Creating Solutions for Bad Situations

Sandra Ramsey, Earth Science, West Mecklenburg High School

Abstract(PDF)

Unit(PDF)         

Abstract

Creating Solutions for Bad Situations is a Curriculum Unit designed to be taught in one of the following classes: Earth/ Environmental Science, AP Environmental Science or Biology. The unit is designed for classes that have a component in them for students to learn about human impact on the Earth and other ecological issues. This unit has a focus on cities that are not sustainable or “made” for humans. During this unit students will come away with a greater understanding of the workings of a sustainable city while investigating the problems of most modern cities. There are several activities that I have developed for this unit in order for students to have a hands-on approach to learning this topic, such as an independent or partner lab activity that investigates the effects of run-off from the city streets. Of the activities created, the culminating activity is a project-based learning activity where your students will be able to create their own sustainable city through researching other cities that have been deemed sustainable. The students will also complete a movie guide to the animated movie The Lorax and complete a digital project that has students research different ecological issues and then participate in a digital gallery crawl.