Sustainability Education Handbook Sample Activities

Ecology:

Theme: (K-12) Keep daily observation of one tree ecosystem.

Goal: Students observe one tree for a semester. Ideally, the students will gain a critical understanding through daily investigation of a plant’s entire ecosystem. Topics covered within this projects include: daily sketches and descriptive journal writing, scientific understanding of growth, cell development & functions of tree anatomy, and patterns found in nature (symmetry). If outdoor space is not accessible, create a living system inside the classroom by filling a container with earth, worms and seeds, record and watch growth of plant.

Standards / MEAP:

» English Language Arts: IV.6.2 (Voice), X.12.4 (Critical Standards)

» Social Studies: Il.2.1 (Geographic Perspective)

» Mathematics: II.1.4, II.1.7 II.2.2, II.2.3 (Geometry & Measurement)

» Science: III.1.1, III.1.3, III.2.3, III.3.1, III.5.1, III.5.2 (Use Scientific Knowledge from the Life Sciences in Real-World Contexts)

Curriculum:

Living Machines™

Contact: Marc Companion at Ocean Arks International 802-860-0011 or www.oceanarks.org or e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

» Shelburne Farms: Project Seasons, Hands-on Activities for Discovering the Wonders of the World (K-6)

written by Deborah Parrella, illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith

Contact: The Stewardship Institute, Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, VT 05482

802-985-8686

ISBN: 0-9642163-0-2

$24.95

Websites:

»Arbor Day

» Eco Literacy

» Earth Island Institute