Synopsis

Students learn about their environment by walking around the block and noting everything they see and hear.

Students then discuss pollution and ways to prevent it. They then create a poster with drawings that show a goal to reduce pollution and steps to reach the goal.

Teaching Steps

1. 1. Students identify ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
   Introduce these national waste management guidelines:
   
   a. Reduce to use less of, or less often (example: less gas can be used in automobiles when we walk or bicycle for short distances instead of riding in a car, bus, or taxi).
   b. Reuse to use again without changing the product (example: a woven or cloth shopping bag can be used repeatedly to carry small amounts of groceries from the market instead of using plastic grocery bags).
   c. Recycle to use again after changes are made in the product (example: recycled cola cans can be changed into sheet metal for another set of products).
   
   Take the class for a walk around the school and the school yard. Ask students to notice everything that they see and hear that could be defined as pollution and everything for which they could think of a way to "reduce, reuse, or recycle."

   CONCEPTS

   The need to protect the environment: 

   • The world we live in has a limited supply of resources.
   • If we aren't careful, we might run out of things that we need to live, such as water, trees and clean air.
   • By using things more than once, we help keep our resources from being used up and also create less pollution.
   • Everyone in the community can help save resources and protect our environment.

2. 2. Groups list their discoveries.
   When students return to the classroom, ask for responses to what they noticed. List their responses on the board under the correct categories of reduce, reuse and recycle.

   DISCUSSION POINTS

   • What things came up several times?
   • What things were only mentioned once?
   • Did students forget anything?

   CONCEPTS

   • The things students discovered are part of the environment of their community.
   • The environment includes all of the living and non-living things in the community.
   • All of the parts of the environment are resources.
   • Resources need to be used wisely.

3. 3. Discuss pollution in the community.
   Ask students: What is pollution?

   Possible Responses:

    

   • Dirty air
   • Dirty water
   • Noise
   • Litter

   For each of the above types of pollution, ask students:

   • -Where does pollution come from?- -Who or what causes pollution?- (people are responsible for causing pollution)
   • -Can you name some ways that people cause pollution?- (improper disposal of trash, companies who empty their chemical waste products into streams and rivers, driving cars that use a lot of gasoline...)
   • -Who is responsible for cleaning up pollution?- (the people who caused it, the government that has laws against it, people who are interested in an unpolluted world - note that these people are advocates)

    

    

   CONCEPT

   • Pollution is harmful matter that gets into the environment.
   • Pollution may make people sick and may hurt the resources in the community.
   • People need to work together to keep the environment from getting polluted.
   • We all can take a part in keeping our community a safe and healthy place to be.

   GOAL SETTING

   • Students will identify how personal behaviors can contribute to the pollution of resources. 

    

4. 4. Discuss ways to prevent air pollution
   Explain what air pollution is.

   CONCEPTS

   • When people use cars, the exhaust puts gases in the air that may hurt us; factories also put gases in the air.
   • These gases form smog, which is a mixture of smoke, exhaust and fog.
   • Sometimes, smog is so thick that it may be dangerous to our health.
   • We all need to work together to reduce the gases in the air.
   • Using cars less often is one way to help prevent air pollution.

   What are some ways we can reduce the amount of harmful exhaust in the air?
   
   Possible Responses:

   • Ride a bike instead of using a car.
   • Car pool.
   • Take a bus or train.
   • Walk.

   GOAL SETTING

   • Students identify ways to reduce pollution in their community.

5. 5. Discuss ways to prevent water pollution.
   Explain how water gets polluted. Then ask students: What are some things you can do to keep the water in your community clean?

   Possible Responses:

    

   • Ask the person in your home who buys the soap and laundry detergent to buy products without phosphates.
   • Don't dump trash in the water.
   • Don't dump anything down the drain in the street.
   • Don't litter.

   CONCEPTS

   • Detergents and soaps have phosphates in them and can hurt plants and animals that live in the water.
   • Sometimes chemicals such as fertilizers get into the water.
   • Litter on the street can go into the sewer and eventually ends up in our waterways.

   GOAL SETTING

   • Students identify ways to reduce pollution in their community.

6. 6. Discuss ways to prevent noise pollution.
   Discuss how noise pollution hurts the environment. Then ask students: What are some ways that you can prevent noise pollution?

   CONCEPTS

   • Loud noises may harm the environment and our hearing; this is noise pollution.
   • Noise pollution may be caused by airplanes, loud cars, noisy machinery and loud televisions or radios.
   • Your community may pass laws that cut down on noise pollution.

   Possible Responses:

   • Turn down the radio.
   • Turn down the TV.
   • Use a push mower instead of a power one.
   • Use a broom or rake instead of a leaf blower.
   • Don't talk loudly on the subway or in the street.
   • Don't slam doors or run loudly on the stairs.

   GOAL SETTING

   • Students identify ways to reduce pollution in their community.

7. 7. Review goal-setting steps.
   Visual Aid: Setting a Goal to Protect the Environment

   Use the following example (or another goal you might set for yourself) to explain the goal-setting steps on the visual_aids. Fill in each section of the visual_aids as you explain the step.

   Example:

   My Goal: I will help prevent water pollution in my community by making sure I am careful about where I throw things away and what I put into the water.

   Things I can do to reach my goal:

   • I will not litter when I am outside, not even with the smallest piece of trash (like a gum wrapper).
   • I will not flush garbage down the toilet.
   • I will encourage my family and friends to throw away trash properly in a garbage can.
   • I will not buy soaps with phosphates.

   Evaluation: I will keep a log of the changes I have made. In two weeks, I will check to see if I need to change my goal or add to my plan.

8. 8. Students set goals to reduce pollution.
   Student Page: My Goal to Protect the Environment

   Ask students to set their goals to reduce pollution and to plan the things they will do to reach their goals. Have them enter these goals and plans on their student page.

   Teacher Tip: Post the goals on a bulletin board or in student portfolios, where they can be checked weekly.

   GOAL SETTING

   • Students set a personal goal to prevent pollution in the community.

9. 9. Reflect, summarize, and discuss.
   Ask students why it is important for everyone to work to prevent pollution in the community.

   Possible Responses:

    

   • So we can be healthy
   • To keep our water and air clean
   • So we can live longer
   • Because we all create pollution

Assessment

Have students create posters with drawings that show a goal to reduce pollution and steps to reach the goal. Ask them to include a statement on the back of the poster that tells how this goal will help reduce pollution and why it is important.

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