|
Lesson plan: Sustainable living sourcebook
From the Key Stage 2 classroom activities on
Global Citizenship themes online resource
Age group: 7 - 11
Aims:
For pupils to begin to understand the relationship between people
and the environment, to be aware of finite resources, to present
a reasoned case, and to feel a sense of responsibility for the environment
and the use of resources.
What to do:
This activity could continue over several sessions. You will
need:
As a class, look at some definitions of sustainable development.
Discuss the meaning and implications of this for humankind and more
specifically for each individual in the class.
Discuss the idea of producing a class 'sustainable living sourcebook'
- a resource full of ideas and information about how we can live
more sustainability. On completion, it could be exchanged with a
school elsewhere to compare local approaches to sustainable living.
Divide the class into three. Give each third responsibility to
find out about how we can live more sustainability for one of the
following situations:
at home; at school; in the local community.
Here are some ideas that could be explored.
At home and at school:
ways of saving resources such as paper, electricity,
water; ways of promoting healthy eating; ways of reducing waste, such as buying snacks
with less packaging on them, composting fruit and vegetable remains; ways of reusing and recycling materials, containers,
toys, books - for example, washing out and decorating used tins
for plant pots, storage containers or sculptures, taking unwanted
saleable items to charity shops or jumble sales; ways of travelling to school which use few resources.
At home: ways of buying less - use the library and video
hire shop instead of buying too many books or videos, mend things,
and make things.
At school: information about the present biodiversity of
the school habitat, and how it could be increased; information about the sustainable development
policy of the school, or if there is not one in place, ideas for
what could go into one; information about a local scrap project for
the provision of art materials.
In the community: information about the practices of local businesses
on sustainable development issues such as Fair Trade, use of tropical
hardwoods or recycling; ways of stating opinion about and raising public
awareness of local issues such as the local environment, road-building
or house-building schemes, provision of green areas, recycling; information about local sustainable development
initiatives; information about sustainable forms of energy
such as solar and wind power.
This information can be gathered by pupils in a variety of ways
- for example, from books, web sites, newspaper or magazine articles,
or by pupils sending emails or faxing questions to relevant organisations,
individuals or businesses. Try introducing the topic by inviting
a local expert, such as the Local Agenda 21 officer or someone from
the local Development Education Centre or an environmental group.
The sourcebook could be electronic, with information and images
from web sites, printed or imported into a DTP or word-processing
package, graphs or pie charts included, and photographs added using
a digital camera. Alternatively, the sourcebook could be in the
form of a scrapbook, with information printed out from web sites,
articles written on computer or by hand, and drawings being cut
and pasted into it.
The finished sourcebook could be exchanged (electronically or by
post) with another school or be displayed locally, perhaps at the
local library or Local Education Authority or Local Agenda 21 office.
Encourage the local paper or radio station to report the venture
and to interview representatives of the class about their ideas
and concerns.
Planned outcomes:
For pupils to feel committed to sustainable development, to see
it as relevant to them, and to learn that they can make act to make
a difference.
Curriculum links:
|
England
|
Scotland
|
Wales
|
|
PSHE/Citizenship:
- Resources can be allocated in different ways which affect
individuals, communities and the sustainability of the environment;
to feel positive about themselves and their achievements;
to make real choices and decisions; to develop relationships
through work; to research, discuss and debate topical issues
and problems; to consider social and moral dilemmas; to find
information.
Maths:
- Graphs and charts.
Geography:
- Improving the environment.
ICT:
- Analysing data and asking questions; graphical modelling;
evaluating information.
Literacy Hour:
- Year 4, term 1; Year 6, term 1.
Science:
- Habitats.
|
PSD:
- Independence and interdependence.
Environmental Studies:
- Developing an understanding of the interaction between people
and the Earth's natural environment: land use, resources and
change, environmental issues and sustainability; developing
informed attitudes; social and environmental responsibility.
|
PSE:
- To take increasing responsibility for their actions; to
take an active interest in the life of the community and be
concerned about the wider environment; to know how the environment
can be affected by human activity.
Maths:
- To collect and represent discrete data using appropriate
graphs and diagrams.
Geography:
- To investigate ways in which people attempt to look after
the environment through sustainable development; to understand
the individual's responsibility for the environment.
English:
- Reading - to find information in books and ICT-based sources;
to read and use a wide range of sources of information.
- Writing -to write in response to more demanding tasks and
a wider range of purposes.
|
From the Key Stage 2 classroom activities on
Global Citizenship themes online resource
|
Cool Planet for Teachers has moved
Oxfam's
catalogue 
