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CLEARING provides activity ideas for all grade levels and subject areas "I am always recommending [Clearing] to teachers... I like the balance of explaining environmental issues, examples of quality EE programs, and teaching ideas..." What is CLEARING? CLEARING is a quarterly, non-profit publication for K-12 and non-formal educators in the field of natural resources, environmental, and place-based education. It had its origins in the Pacific Northwest, but now circulates to educators across North America. Each issue of CLEARING contains a variety of useful and timely articles and features on environmental and place-based education themes and topics, including: Articles from past issues |
“The frog does not drink up the pond in which it lives” - Indian Proverb
“Let us remember in our deliberations the effect our decisions may have on the next seven generations.” - Iroquois Nation principle
“We did not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We are borrowing it from our children.”
The terms “sustainability” and “sustainable development” were made popular in 1987 by the report of the United Nations World Commission on the Environment and Development, OUR COMMON FUTURE. According to the World Commission on the Environment and Development, sustainability should be viewed as “a lifestyle which meets people’s present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.”
The Commission established several key principles of sustainability:- that the needs of the future must not be sacrificed to the demands of the present;- that humanity’s economic future is linked to the integrity of natural systems; and- that protecting the environment is impossible unless we improve the economic prospects of the Earth’s poorest peoples.
Sustainable development is a strategy which seeks to address the social, economic, and environmental problems that exist today, and to prevent problems that will appear in the future. It covers a range of policies from recycling in the home to preventing global warming. In practice, sustainable development is not an attempt to halt all forms of economic and social development. It is in fact an attempt to reverse the damage to the Earth and its inhabitants caused by three significant problems: Overpopulation, Overconsumption and Ecological Damage.
An essential component of sustainability is the requirement that development, industry, etc. not be assessed in purely economic terms. When evaluating a community’s success, people generally look at economic indicators such as Gross National Product (GNP), and average income. Health, longevity, knowledge (literacy rates, graduation rates), employment rate, average consumption, environmental degradation (depletion of non-renewable resources, polluted water and air), diversity of wildlife, and food production are examples of indicators that should be examined when discussing the growth and sustainability of a community.
Terry Grips, Director of the International Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture provides four tests or questions to be asked of a project for determining its sustainability:
- Is it ecologically sound?
- Economically viable?
- Socially just?
- Humane?
Grades K-2
Science - How do Plants Help Soil?
Take two large baking pans (about 12 x 6 in.). Place bare soil in one pan and line the other with grass sod. Place the pans at a 20 - 25 degree slant in front of the class. Have a hand-held hair dryer and a watering can or spray bottle ready. First take the hair dryer and blow air from the hair dryer on the dry soil and then on the soil with grass. Discuss the reasons for what is happening. Using the same pans, pour/spray water on the soil and grass. Have students look for differences in the two pans. Ask what would happen if it rained hard all day on the two pans. again, discuss the reasons for what is happening. Do other types of plants help soil? Is it important to have plants growing on soil.
Have the class walk around the school grounds looking for evidence of erosion and plant soil relationships. What happens outside in areas where there is dirt with no plants growing on it? Where does the dirt go when it is carried away by wind and water? LIFE
Mathematics (& Science) - Sun Heat and Drink
You need several, clean, empty pop cans, 5-6 kitchen thermometers, some aluminum foil and a few different colored acrylic paints. Paint the cans a variety of colors (black, white, red, green . . .). Leave one unpainted and cover another with aluminum foil. Fill the cans with equal amounts of cold water and set in full sun, either in a window, or in a sheltered place outside. Take the temperature of water and record on a chart as a class, or individually. Take the temperature of each vessel every hour and record on the chart until the end of the day. Students can practice using and reading thermometers if appropriate. Compare the differences between each can. Which color heated fastest? Which was warmest?
Make sun tea! Show your class how tea can be made using the sun. Put tea and water in a jar with lid outside in the sun. Cool overnight. Add sweetener and serve. EFY I
Social Studies - How Far Did Your Food Travel?
Many types of food we eat and clothes we wear were produced in different parts of the world . Have students bring into class food and other items with labels telling where each was grown. While looking at maps of your state, country and the world, locate the different areas that each product is from. What are some reasons for buying products from other countries? Is more energy needed to transport products from foreign countries than your own? Do we buy some products from other parts of the world that are produced closer to us? EFY I
Language Arts
Read THE WUMP WORLD by Bill Peet or JUST A DREAM by Chris Van Allsberg. Have students discuss, write or draw about how the different actions of the characters polluted or helped their environments. EC
Visual Arts - Recycled/Found Art
Ask children to collect items from home that could be used again before being recycled or thrown away (egg cartons, bottle tops, toilet paper centers, paper bags, pieces of string, broken toys,...). Create “found art” sculptures or collages from the students collected objects. Use glue to connect pieces. Add paint if you would like a little color. AWW
Grades 3-5
Science - Crowding Can be Seedy
Make planting pots by cutting tops from empty milk cartons and punchinga few holes in the bottom. Divide the class into three groups. Give 1/3 of the class one radish or other fast-germinating seed, 1/3 two seeds and 1/3 six - ten seeds. Each student should plant his/her seed(s) in one hole in the middle of the carton. (Have the children label their cartons with their names, number of seeds and date.) Maintain the plants during their growing period and record observations for growth in each group. Give each pot the same amount of water etc. Harvest the radishes when the foliage appears thick and mature. Compare each radish. Which radishes grew larger and healthier? How is a crowded garden like a crowded city. Make connections between crowded plants and world population. EPAK
Mathematics - School Population Profile
The students, faculty and staff of a school make up a population. Assign small groups of students to the task of census taking of the entire school (or class) population and subgroups: students (boys & girls, grades), teachers, aides, other adults, pets. Compare the different subgroups using charts and graphs. Calculate the average classroom size. Determine the ratios of children to adults, pets to people, etc. Find out the population of the school from the previous year. Is it growing or decreasing? Identify the resources that the school population needs. Try to determine the amount of resources consumed by the school and its subgroups. Are there any limiting resources or factors that would affect the size of the population. EPAK & EFY I
Social Studies - Renewable or Not
Discuss the difference between renewable (corn, fish, trees), and nonrenewable resources - resources that (through management) can be replenished and those that exist in limited amounts. Fill a large jar or other container with popcorn. Mark 14 lips of paper as follows: two “1st generation,” four “second generation,” and eight “3rd generation.” Put the slips into a hat. Choose 14 students. Explain that are going to be part of a demonstration, give them each a lunch bag, and have each draw one of the slips. Explain that the popcorn in the jar is the earth’s supply of natural resources. Ask the first generation students to go to the jar and take as much as they want. Next ask the 2nd generation up to the jar and lastly, the third generation to take what’s left. Discuss with the class what happened. What happened to the total amount of the resource? How much was left for each generation? Was there any left for a fourth generation? What were the students in the demonstration thinking when they were taking the popcorn. How does this activity parallel real world situations? PLT I
Language Arts - “Resources” for Many Reasons
Read out loud or have your students read THE LORAX. Have the students discuss or write about whether or not the business that the Oncler set up was sustainable or not. What happened to the environment? To the wildlife? To the people that had jobs in the Thneed factory? Have the students ask the following questions about the Oncler’s business. Was it: Ecologically sound? Economically viable? Socially just? Humane? What should people think about when setting up any kind of business or project. PLT I
Visual Arts - Favorite Foods (and Their True costs)
Have students draw their favorite food in the center of large piece of drawing paper. Around the outside of this favorite food, have each student draw all the different stages and resources needed to produce their favorite food (original form of food, ingredients, harvesting, processing, packaging, transportation). Rather than individuals drawing their own picture, have the class or groups work on a larger favorite food mural together. Groups of students can research and draw the different resources put into their favorite food. EFY I
Grades 6-8
Science - Energy Sleuths
As individuals or in small groups, have students research one of the different energy sources: coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, solar, geothermal, biomass, wind, hydropower, synthetic fuels (hydrogen), etc. Have them investigate the following: Its availability; The technologies used for extracting or processing it; Its economic potential and feasibility of its small and large scale use; Pros and cons of its environmental and social impacts; The history of its use; Its potential as a future energy source in our country. Students can then make presentations to the class on each type of energy. After hearing all the reports, the class together can decide on the “best” energy sources. Or Rather than reports, have an energy debate. PLT I
Mathematics - How to Calculate BTUs Per Container
Compare the energy used for the food package or container with the actual energy (calories) in the food. Have students bring in food packages. By weighing the packages and using the chart below , have students calculate the energy used to produce the container. Look up the calorie of the food that came in the container and compare calories. (Use a counter booklet if needed.) Compare the different types of packaging. Determine how much energy is saved by buying a product in one large box rather than in several small ones (ie. milk cartons, cereal boxes, juice bottles). AWW
Social Studies - Town Meeting
Identify a local land-use decision being debated in your town, or create a land-use decision of your own that involves different interest groups. Forexample, a company would like to build a new super mall along a stretch of undeveloped land just outside of town. A local business group supports the mall with the argument that it will provide jobs and boost the economy. One group of citizens also supports the mall, because it will provide convenient shopping. The downtown shop owners are afraid that they will be run our of business. The local wildfire watchers club do not want to see important habitat destroyed . . . Have students hold a town meeting at which the different interest groups get to present their cases and everyone together decide on a decision that will be best for the town. Divide the class into groups representing the different interest groups and (a city planning committee). Give the groups time to prepare statements and later rebuttals that can be read in front of the class. Have the students work out a plan that satisfies the needs and concerns of everyone (if possible). Have them incorporate sustainability/sustainable development concepts into their plans. PLT I
Language Arts - Commercials with an Environmental Message
Have students revise a current commercial or write a commercial for anew
product that is brief, entertaining and promotional and that presents the environmental consequences of a product. Have the students performtheir commercials before the class as a skit. If you like, videotape and play back the commercials. AWW
Visual Arts - Natural Materials Art
Have students think about the positive and negative effects their art activities have on the environment and on the public both before and after its completion. What resource go into making the art supplies? What reactions from people does art often produce. PLT II
Suggest that your students create a “returnable” piece of art from natural materials, materials derived without having done significant harm to the environment. All designs should be completely biodegradable (and non-toxic). Challenge students to create a piece of art which is aesthetically pleasing in a human-made and a non-human-made setting. PLT II
Grades 9-12
Science - No Water Off a Duck’s Back
The following is an experiment on bird eggs and feathers to identify adverse effects of oil (oil for the cars we drive) spills on wildlife. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a shallow pan partially filled with water. Add a known amount of oil, one drop or one dropper, depending on the size of the container. Observe the interaction and measure the area covered by oil. Using this information, estimate the area that might be affected by an oil spill involving 1) a person dumping 4 quarts of used oil from their car down a storm drain 2) a tanker truck holding 8,000 gallons, 3) 83,000,000. Graph estimates and compute class averages.
Completely submerge three hard boiled eggs in a container of oil. Put eggs under a good light and observe closely. Remove one egg after five minutes and examine before, during and after peeling the egg shell off. Try to remove the excess oil from the outside shell before attempting to peel the egg. Remove the 2nd egg after 10 min., and the third egg after 15, repeating the procedure above. What effects could the oil have on birds nesting near the water?
Examine a feather with a hand lens. Dip the feather in water and examine again. Place the feather in oil for one to two minutes and examine again. Clean the feather in detergent, rinse in water, let it dry and examine it again. Observe and sketch the feather after each step. compare the feather and its changes between each step. What effects could these changes have on normal bird activity?
A variety of oil could be used - cooking, motor, crude. Food coloring can be added to clear oils to facilitate observation. Other pollutants can be used, to see what, if any, effects they have on the water. PW
Mathematics - Demographic Facts of Life
Have students calculate the world’s annual growth rate and the number of years it will take the population to double if the growth rate remains constant. Below is an example of a student worksheet using population figures from 1991. You could substitute the current world population figures - or even try calculating your school, city, county, or state’s population dynamics. For world and US population information contact: The Population Reference Bureau, 202/483-1100. Note that 70 is used to calculate Doubling time because it is the approximate equivalent of 100 times the natural log of 2.
To extend the activity you and your students could investigate the supplies and rates of use of different resources such as oil, coal, water . . . Calculate future supplies of these resources based on your population calculations. EM
Social Studies - We are All Connected
Few people realize many of the products we use on daily basis effect people and environments all over the world. Have students research the “life cycle” of an item or product that they often use (pencil, soda pop, jeans, chocolate, coffee, bananas). Have them identify some or all of the following: Where is the product made? Who produces the product? What materials make up the product? Did all the materials come from the same country? How much energy was needed to produce and transport the material? What, if any environmental or social costs are associated with the production of the product. A little or a lot of research can go into this project. Students may research the “life cycle” of all the raw materials that go into making one product. Students may choose to investigate in detail the social or environmental costs of their product or research how many consumer decisions affect developing countries. Many products have negative effects. Are there products and companies that are trying to produce positive effects for the communities where the product was produced?
If possible, have your students read the article, “The History of a Cup of Coffee,” by Alan Thien Durning & Ed Ayres, World Watch, Sept./Oct. 1994, to get an idea of the variety of effects our consumer decisions may have. CVL
Language Arts - Sustainability Quotes
Have students explain how the following statements could help them describe the concept of sustainability to someone who is unfamiliar with the idea.
“It is thrifty today to prepare for the wants of tomorrow.” - Aesop’s Fables, The Ant and the Grasshopper.
“The frog does not drink up the pond in which it lives” - Indian Proverb
“Let us remember in our deliberations the effect our decisions may have on the next seven generations.” - Iroquois Nation principle
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Before you finished breakfast this morning, you’ve depended on more than half the world. This is the way our universe is structured... We aren’t going to have peace on earth until we recognize this basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sustainability is the goal of “a system of development that is ecologically sound, economically profitable, socially equitable and politically supportable.” - James Enote, Pueblo of Hopi
Arts - Songs with a Message
Play popular recordings of any era that have “environmental” themes. For example John Prine’s, Paradise; Joni Mitchell’s, Big yellow Taxi; Darr Williams’, The Great Divide. (I’m trying to identify more current songs) might be used. Have students in groups or individually discuss and list their reactions to the songs. Have students discuss or research the conditions that may have initiated the composing of a song. do any of the songs have anything to do with sustainability? If possible, determine the accuracy and reasonableness of the concerns expressed in the song.
As a variation to the activity, have students write the lyrics for or compose a song or rap expressing their concerns or thoughts about a current issue. PLT II
The activities above were either taken or adapted from the following curricula:
AWW - A-Way With Waste, WA State Dept. of Ecology, 1990.
CS - Comunity Sustainability; A Mini-Curriculum For Grades 9-12, by Benedict and Diane Hren, 1996.
CVL - Circle vs. Line, The fight for Our Future, YMCA Earth Service Corps.
EC - Earth Child, Kathryn Sheeland and Mary Waidner, 1991
EFY - Energy, Food and You, WA State Office of EE and others, 1991.
EM - Earth Matters, Zero Population Growth, 1991.
EPAK - The Elementary Population Activities Kit, Zero Population Growth
LIFE - Learning in Familiar Environments, WA State Conservation Commission, 1981.
PLT I - Project Learning Tree - Activity Guide Pre K- 8, The American Forest Council, 1994.
PLT II - Project Learning Tree - Activity Guide 7-12, The American Forest Council, 1987.
PW - Project Wild, Secondary Activity Guide, Western Regional EE Council, 1985.
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Last updated: 10/20/05