- The Environment
Objectives
To become aware of the importance of the environment
To understand that environment issues are globally linked
Subjects
Sciences
Nature
Cognitive, reflective
Duration
45 minutes for discussion
Additional time for collecting data
Rationale:
It is very easy to forget about environmental issues if they do not affect us directly. It is only when a sudden environmental change or disaster occurs on our doorstep that we take any action. This is often too late. This activity will bring to light some global environmental issues.
Method:
The educator will begin the activity by discussing several global environmental issues such as deforestation, water and sea pollution, air pollution, depletion of the ozone layer, hazardous chemicals, etc. How do these issues effect us globally? For example: deforestation in Brazil is causing serious weather changes all over the world; all countries must decrease destruction of the ozone layer to have an impact on the problem.
Divide participants into small groups and assign each group an environmental issue plus a region from the book (South America, Caribbean, Central America and North America).
Each group will collect newspaper clippings, magazine articles, environmental group publications, etc. on their topic, for their region.
The groups will organize their material and make a presentation pointing out the connections that exist between their topic, the region and global environmental issues.
Materials:
Information about environmental issues
Publications