Environment Week (Grades 8-12)

Grade/Subjects:

• Grades K - 3 Sciences; Social Studies (Environmental)

Topic/Length:

• Environment Week 50 mins.

Objectives:

• To introduce students to Environment Week held in Canada each year and the reason behind the event.

Common Essential Learnings:

• critical and creative thinking
• personal and social values 

Prerequisite Student Learnings:

• some basic scientific principles of the environment
• reasons why people should care for the sustainability of the environment

Methods/Strategies:

• Set: 5-10 mins. Introduce concept of Environment Week.
• • Provide the history of Environment Week and how it has changed over the years. Ask what might become of Environment Week in the future. Discuss how the environment may appear in the future
  • Ask for anecdotes from students (How do they perceive the environment? What are students doing to preserve it?)
• Development: Environment Week presentation and discussion.
• • 15 mins. Discuss what is communicated in the presentation. 
  • 15 mins. Explore the principles and role Environment Week plays in our society today and what it may transform into in the future.
• Closure: 5-10 mins. Review Environment Week principles and discuss projects the students may undertake.

Materials/Resources:

• Environment Canada  Look for Environment Week under the Events heading on the Programs and Services page
• Waste Reduction Week in Canada 
• Alberta's Ministry of Environment  Look under the Education for a listing of events and activities related to the environment and Environment Week

Assessment/Evaluation:

• Nothing formal – question for understanding.

Reflections/Notes:

• A good lesson for a Social Studies class or Science class (Environment.)
• Could be used for beginning classes Junior Science or Social Studies with focus on appropriate topics for that particular discipline.