Bring the Science Curriculum to Life in Your Classroom ...



Bring the science curriculum to life in your classroom using our fabulous National Geographic Videos and extensive book collection.On April 22, Earth Day will be celebrated around the world focusing on The Face of Climate Change. The intent of this year’s campaign is to create awareness, participation and mobilization to action around the issues that affect our world. Teachers can use the numerous resources on TBC Jr. including e-books, National Geographic Videos, read-alongs and audio books so that all the students in the class will be able to establish a personal connection to the issues. The Common Curriculum includes a strand under the Life Sciences that include the need for teachers in ALL grades to deal with the issues of interdependence in the environment. By bringing Earth Day into your classroom, you can cover this topic in an interesting and meaningful way. One way to bring the issue to life in the classroom is looking at real events that have occurred or are continuing to occur in our climate. Begin by asking students what they know about the different climates of the world.But first it is important that the students in the class understand that there is a difference between weather and climate.Weather: The state of the atmosphere at a given time and place, with respect to variables such as temperature, moisture, wind velocity, and barometric pressure. Climate: The description of the long-term weather patterns in a particular area. Now, watch the TBC Jr. National Geographic Video Climates of the World.Once the students have watched the video pose the question, “How do humans affect the environment they live in?” Do they always do the right thing? Is there a problem with some of the things that humans do to the environment? How are humans and animals impacted by the changes that are occurring in the climate today? Now draw the spiral on the board and put one person in the middle. Next add the classroom, the lunchroom, the schoolyard, your house, the local park, the whole neighborhood, the city etc. How does our behaviors spiral the affects from the small to the greater sphere of the world around them. By doing this children will be able to see how their individual actions, repeated by others can have grave effects of the plant Earth. (INTERDEPENDANCE in the Core Curriculum)Next ask the students to brainstorm ideas of things that they can do to help change the negative impact of some of these things.What positive things WE can do to help heal the plant earth.Whether it be walking to school, reducing the heat in their homes at night, fundraise for a worthwhile cause, use less electricity in the peak hours, planting a garden, cleaning up the local park, recycling in the school etc. The goal is to empower students with knowledge and remind them that every person can make a difference.Extension:Have students create posters and pamphlets that share the information that they have learned and “How to Help” lists that can inspire others.Extension:Have student choose a book from the TumbleBook Jr. Library that is related to the topic of weather and/or climate. Books such as The Big Tree Gang or Goldfish Don’t Take Bubble Baths are only a few examples of the numerous books that can be used in this way in the classroom. ................
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