Turn the radio off, and hold thewatch up .to your ear. Try to hear itticking. Can you her the ticking aseasily as you could before you listenedto the radio?

*.

ACTIVITY 2:.Kinds of Noises.

Sounds have certain properties thatcan be ,rneasutedfor example, loud-

, ness, pitch and regularity. The higherthe decibel rate, the higher the pitchor the more irregular the sound pat-

- tern,.the more anpoyi rig the sounrTape .record a variety of sounds from,different sources on a recorder. Playthem for the students. .

Ask the children tp. try todOentify thesounds.Discuss which ones you .considernoise. Why?List sounds thatyou consider pleasantand those you find annoying.

ACTIVITY 3.Reducing Sotind

Attach a buzzer or bell to, a 6-volt,baltery with wires so that it will pro-duce a. steady sound. Place on a table.nsten to it ring for 2 minutes.Place a layer of sponge between thebell and table. Listen to the loudnessof sound now, and compdre it with theloudness of the sound when thesponge was not used. Was the soundrjduced? Why?sk a gas station mechanic how a

Muffler works on a car:

yO

t:V.

!V

ENERGY CONSERVATION

Of all the environmental 'problems weface, the energy crisis may be the greatest.This problem will affect each of ,us andhow we live, work, travel and play formany years to come.

In simple terms, the problem is an in=sufficient supply of energy sources we useto run America's homes, factoriesiuchools,offices and the more than 112 million'motor vehicles on the road.

One reason for the energy gap is thetremendous 'increase in our energy de-mands. We Arnericans comprise. only 6%of the world's population, but we con-sume 33% of the world's' total energy,production." Today we use 36% moreenergy than we did 10 years ago; by 1285our country's annual requirements for en-ergy will nearly double what they were in °1971; by the year 2000 they are expectedto almost triple.'5

egting the energy challenge requires,research of production methods which are,consistent with oyr concerns for the envi-ronment and conservation practices by allof us.

14 Energy, America and You, U.S. Departrnent.of theAsk the custodian if acoustical tilesare used in the school and why.

Interior, Washington, D.C., 1972, p. 2. ;, 15 Ibid., . 1-2.

19

ACTIVITY 1: .

Using Solar Energy

-Smooth a sheet of foil inside a laigedeep bowl.Fill 1/4 of a test tube with water.Use a thermometer to determine thewater temperature. Record the temper-ature.Tie a string around the neck of thetest tube. Leave-a-long end of string.gicord. the temperature of the air inthe sun.Place-,the bowl in direct sunlight.Flnd the focus of the sun's rays OQ thebow1,..by -holding a white card infront of the bowl. The focus will bewhere you see a small circle of re-flected light on the card.,Hold the thermometer in: the focal

-

6,

j.

,

what benefits it offers the Community.Instruct the 4consery.4ionists" towrite local conservation societies tofind out how they lobby for the preser-vation of our natural environment.Have both groups prepare their argu-ments to prett before the towncouncil. ' ,

Consider:. ",'-'

As the comi'nunity grows, the sup-ply of electrical energy must,keeppace:The plafircbuld :provide additionaljobs which would benefit the com-munity. . IA wildlife and' naturearea will; be

.1destroyed. - .

The community will lose a -camping,- fishing and picnicking area.

sp t far a few seconds aq note the' Have the council vote upon, the issue,

and present its decisiOn to both.te perature change.Su pend the test tube in' the focal

zroups.Discuss your respOnsibilities as citi-

.stp t. . ,

--zens and consumers tp become in-est the temperature--ol the Water at '. volved in community- affairs such as-3-minute. intervals. 4-low' lOng does it-- . . . ,.. e .

take. for a significant temperature this one..,

Change?. ; 1 4

. Repeat the experiment 40,a-,hafy day. ., ACTIVITY 3:,CO,mparethe.results. e Energy Conservation .

. . Record re-Ailti ip;chartform.

A aI ' c

1. . ACTIVITY 2::. Conefvaio'niitsvs. ,

,..1Electric ompany , ,

. Have the children t. aice a list of, ways. they, and; their families- can conserve

'energy.. 'Ask them to find out from the schoolcustodian=how they can help save vi-er at School

Set up this problem forthe _class,: Anti

electric comb-any wantsto build..a fadil-' '

ity On the only available land in a parr..' ticular ireai.Thelind.provides a Tfuge'.:

for many .15inds of wildlife. ,Thii; corn.: ''..') pany: must state its case-3efore: t6 -'-

town 'counciVwhi'ah has the authority. to grant or "Cie'ri: the.tomPany's peti-

.: .`don. 1,061 conservationists oppose the-project their,reaso4

: for opposition.. '- .....

.,. Group the children into threebtego-0 '. ries:. electric company officials, conser-,',. vationists and town councirrepresenta-

-tives. . .

littruct the "tompany official's" to1, , white the local electric company' -to find

% out how it selects sites for' plants.and

, '20

rt

gy

: ,

, r

1 4

LITTER

Litter is an environmental problem thatcontributes to air, water, -and rand pollu-tion and adds to -the 'burdebsome costs ofsolid waste collection.

The cost to 'collect the litter' -whichthoughtless citizens discard is our nation'sparks' roads, .streets acid other publicplaces averages .$88 pep. tonmore Than

;four ;times the cost41ot collection of. resi-dential refuse.''

Likte'r is an environmental problem towhich children can relate easily. It's also.one they canhelp 'solve through activities

/that o fevisiblv results.

ACTIVITY 1:Litter: Patrol

For an action-oriented project:. Organize...the students into a Lirtei Pa-

trol' that on designated days picks uplitter on the school grounds. Carefullysupervise toilectivn of broken glass.Obtain sturdy 'Tags, ter litter collec-tion, have the youngsters wear protec-

-tive gloves, and use a broom and dust.pan to pick up broken glass.Design'. sppcialp armbands or badgesfor the patrollers..Keep .a photo record of the partici-.pants and their accomplishments..Consider maintaining .a point systemfor the amount' of litter each yOungster.--.4.,collects and at the end of each' monthpresent a certificate to the stuOent withthe most points.As a follow-up on litter collection,have your patrollers take on related ac-tivities, such as:

1. Designing anti-litter 'posters todisplayin class or school halls.(Ask local merchants to displaysome of them.)

2.. Staging an anti-litter skit for the.school. Show how "villainouslitterbugs," "Tommy Trash" or"Lulu the Litterbug," can befoiled by.concerteCpositive ef-forts of responsible students.

3. Writing compositions, poems 'orslogans on why schools havelitter problems and how to con-vince litterbugs to change theirways.

4 Designing a litter collage withslogans for the bulletin board..

5. Surveying the school grounds todetermine where the most littercollects. Use a 'compass foexact location. Make a 01

grounds "litter map" with keythat explains the kinds of litter.Discuss what factors affect thelocation of litterfor example:wind, traffic, recess.

r

o\-

16 The First Annual Report of the Council on En- 4.vironmental Quality, op. cit., p. 109.

\

1 21

r

-

t

-ice

`

17-

6. Making likficates of apprecia-tion as special awards for indi-viduals, groups or companieSthat are helping to improve andprotect our environment. Recip-ients might be: A Rest speaker,student, school custodian,newspaper publisher or parent. .

7. Constructing litter receptaclesfor the school..

ACTIVITYLitter Survey

If necessary, obtain.45-arents' permission forthis activity.

Identify, several nearby. , ,locatibrrswhere, litter is usua4.,,tound. Theschool grounds, a street corner, busstop, cafeteria or variety sfore might besuitable places.Prepare a survey checOist,so studentscan record observations. They. mightrecord details such as the time of day,date, and location pf their survey, theage and sex of 1,140terbugs they ob-serve. and the kind of litter discarded.At noon or some otheretime' of .daywhen you think there will be.passers-by at the locations, station students ingroups of two at the sites. Have themwatch for litter,bugs and record* theirobservatidns.

ryRepeat the survey on several days 'soe data will be reliable.

AC VITY.3:Community Cleanup

Organize a one-day cornrriunitycleanup. Ask parents to help Supervisethe project and haul, collected litter todisposal, sites-. Ask local merchants todisplay cleanup rrqsters in their storesand donate bags,'containers and pro-tective gloves. Solicit the participationof others in the *community. Contactlocal media to cover t4"event.

ACTIVITY 4:Recycling Collection . $

Locate a source which willaccept re-cyclable materials. If youe,communitydoes not have a recycling collectioncenter, find but if any trash collectionfirms or hauling dealers accept mate-rials to resell to commercial processingplants. Determine what kind of mate-rials (newspaper, bottles, cans) are ac-cepted, inquire about, handlingrequirements and arrange tor transpor-

. tation bf. materials.. ' 012 ta i n coniai.ners:lor the materials to

be ,collected.' Yo'u might use barrels,cartonS'orlaundry bags. Prepare label§for the containers. .

Obtain a supply of sturdy twine ifyou'll, be collecting newspapers .whichneed to be bundled. It you'll collect:4k,metals, obtain''.a 'magi % to Identifythem.For one-week have the children col-lect recyclable, materials they ind 40"the, way to school and durin recess.D not allow them to collect brokenglass or qther dangerous objectAfter the materials have be n col-lected' and transported to the rop-offpoint, hold a class diIcussion on theimportance of collecting litter f 'r recy-cling.

.

ACTIVITY' *S:Litter laws '

Have the class research litter 'I ws ofyour community. Are there fines for lit-'tering? Are he laOs enforced? Whenwere the laws made?Find Anit how people feel abodeposit, no-return cans andHow 'many would return beveragtainers to the store to collect drefund.

rs-

t no-ottles.

4con-posit

22 .16,

,

5.-ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNINGAND THE TOTAL CURRICULUM

The process of :developing environ-mental awareness,. understanding and val7ues. can be incorporated into all existing.,school curricula. The fact that environmen-tal concepts have. relevance to tile teach-ing of math, art, science,' social studies,and corrimurications in itself reinforcesthe idea of tVe "total world." A studentwill begin to understand- this interrela-tedness when he, for example, finds hehas learned something about ecologywhile collecting Materials for an art proj-

- ect.-Similarly, the teacher is likely to dis-cove/ that any given subject, when taltin this manner, inevitably. leads to consid-erationeration of other subjects.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Modern industrial, agricultural and socialdevelopments have worked many chantesin. our environment. What was the worldlike hundreds of 'thousands of years ago?Howhas* man's technological advance, orlack of it, affected the quality of life invarious countries? The ingenuity of man'stechnology is evidenced by the fact thatsimilar environmental problems are atxtacked in "a variety of ways depending 9nthe sociological variaiy of a pafticulararea.

The decimation of the bison by earlyU.S. frontiersmen produced positiveand neRtive effects on the physical'environment, animal habitats and In-dian life styles. How can this have hap-**pened?The Americin Indians were great con-servationists. Why is this true?'Many ecologists predict famine inIndia,. Pakistan, China and Egypt -by the

. 1980'4s due to burgeoning populations.Cultural as well as economic factorsare responsible for this crisis. Can thisprediction be reversed?

,

1

1

to

MATH.

A ,lesson which the student to rec-ognize things, their number and size; cangenerate new and realistic approaches tothe environment. For example, a lessonwhichasks the student to. count the differ-ent kinds ,of plant life he sees and to *ar-range them into sets of similarities not°only heigMens the student's awareness ofplant lifelIut also clarifies for him a basicand,highly useful math skill.

Staistics ?are 'actua ly numbers ar--rianged Irn patterns. Lesso in number ar-rangements can help th student detectthese patterns in his own world. Suth les-sons show him how to group objects intocertain number relationships that revealwhat objects shoul4 or should not bepresent in glirrotihdings and in writquantities.

Eventually, objects perceived ibet language will help the studentwhat he considers the total environs;to all 'the interactions of his surroundin

'N.'

The concept of measurement can bevisualized whempac* g plants, buying

fente to enclose a *et/bed, readinggrass seed to cover area, planning a

thermsgbeters, measuring the circum-ference of a tree, building birdhouses,

. weighing litter or mapping the school' grounds:

Skill in the construction and use ofcharts and graphs can be acquiredwhile studying, temperature variations,population changes, seed distributiorrair inversion indices, consumption offuel, etc.

,ih

23

a4

fir

LANGUAGE 'ARTS

The relevance of environmental learning tothe student's everyday life is motivationfor further inquiry, especially by reading.

Use encyclopedias or other -referencebooks to find out: information aboutplants, animals and human environ-ments other than your own:,'Design 'spelling lessons to comple-ment environmental studies.Write newspaper articles about envi-ronmental projects and activities.Keep records, diaries and logs ofpersonal environmental experiencesand projects.

.

Give reviews and reports of enviroh-mental books.

" Write letters to govenment officials- and organizations and to private aim-

- panies seeking information or invitingspeakers.

: Hold essay ,contests on environmentalprobIttrris and possible solutions.Write"Ocisinal skits. or playssuch as:'The invasion- of the Green Poltufers"--L-"Li(te?bug Convention." Costumescal-t .*be fashioned from cardboardSt.) mailing tubes and -other dis-

c "car ed materials.,s Creat;, games, puziles, or 'phonics

rillha. .. .

.4..4 4*word ois

h the environment, and its in-s subjects.cabulary skills by ' listing

escriptive Of trees, animals,flowers, a blade --of" grass, a water-

.

rounded pebble, a spider web.Newspapers in general, and editoiials

'anfcartoons in particular, are excelleritteaching. resources for environmentallearninN They provide immediacy andthinking. After learning to interpret ed-itorial cartoons, students can createtheir own expressing ideas abOtit theerronment. Some of this work couldbe prepared as transparencies for over-heacrprojection for class discussions.,,

24'

ki

<,fr

0,

ART

Children ,can be helped to see the emvi-ronmenrin new ways through the focus ofdifferent tart forms. Asked to interpret'what he sees in a creative way and accord-ing to his dibice of mediums the studentwill come up with. his own unique insightsand feelings. He can also observe the greatvariety of ways his classmates interpret thesame environment.

.

Leaf Prints

Leaves can be used to make many'kinds of prints, Pin leaves to papercardboard and spray painrthem; orPut leaf, vein side up, on a piece ofcardboard. Place a thin piece of paperover the leaf, and rub with a crayon,orUse ozalid paper for prints. This papercan be bought in any,art s,upply store;it does not fade as quickly as blueprint

"paper. The leaf is put on the paper.usually .on,, a ,hard surface such as abook; expbse' the paper to sunlight for

\Opou,tf' 15 secd,nds.. Remove leaf, andput the ,print in alarge gallon. con-tainer. Inside the large jar put` a smalljar filled with 'fiot4ehold ammonialeave this jar open; the fumes -of theammonia will set the print. Cover forseveral,mir tes.

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Tie-Dyeing

Natural dyes can be made frOm many' f things found in woodland areaspokeber-

ries, walnut hulls; dandelions, etc. Use big. White handkerchiefs and try tie dyeing.

- .Spore Prints .

Spore prints 'cAn be made from musk-roorns.ltut off thd cap of the mushroorn.Put. the?p3 down on apiece of whitepaper.A.arid cover 'the, cap with a glass.Leave at 'least 24 hours. The spores willdrop down to the paper and leave a printof many.tiriy spores. Prints can be pre-served by spmt),Ag with plasticspray.

Wooden

Pins or pendants can be made from."slices" of wood. The slices can be cutfrom a limb about 2 or 3 inches in diame-ter, Sand the surface to show the woodgrain. A pin can be glued to the back, orsmall. holes drilled on each side andthreaded with cord to hang around theneck. Tile student's name can.be Printedon the .pin for Ecology Club meetings, oras Litter Patrol badges. The same 'slice canbe used' to make I CARE buttoRs. Aftersanding, glue a 'small nature picture orstamp on the wood. Above the picturewrite I CARE with a magic marker, thesewords stand for I Care About Resour'cesrveryday. Finish with plastic spray or var-nish.

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Rubbings

Lfse a newsprint quality paper and crayonto make rubbings of natural objectsstreebarks, 'sidewalk' textures,. pebbles, twigs,etc.

'Collages

ColleC't many natural items such as twigs,roots, pebbles, grains, grasses, berries,acorns, driftwood, soil, etc.*Positibn theseitems into a pleasing arrangement on apiece. of heavy cardboard. Spread whiteglue on the board and-reposition the itetri sonto the glue. Allow to dry 24 hours be-fore hanging. .

Imaginative Creatures

Again the student should collect naturalmaterials, especially unusual shapes. Havethe student examine diem and put thepieces: together to 'farm a real imaginarycreature. Driftwood Or rock could serve asa base for the creature While roots andgnarled branches would.make interestingbodies. Use an "acorn 'eye," a "berrynose," etc. Glue will hold the pieces to-gether. Wrile'a poem or. story about thecreature. 4

Stone Structures -

\Collect small stones. With white glue, gluetive stones together in abstract or realisticdesigns. Paint can be used for adding eyes,nose and similar details.

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6..SCHOOL SITE DEVELOPMENT

' Much information' about the environ-ment can be learned from text books, lee-

. 'tures and discussions, but the only way togive truly rele'ant meaning to these con- J.cepts is to go out of doors. In the out-door classroom children can learn directlyfrom the natural environment as well asabout it. It is not necessary to take lengthytrips by bus to distant locations to accom-plish this goal; the best place to start isthe school site itself. _ .

There is always a great deal that canbe learned on t4e schooj.grounds, no mat-ter how barrenc* unexciting a site mightappear at first. A dandelion growing froma crack in the sidewalk, s a fine exampleof adaptation and survival. A plant bend-ing around a brick wall to escape the,shade will look quite different- from itsbrother growing in full sunlight. Trees and

. bushes of any type can bey.s.ed to showsimilaliti4 and differences in' plant andanimal Mbitats. Every school site will con-tain types of habitats, and through thesethe basic ideas of ecology can be taught.Many of the problerns.that we face in theenvironment today can be seen, in minia-ture, on most school sites.'

The study of the school building itselfcan illustrate how man has taken naturalresources and changed them to fit hisneeds. The numbers of, workers repre-sented by the materials and product can

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be a lesson in The school custodiancan explain the problems and funchehingof the school's facilities.

Some schools 'ar fortunate in havingwooded acreage and en streams withwhich to work, while othe chools, usuallyinnemity, have to work with minimal, areasand possibly look to vacant lots and smellparks for extended study. Still each physi-cal site will offer unique opportunities-ofdiscovery and investigation.

After the school grounds have beensurveyed and explored as a micro-commu-nity and the students begin to see environ-mental problems on a larger scale, an ef-fort can be rrlade to go on. field trips tosee,larger natural communities:

Dealing with the schoOl and schoolsite also provide opportupities to relatetheir environmental conditions to the sur-rounding neighborhood and the commu-nity at largefor instance, the relationshipof water supply and waste, or the rela-tionship of power generation and supplythroughout the community.

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PLANNING RESOURCESMATERIALS

4

Eich.school site presents individual possi-bilities as welt as individual problems. Theteacher should filst:

1. Survey the grounds to see whatresources are available, what environmen-tal problems are present and .what Mod-'tiles of conservation and beautification canbe constructed. If possible, invite a consul-tant to help you identify these things. The

0Department pf 41he Interior and the De-partment of 4riculture have speciallytrained experts who will give a school Pro-

: fessional itIvice on planniilg,' landscapingand more complete use of tke-existingte-sources. The school custodia ora repre-sentative frorri the Department" of Build-ings and Grounds can also give youadvice. It is desirable that parents be in-volved as., much as possible in both theplanning and actual execution of tI3e pro-gram. 4

2. After consultation, prepare a listof realistic goals that can .12e accomplishedwithin a specific time peridd. These she, uldinclude study areas, coriseryationbeautification plans. Details of these plansshould be worked out with the children sothat investigatibns and activities are mean-ingful and provide interesting personal in-volvement.

3. Make an inventory of tools andequipment that the school owns; find outwhlt additional 'resources are availablefrom the Department of Buildings andGrounds Such things as steel and leafrakes, shovels, hoes, hand trowels, wheel-barrows, hose, watring cans, and pruningshears are allinecessaty for, planting activi-ties. Determine if funds are available forsuch things as mulch, topsail,.grass 'seeds,fertilizer, shrubbery, floWer seeds, trees. Iftot, can these things be obtained from'focal garden clubs, civic organizations,merchants or the city goveinment? Perhapsa fund-raising activity could be planned bythe children to buy these things.

4. Lessons out-of-doors scan be ashort ten minutes or a series of long-rangeactivities designed to develop a specialconcept,,but they must be planned aheadof .time. Practice of certain skills such asrecording data or prpper use of materialsand equipment should first take place inthe classroomEach student should knowthe purpose: of the on-site activity andknow his role in,it. Whether working indi-viduallyor in a group., he should have aspecifit task and, if possible, a simpledatasheet to record his information. If thesetasks are ,well-planned Anil the atmosphereat the site is relaxed and easy-going and ifthere' is adequate follo-up, the expeti-'

ence can be a positive one for all con-,cerned. Most students will be eager. to

seek similar experiences.

SurveyChildren carr take an initial survey of.grounds as a group. Ask them to observe.caNdlly and make notes on what theythink could be st'udied or problems thatcould be worked on.

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Mapping .Students can later 'map the schoolgrounds, including landmarks and existingtrees, shrubbery, streams, and rock forma-,tions. Mapping provides an excellent op-portunity to teach or reinforce measure-ment skills. This actiAty can be extendedto pacing and other arbitrary units ofmeasure,compass and directional games,map conettions, contour mapping, crosssection mapping and model making. TheU.S. Geological Survey will send a mapskills teaching kit free of charge upon re,-quest.

. .-

Jree IdentificationExisting trees and shrubs can be identifiedand labeled. The students can get helpfrom such sources as the school's land-scaping plans, tree guide or other refer-ence books, the custodian,-parAits or anaturalist. Labels should not be nailed intothe tree but hung around it on wire orcord/

, Adopt-A-TreeChildren can individually "adopt" a tree oftheir choice on the grands, or the wholeclass can adopt a tree to care for. Instructthem to observe it closely,look at leaves,bark, insect holes, -dead branches, newgrowth. They ran keep an on-going recordof the seasonal changes in the tree by anobservation once a month to record allchanges. This record 'should' include meas-urement of the girth and, if possible,height of the tree; photographs; drawings;

'leaf prints and bark °rubbings. If there's 4problem of disease or dead limbs, studentscould write or call the _proper city orschool service.

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Tree Observations1. Observe bark layers for texture thick-

ness and color to see how, the outerlayer hs protect 'trees against inju:-OS: cadged by animals, people and. in-sects.

2. Observe insect holes, tunnels andother signs of damage to Lead to a dis-,

of timber management pr c-.

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fr. tites and the econorrric.value of woodproducts.

3. Look for seedling trees and note underwhat condition they seem to be thriv-ing:

4. If a stump is available, count the ringsin the, wood to determine how longthe-tree grew.

5., Look for expose,d tree roots oran up-rooted tree. Note the mass of fibrousroots that absorb moisture and miner-als from the soil and the heavy. rootswhich anchor the tree to the 'ground.

.Many trees have moss or Shelf fungigrowing on the bark. Investigate whatthis may mean in the life cycle of ,,thetree.

7. Exatnine old logs or pies of woodthat are being decomposed by fungi orinsects: These organismi are freeingthe minerals in the wood, returningthem to the soil in the life cycle of thetree. 4

Survey Plant VariationsA survey can be made of the plant varia--%'tions on the school 'grounds by selectingone leaf from each kind of vegetatiost ob-served. The specimens can be pressedunder heavy books for two weeks, thenmounted on cardboard and covered withplastic, spray or plastic wrap. If studentsare interested, samples can be identifiedfrom nature books.

4

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'Evidences of Animal Life4 and Habitats

Insect life abounds Or) a) school 'sites.Children can make drawings of as manyinsects as they can finda clear'plastic pillvial can hold the insect while it is beingsketched. Check carefully for signs of bur-rows and tunnels in hollows, sides ofbanks, around tree roots, under dimps ofvegetation. .Make notes on the ap earance

band location of findings. Droppings are ev-Idence of animal life, as are tracks, feajjers, fuor bones.

Insect CollectionInsect collections can be made by:1. Cutting fly paper into squares and fas-

tening them to leaves, tree trunks anddebris to make a sticky trap.

Q. Leaving a board on the ground;'checkunder it in a week.

3. Making an insect-killing jar, which4is ajar with a tight cover and a smallpiece of cotton 'soaked in alcohol orcarbon tetrachloride inside: The fumeswill suffocate the insect quickly; theinsects can then be ginned to a

mounting board or to thq, inside of acigar box and labeled.,

4. Capturing insects with a net . madefrom a cpat hanger and nylon stock-ing.

5. Placing some small insects in a jar towhich soil has been added. Small air 1

holes in the cover will keep themalive.

Soil Studies

1.' Look for earthworm casts, little pilesof earth left on the surface as theearthworm makes its tunnels. Earth-worms are valuable soil conditioners:they take plant material. down into theearth where it breaks up to help formsoil. The tunnels conduct air and moil -cure to the soil.Look for signs of erosion where watermay have washed topsoil from highspots to lower ones; gullies may showwhere running water carried this soildown the slope. This can become apractical problem - solving conservationproject.

3. Dig a hole with a spade to determinethe depth of the 'topsoil. Use a handlens to note that it is composed ofmineral particles mixed with bits ofplant and animal remains. Comparethe topsoil with the subsoil; whichconsists largely of mineral particles.Point out that it may take more thanthree hundred years for an inch of'topsoil to form in our climate; thendiscuss the importance of conservationof soil as a resource.

4. Testing soil to determine pH and nu-trient values helps the student un-derstand the importance of soil -com-position and the 'need for soilconservation.

5. Lichens on rocks offer an opportunityto study the first stages of soil build-ing. Rock "ankles can be formed inmany ways, but until organic matter ismixed with the rock material, tio true-soil is fOrmed.

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Sundials 4.

Sundials made frcirrY, a length of old pipeand a half circle of-painted concrete helpchildren understand movement of the sunand change of seasons. Observations inthe time of day can be marked Off withchalk, string or water satiable paint.

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CONSERV6TIOE4 ANDBEAUTIFICATION ACTIVITIES

. AppreciationIf students work on the landscaping of theschool sites, there is a much better chancethat the bushes, flowers and trees will notbe tprn down or destroyed. When a stu-dent feels invold in a constructive envi-ronmental program, he is less likely to be

*destructive.Although the focus for elementary

grades is primarily on awareness and appre-ciation,, it is appreciation for the, beauty of

-' the site heightened by a knowledge of itsparts and delight in new skills -developedwhile working on it.

Planning

Conservation and beautification projectscan be as ambitious in scope as develop-ing a nature trail or as simple as planting aflower bed. The' key factor in all such proj-ects is planning. Good planning beginswith a look at the available resources andthe possibilities for developing varied

ledrning situations. Resource specialists cancontribute information on soils, suitableplants, indigenous tre4 and bushes, plant-ing procedures and necessary equipment.Projects should be planned so that failures

. (to be expected and analyzed) are kept toa minimum. Safety is important. Make sureyou are aware of all potentially hazardousareas and provide precaUtion'ary measures.The proper handling of tools should also

I be a learning experienee. In any of the fol-lowing project ideas, it is important that:

1. All tools and equipment be in acentral location, labeled, andresponsibility delegated for as-semblage.

2. The tools and eqJipmentneeded for: a specific activityare readied almead of time.

3. Each, child know his. role, in theactivity. Thirty-five childrencannot dig in one spot at onetime. If you are reseeding alawn, one group could put top-soil into wheelbaws; onegroup shovel soil; one scattergrass seed; one rake, seedevenly; one scatter mulch; onewet down with hose. Otherchildren might cohstruct a

twinelence around the area or,prepare "Keep' Off .the- Grass"signs. All should have some de-

of involvement.4. 'Students should do as much of

the actual work as-possible.

school site developmentfor ecology study

$

KEY 00 treebuilding o a bushes

NI weather rtlairpollutionf °vier- bed L5..1 station L11 station

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Projects1. Grass SeedingAreas where grass has

worn away due lo traffic patterns orball playing den be reseeded, and al-ternate use of the area can be planneduntil grass grows.

2. Ground cover, ivy or carpet junipers,can be planted on eroded areas. -

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3. Trees, shrubs or bushes can be plantedin strategic. locations on the ground: a 8.windbreak in .fro9t of a dusty. playing 4

field, a flowering dogivood in the cen-ter of a courtyard, evergreens as a bor-der of a driveway or a large deciduous

'shade tree in front of a sunny windbw. ,

4: Flowers can be 'plinted in almost anyconceivable spot.*. periment With pat-.terns such as circles or rectangles. Plan,,ahead for springtime by planting tulip;daffodil and 'crocus bulbs in the fall. '

Flowers can be planted from.seed di-rectly into the ground, or they can bestarted in flats in the classroom and /transferred outside at the apprdpriate

, time. If planting in a semi-shaded Area, .

6e sure you choose an approrateplant.

mulched, and trees ;shrubbery or flow-ers can brighten urban school blacktop'areas.

The upkeep of planted -areas on 'thegrounds can be undertaken by weed-ing and mulching under 'trees andbushes. Wounds in .trees may betreated with creosote to.prevent insectdamage:.

Chalk marks antl:grafitti on the outsideof buildi & are an increasing problem..A wash- p, paint-up, sweep-up projectwith spo ..ges, brushesofind paint mighthelp. Tie are commercial,"grafitti-remoyer" cleaners on the' market aswell. *-

Reminders:.Whatever projects are undertaken, be surethat a photo record is kept of "before,""during" arid "after" activities. If slides areused, they ,could be ,the focal point for aschool assembly to motivate, participationon a school-wide basis. ,

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5. 'If outdoor space is a problem, buildVACANT LOTS ,:EST POCKET'simple flower boxes to put in the win-

dows of the" classroom or schoolper-haps the custodian or a 'parent couldhelp with their placement.

6. A portion of .the school grounds mightbe allotted to mini-gardens. Mini-gar-dens can contain vegetables, flowers,combinations of bosh. or. even a vege-

. tation study area depicting a forestedregion:grasslands, desert or cropland.Keep in mind thkt this can be accom-

. plished in a minimal area as small as200 square feet. These mini-gardenscan also be started in very early springin the classroom. Any type of contain-ers can be usedbushel baskets, pails,buckets, cardboard boies ;lined withplastic, plailtei of any type. Be surethe containers have drainage holes andare not overwatered. Classroom mini-gardens 4have the advantage of beingmobile to follow the sun. Railroad ties

, piled into box ,form, filled with soil,

PARKS URBAN TRAILS4If the school site is inadequate foi' your

. plans, took for a vacant Jot in the vicinity.If using a vacant !at or private property,permission must be secured from the,owner. Arrangpments should be made forinsurance or statements of liability by theschool stating that' the study area wouldbe treated as any school area and that theowner in no way be table for accidents. Itshould also be ricked that the childrenwould not use the area except under su-petvision and that nothing would be cutor destroyed. The ovine; should be thor-oughly apprised of the types of activitiesto be undertaken.

The entire process of obtaining per-fnission? setting up ground rules and, ofcourse, thanking the owner, should be theresponsibility of the students.

, In an urban area -where parks are(often at a minimum, the. possibility of de-

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veloping a vest-pocket fade might be ex-plored. City, state 'and federal fiihds areoften available for communities that wantto establish small neighborhood parks. Ifland is available and the need for such apark exists, it might be possible for thestudents to conduct a. campaign to gainsupport. for the idea. The curriculum possi-bilities are endless in such an activity!'

in language, arts letters to the.mayor and other elected offi-cials suggesting such a .park,making a proposal, planning the

ti park, talking to people thecommunity..

in mathematics determiningthe size of the rea, making costestimates, map ing.

in science hat plants andtrees are alre dy there? What*other planting would be com-patible?

in social studies how wouldthe park benefit the community ;.How do people feel about apark? What problems mightthere be? How cOulcilhey beovercome?

Another project for city schools couldbe to construct a planned walk in man-,made surroundings. Just like a nature trail,a city block is composed of air, earth,water and popu:lations. You can see varie-ties of these elements in any man-madesetting. Instead of plants and trees, oneobserves houses, telephone poles', signs.

o Instead of animals and insects, one ob-serves people and their habits. Instead ofnoticing how the natural elements interactto britlg growth and change in fa naturetril,...one considers how the patterns ofelectric lines; sewage units and generalcity planning ensure nian's adaptation to

°his environment. Local representatives ofthe Department of Hods:Mg' and UrbanDevelopment and local city planners canprovide valuable assistance in creatingyour urban environmental trail. ChildrencAn analyze the needs of people living. inthe city and determine how and if theseneeds are met.

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FAMILY PARTICIPATION

Parents should be ,iiivolved in yourenvironmental learning program Oheneverpossible. A periodic newsletter for parentscould be a lass language arts activity. Thechildren could summarize completed ac-tivities, discuss on-going projects and out-line future plans. They could inform their'parents about environmental concerns andalso point up ways in which parentslmighthelp. A newsletter' is also "a good way tosolicit tools and materials, as well as sug-gestions, advice and goodwill.

Involving the family unit in improvingthe quality ,of the environment should notprove difficult and can be as simple assaving bottles, cans and newspapers for re-cycling, or as.dramatic as agreement onreducing air pollution by not using thefamily car egcept for essential trips. Per-haps everyone could agree, to try a flyswatter to kill insects instead of a spray

^ can of insecticide, and a Concerted familyeffort to conserve energy can effectiVely

\ELit utility bills.While 4-11 such fam ily activities are

conimendable in,that they attack the exist-ing problems, perha s their greatest con-ibution is that they elp form sound con-servation attifudes. parents show a

cohcern for the kind f world theit chil-dren will inherit, it is ikely that the chil-dren themselves will a opt the same posi-tivi values.

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.*8.'SCHOOLWIDEPROGRAMS

M1164111

ARBOR'DAY PTA TFT,

You will probably find that yourenvironmental learning program will havefar reaching effects within the school. Thevery nature of -the activities that it engen-ders will soon. aye other classes andteachers asking uestions of how they,too, can get involv d. The John y HorizonClassroom Kit con ins a lette outlining

414 organizational steps r a schoo wide en-vironmental program .s well as manyother helpfsil ideas. It is ailab upon re-quest to all teachers.` Writ hnny Hori-zon Program, U.S.,pepartment of the Inte-rior, Washington, E.C.D X0240.

Any envirora-?nental learnin programor -cleanup campaign will have a greaterdegree df success if the entire school com-munity; including the PTA, participates. Ev-eryone can take part in observing'nationalconservation or ecology daysi such as theJohnny Horizon,'76 Environmental Month(September 15 to October 15), NationalWildlife Week, or 'Arbor Day, to mentiona few. The planting of trees on Arbor Daycould be an event where parents andfriends are invited to participate. Organi-

krri zations such as the State Forest Servide, orlocal garden clubs will sometimes supplyfree trees or. seedlings.

ECOLOGY CLUBS

needs of a number of students and by pro-ding opportunities for many students tolearn leadership skills. Meetings can beheld after school as an extra-curricula ac-tivity or as an extension of the scienceprogram. Members should select a suitablenamethe 13yE's' (Protect Your Environ-ment), Ecoclub, the Johnny Horizon Club,,the I Care Club, etc. Badges, decals, hatsor T-shirts displaying the club's -name orsymbol Wiould strengthen this identifica-tion.

You will also need to establish an.------effective means of communication to keep

the members inrormed of meetings, and"happenings.". Most of the activities in this bookletare applicable to ecology clubs, but thestudents will soon initiate prctects on theirown.

A club is an alternative means of workingwith students who are interested in envi-ronmental learning. Such clubs fit in wellwith individualized instruction modules by.offering a variety of activities to 'meet the

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FUND RAISINGThe time will come when you will find .

that materials are not available for some ofyour projects. You and the students mightwant to purchase a supply df bird feedand lumber to make feeders, shrubbery fora beautification project or additional envirronmental education materials, for theschool. Appropriate fund-raising activitiescould be:

a candy or bake salea car wash for faculty and/orcommunitymaking jewelry from aturalobjects and selling ita . community yard cle n-up

'servicecollecting large-mouth, gallonjars from restaurants and makihgand selling terrariumsa recycling campaigna music festival of amateur orprofessional, eRtertainersa school yard fait or carnivalselling flower seedlings that.have been started in the class-roomat- Christmas, making and sell-ing simple wreathsat .,Ei§ter, selling dafgdils orplants started by the students.

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JohnnyHcirizon-'76

Let'sClean UpAmericaFor Our200thBirthday

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9. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION)

A measure of the success Of 'an envi--,zonmental . learning program will be theamount of effort and enthusiOm shown bythe studerits. To keep the -interest high,there should be is much recognition ofachievement aspossible.

Display of projects and activi-ties should be visible at all timesin the classroom; ecology centeror the hall bulletin boards.If your school has newspa-per, all activities.should be 'mi.parted.Local newspapers can be called

, to inform therri of the program.They may want to give coverageto some of the larger activities.Write to the Johnny HorizonProgram to let them know whatyou are doing. Th'e informationcan be published in the Pro-

' gram's News-Gram.Let local civic and garden ass6-ciations-know- so they can giverecognition to the children's pl-forts.Enter the President's Environ-mental Award Contest spon-sored by the ,EnvironmentalProtection Agency, Washington,D.C. .

If your city government spon-sors an environmental awardscontest, enter your projects.Be sure, to include environmen-tal achievement awards in yourschool's Awards "Day ceremony.The Johnny Horizora Programwill be glad to send you the ap-propriate certificates. These aresome that are available:

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National AwardGiven to anorganization or individual for anevent of national significance.Usually awarded but , once ,'a

year and presented by the Sec-retary of the Interior.

Enviionmental AwardAwardedto groups, individuals or indus-trieswFro have completed out-standing_ .projects involving an

ntire-region of state.

ponsor CertificateFor organi-zations that endorse the Objec-tives et-the Program, use JohnnyHorizon materials, and developor conduct one or more envi -ronmental /ecological program.

_ Certificate of AppreciatjonAwarded to individuals, groups

f9r service to .--the community in carrying out C,f-::.-__,,,:,..

,cleanup, beautification or anti-pollution education program.

(Classroom Participation Certifi\cateFor classroom use; spaceprovided for listing each stu-dent's name.

'Partner Certifieate-Awarded toindividuals who have pledged tosupport the Johnny Horizonprogram by word or deed. Espe-cially appropriate for children.

Shoulder Patch Presented toyouthouadult groups dr to indi-viduals for Veal projects. Mayalso be presenteto individualmernbers_of a, group receivingJohnny Horizon awards. Patchesavailable in limited quantitiesonly.- A local Grogram sponsor,may_pux5hase large quantitiesdirectly froM manufacturer.

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40. ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS,MATERIALS AND SOURCES

Many helpful pamphlets an &pts canbe obtained from these sour c

-7*.

AIR

Air Pollu'ilaLcontrol Association4400 5th' AvenuePittsburgh, P. 15213

CitizenS for Clean Air .-40 W. 57th StreetNew York, New York 10019

BEAUTIFICATION

ardert-Club of America8 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

FOREST AND CONSERVATION

The-Wilderness. Society729 15th Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20005

NOISE

Citizens for a Quieter City.150 Amsterdam Avenue, N.New York, New York 10023

POPULATION 7Zero Population Growth,367 State Street,Los Altos, California 94022,

WATER )

Water Pollution control federation3900 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20005

Water Resources Council2120 L Street, N.W,

. Washington,. D.C. 20037

WILDLIFE AND ANIMALS .;

. National Wildlife Federation1412 16th Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 26036

Sport Fishing Institute608 13th'Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20005

National AudiuboreSociety950 3rd AvenueNew York, New York 10022

Izaak Walton League of America1800 North Kent StreetArlington, Virginia 22209

GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAND INFORMATION

National Center for Resource Recovery,Inc.

1211 ConnAticut Avenue, N.W.Wapington, D.C. 20036

The Sierra Club220 Bush StreetSan FrancisCo, California 94104

Friends of the Earth 1

30-East .42nd StreetNew York, New York 1007

Epvironmental Action Committee2010 P Street, N.W., Rm. 200Waifiington, D.C. 20036

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

These agencies dissemirihte informationfilms and materials for school orclub use,Write for particular req.uestt o4 general in-

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formation.

Johnny Horizon '76 ProgramU.S. Department of the InteriorWashington, D.C. 20240

Soil Conservation ServiU.S. Department of AgricWashington, D.C. 20242

Environmental Protection AgencyWaterside Mall

' 401 M Street, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20460

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National Industrial Pollution CgntrolCouncil

US. Department of Commerce14th Street & Constitution Ave., N.W.Washington, D.C. 20230

N'ational ParkService 'U.S. Department of the InteriorWashington, D.C. 20240 .

Office of Enviionmental Education and ,Interpretation

Fish and Wildlife Service'U.S Department of the InteriorWashington, D.C. 20240 . aile4-':

Bureau of Larid ManagementU.S. Department of the InteriorWashington, D.C. 20240

jBureau of Outdoor Recrea onU.S. Department of the Int riorWashington, D.C. 20240

/PUBLICATIONS

You can Write to the magazines and news-letters for sample copies or- subscriptionrate information. Yourpublic library willhave some of these and other periodicals.

4 ,',Avdubon MagazineNational Audubon Society950 Third 4wenueNew York, New York 10022

fco-News110r235,East 49th Street /

New York, New York 10017

En,vironmental Action..1346 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

Room 731Washington, D.C. 20036

lyst for Environmental Quality. Madison Avenue

, TRADE ASSOCIATIONS i N p `INDUSTRIES

Materials are available on individual com-pany's involvement in environmental'protection and on specific roblem areas.

The Aluminum Association750 Third AvenueNew York, New York 10017

American Iron and Steel Instit te

New York, New York -150 East 42nd Street

10017"I

iiAmerican Petroleum Institute1801 K Street,- N.W.Waghinon, D.C. 20036Ameri n Forest industries1619 Massachusetts Avenue,Washington, D.Ct 20036

American Paper Institute, 260 Madison Avenue

New Yorks, New York 10016-

Glas Container Manufacturers InStitute330 Madison AvenueNew"York, New York 10017

National Solid Was te Management Assoc:1145 19th Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20030

Society of the Plastics Industry250 Park AvenueNew York, New York 10017 ,

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NeiYv York, New York 10016

National Park and Conservation Magazine1701 18th Street, N.W.Washington, D.C, 20009

Conservation "News'Nationalyildlife Federation1412 16th Street,N.W.

...AWashington, D.C. 20036

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Environment,Scientists Institute for Public InformationP.O. Box 755Bridgeton, Missouri 63044

Environmental Education RepOrt1621 ConnecticutAve, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20009

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SUGGESTED READING..

Do not spend a lot of tune gatheringtons df material. Start with a fen/ good .

things, and let your own needs determinewhere you go from there. Excellent curric-ulum guides are available from manysources. some of them free upon reqyest.inquire It the curriculum department ofyour State 'board of education.

A complete liiting is impossible, buthere are some publications that may provehelpful.

All Around You Teacher's guide 'with stu-dent text pages. Grades 3-8. SinglecoPies free. (Bureau eof Land Manage;ment, U.S. Department of the interior,Washington; D.C. 20240)

Kingsport Project Community-based envi-I ronmental studies. (Jack Rhoton, Co-..

ordinator, Environmental Education,Kingsport City Schools, Kingsport, Ten-

, r nessee 37664)

Using the.School and'Community as Env,-.rontnental Study Areas Teacher's.

, guide sarli. student activities, Grades, K-6. Nasfirrille Metro Schools,Environ-

* mental EducatiO0 Department,. Nash-ville,,Tennessee 37202.

Essence --Teacher's guide, K-6. Values on-.

ented idea and activity cards, $10-.00per set. (American Geological' Insti-itte, 2201 M Street, N.W., Washing-tbn, D.C. 20037)

Examining Your Er virontnent SeriesPol-lution, Mini-Climates; Ecology; Trees,Ards, Running Water, Wentworth, D.F.,,Couchman, 3. K. A series of paper

' biCk texts covering' many aspects ofthe environment in depth. Grades 4-6.$3.25 each. (Mine Publications, inc.,

' 25 ,Gtoveland Terrace; Minneapolis,"4 Minnesota 55403)

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Series of Environmental UnitsVacant LotStudies, Man's HabitatThe City, Na-ture Hunt, Nature's Art,,Habitat Study,Plant Puzzles, Minnesota Environmen-tal Education Series. Environmentalactivity ideas fbr teacher and student.Grades 3-6. Paperback book. $1:50each. (National Wildlife Federation,1412 16th Street, N.W., Washington,D.C. 20036)

* U.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1974 0.4344.7111

-for sole by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, WoshIngton. D.C. 26-402.Price $1.25 St Number 2400:00805

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12. AUDId-VISUAL AIDS.L

Make uselof the audio-visual materialsthat are available in your school system. Ifyou need additional materials, here aresome suggested films that should provehelpful.

Your Environment Is The Earth-13 minutes.Shows ecology as the relationship ofliving things to one another and theirenvironment by examining' the desert,prairie, tundra and rain forest. (JournalFilms, 909/ West Diversey Parkway,Chicago, Illinois 60614) ,

Conservation: A013-For Young America-19minutesPAn action-oriented film thatoffers proposals for getting' studentsinvolved in environmental cleanupand conservation. It shows a group ofchildren planting trees, collecting lit-ter, building birdhouses and cleaninga stream. (Contemporary-McGraw HillFilms, 1221 Avenue of the Americas,New York, New York 10020)

Conservation: For The FirsrTime-9 minutes. '"Made by children, this fjlm shows agreat sensitivity to theenvironnlientand the necessity of conservation byall people. (Contemporary-McGrawHill Films, 1221 Avenue of the Amer-icas, NeW York, NeW York 10020)

41116.

From Start to finish 10 minutes. Tells thestory of a girl's visit to a nature center.She narrates about the animals ,andtheir part in nature's recycling system.Words of the narrator are superim-posed on the screen for reading prac-tice. (ACI Films, Inc., 35 West 45thStreet, New York, New York 10024)

SteelThe Recycled Material-10 minutes.Illustrates the importance of solidwaste recycling. Reports on what thesteel industry 4lid many communities

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are doing now to reclaim, recycle andreuse steel. (Association - Sterling Films,866 Third Avenue, New York, NewYork 10022)

ico/ogy At Work:-AStudy of the Sea OtterThree 15-minute filThstrips. Study, ofotter's habitat, life cycle and behavioradaptations. (Custom Service Depart-ment, Schloat Productions, 15d White

,Plains Road, Tarrytown, New York10591)

' Sod Busters-29 minutes. Explores the pio-neer ethio that Americans have arightto grow, expand and profit. (Audio-Visual Center, Indiana Unirsity,Bloomington, Indiana 47401)

The Redwood Trees-15 minutes. Gives thehistory; ecology and socio-economicimportance of redwood treesand theimportance of preserving naturzfr re-sources. (Arthur Burr Productions, Inc.,P.O. Box 7-C, Pasadena, California91104)

City Life-29 minutes. Urban specialist LewisMumford expounds the view that peo-ple living ig a city must get involvedso that the 'city's social environmentwill reflect their needs. (Audio-Visual.Center, Indiana University, Bloomirt-ton, Indiana 47401)- .

,Energy and Matter,-9 minutes. Introduces a.

few important energy concepts, in-/:cluding: the sun as a source of all'enaergy; the, ability of energy to changefork's; the fact that ,energy and matterate essentially one and .the same. (Con-temporary-McGraw Hill' Films, 1221Avenue of the America's, New York,klew York 10020)

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Life In A Vacant Lot-10 rtrinutes. The settingis an urban. vacant lot which housescomplex food chains between twotowerinz apartment building. Oneday, buildozersome to the lot to be-

, gin construction of another building.(Encyclopedia / Britannica EducationCorp., 425 North Michigan Avenue,Chicago, Illinois 60611)

Turn Off Pollition-11 minutes. Children,

identify pollution as a problem inneed of a solution. They make-tipstersand write letters to Congressmen. (En:.cyclopedia Britannica Education Corp.,425 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago,Illinois 60611)

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Environmental Enrichmebt What You CanDo About It -21 Minutes. Tells the storyof an elementary class which decidesto get "involved" in the environment.They form committees, gather infor-mation and raise funds to alter theirschoolgroitnds. (Central EducationalFilms, 1821.West 9th Street, Lawrence,

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Kansas 66044)

Out Vanishing Wilderness Eight 30-minutefilms that illustrate how man has dam-aged various aspects of his environ-ment. Titer are Will the Gator GladesSurvive?, The Prairie Killers, Sant?BarbaraEverybody's 'Mistake, The

densand Celery and Seal, Slow Deathains of Life, Of Broccoli and Pen-

of Desert Water, The Water is So Clear''''''N'TiAt A Blind Man Could Sed and The. Prudhoe;BayOr Bust. (Airdio-Visual

Center, indiana'University, Blooming-' ton; Indiana 47401)

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Cycles-131/2 minutes. Deals with the im-portance and _methods of recycling.(Assosiation-Sterling Films, 866 ThirdAvenue, NevvoYork, New York :10022)

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Lassie's Litterbit-25 minutes. Deals with the4. need to respect and maintain our nat-

ural resources. Featuring beloved dogstar Lassie. (Modern, Talking PictureService, 2000 L Street, N.W., Washihg-ton, D.C. 20036)

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All The Difference-20 minutes. Points upthe condition of the land and otherelements of our environment by com-paring their good use to the bad.(Modern Talking Picture Service, 2000L Street,, N.W., Washington; D.C.20036)

The U.S. Department of the Interior hasmany films available on such subjects asthe earth sciences, wildlife resources, min-eral resources, States and their natural re--sources, outdoor recreation, parks and re-lated activities. For a brochure listing thesefilms write:

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Visitor Information tinterU.S. Department of the InteriorWishington, D.C. 20240

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