Caring for the Earth

Integrated Learning Experience 1
Kindergarten

Overview
In this learning experience, children will become aware of the importance of taking care of the Earth. Through readings, discussion, pantomime, and school/ neighborhood walks, they will identify ways people care for the Earth in their communities. They will be introduced to the term "natural resources". Finally, the children will create paintings showing good ways to care for the Earth and its natural resources.

Materials

• Art supplies for painting Books: (see your media specialist for copies)
• Mother Earth by Nancy Luenn
  
• World, World, What Can I Do? by Barbara Shook Hazen
• Chart paper (1 sheet)
• Globe
• Handouts:
  • #1 "Letter to Parents"
  • #2 Homework: Letter to Parents"
  • #3 Homework: Neighborhood Walk"
• Marking pen
• Masking tape
• Pictures of natural resources (optional)
• Polaroid camera (optional)
• Summative Performance Assessment

• Assume personal responsibility for self and others. (About Me - 004.00)
• Demonstrate responsibility for the school environment. (About School - 009.00)

Geography

Examine environmental concerns in the community.

Examine personal environmental choices and their effects on the quality of life in the community.

Political Systems

Describe the ways in which individuals and groups bring about civic improvement.

Skills and Processes

Obtain and use relevant information by reading, asking questions, observing, and listening.

On-going Assessment

As you and your children experience these activities, please keep in mind the following questions for on-going informal assessment:

Activities One through Six

1. Can the child explain one way how people care for the Earth in the home or school community?
2. Can the child name some natural resources found in the school or home community?
3. Is the child becoming aware of how she/he can help take care of the Earth?

Activity One

NOTE: Natural Resources can be defined as the many things the Earth provides that are needed to live and from which we make products: air, water, plants, trees, animals, soil, minerals, stone, coal, gravel, etc.

NOTE: If you have pictures of various natural resources, these can be used with the webbing activity.

Show the children a globe. Ask:

1. What can you learn about the Earth by looking at the globe? (Guide children to observe that the globe shows both land and water.)
2. Who/what lives on the Earth? (Encourage children to include people, animals, fish, plants, trees, etc.)
3. What do you think these things need to live?

Show the children the book Mother Earth by Nancy Luenn. Read the title to the class. Ask:

1. What is a mother?
2. How does a mother take care of her family?
3. Can you think of an example of how you have taken care of someone or something special?

Say to the children:

The Earth is like a mother. It tries to take care of the people, animals, and plants and provide them with all the things they need to live. The Earth tries to take care of everything on it.

As we read our story, let's see what things the Earth provides us. These are called our natural resources.

After reading the book:

1. Put up chart paper and draw a web.
2. Ask the children to name the things the Earth provides. As they share, write the names, sketch pictures, and/or attach pictures of these resources. Use the term "natural resources."
3. Together, decide on a definition for natural resources. Record on the web. Together decide on a name for the web and record it.

Share with children that they will be taking a walk through the school neighborhood to look for the things the Earth provides us (natural resources). Distribute the "Letter to Parents" (Handout #1) to each child. Follow the standard MCPS procedures for preparing for a field trip.

Activity Two

Take the children on an Earth (natural resources) walk around the school grounds and school neighborhood. On the walk:

1. Ask the children to look for things the Earth provides (natural resources).
2. As resources are observed, have the class stop, look at the resources, then use their senses to describe them (what they see, how it feels, what it smells like, how it sounds).
3. If a Polaroid camera is available, take photographs of the natural resources to add to the class web.
4. Ask the children: "In what ways have people taken care of the natural resources near our school?"
5. Ask the children: "How have the natural resources in the neighborhood been changed to make life better for people?"
6. If possible, take children to areas where people have not cared for the Earth. (This could be a site with a lot of trash, absence of trees and grass, etc.)
7. Elicit children's observations about these areas and again encourage them to use their senses.
8. If possible, take photographs of these areas that show poor care of the Earth.
9. Ask the children: "If some natural resources have been damaged, how can we repair or fix them?"

When children return to the classroom, have them share their observations from the walk. Record (words, sketches, pictures) additional natural resources they observed. Have children pantomime (using facial expressions, body movement) different natural resources they saw.

Homework: Give children a copy of the "Letter to Parents" (Handout #2) and the "Neighborhood Walk" (Handout #3). Explain to the children that they are to take a walk with a family member through their neighborhood and observe how people have taken care of the Earth. They are to draw a picture of one way people took care of the Earth. Ask them to bring their homework with them to class on the assigned day.

Activity Three

Have the children take out their Neighborhood Walk homework. Ask them to form partners. Review the Think-Pair-Share strategy. Then have pairs share and discuss their drawings with each other. Bring the class together for a large group discussion. Ask such questions as:

1. How did people take good care of the Earth in your neighborhood?
   
   1. Did anyone find an example of a place where people did not take good care of the Earth?
      
   2. What idea do you have for repairing or fixing this area?
      
   3. What could have been done to prevent this problem?
      
2. With your partner, identify one natural resource you saw on your walk and be ready to share. (As students share, either record on a new web ["Natural Resources in My Neighborhood"] or add to the web from Activity One.
   

NOTE: This activity could be done at any time that food/snack is presented.

Have children take out their snack, or, if available, give each child a popsicle. Observe what they attempt to do with the trash from their snack or the popsicle (wrapper, popsicle stick, and bag/box) as they eat their treat. Ask:

1. What is the problem here?
2. What can we do about this problem?

(Guide children to recognize that one snack/popsicle becomes many items of trash. After consuming the snack/popsicle, the child is left with such trash as a stick, wrapping, and a bag/box. When multiplied by the number of children in the group, there is a real trash problem.)

Encourage children to problem solve and generate solutions for handling their trash. Have them select a solution and use it. Discuss how they are helping care for the Earth. If the popscicles are used, you could expand on the reuse theme by storing the popsicle sticks in the empty popsicle bag/box or by reusing the bag/box for some other purpose.

Activity Six

NOTE: Use this as an art center activity to be completed over several days.

NOTE: This activity also could be used as a performance assessment.

Say to the children:

We have been talking about why it is important to take care of our Earth and its natural resources. At the art center you are to paint a picture that shows a good way to take care of the Earth. You may use watercolors or pastels. When finished, we will share with the group.

When the paintings are finished, have children share and orally explain their paintings. After all have participated, involve the class in a decision-making exercise to determine what should be done with their work.

Resources

Please refer to the following list of MCPS-approved materials that may be helpful in teaching this learning experience:

Benson, Laura Lee. This Is Our Earth Charlesbridge Pub., c1994. MCPS-approved for grades K-3. Price: 6.95 Order on MOF. ISBN: 0881064475.

This beautifully illustrated text speaks of the need to care for the landscape and creatures who live on the Earth. The simple verses at the top of the pages are good reading for grades K-2. The more detailed text at the bottom is good for grade 3 as they do the natural regions of the world. The book concludes with the verses to the song "This is Our Earth."

Hazen, Barbara Shook. World, World, What Can I Do? Morehouse Publishing, c1991. MCPS-approved for grades PS-2. Order on MOF. ISBN: 0819215376.

A copy of this book was given to each school for the media center. This story is told in rhyming verse. It introduces children to the idea of conserving natural resources and develops awareness of helping to care for the Earth. Children of different ethnicity are depicted.

Luenn, Nancy. Mother Earth. Atheneum, c1992. MCPS-approved for grades PS-4. Price: 13.95 BATAB NO.: 689316682

A copy of this book was given to every school for its media center. Full page dramatic illustrations with simple poetic text describe the gifts of Mother Nature and the gifts we can give her in return. Builds appreciation for natural resources.

Mother Nature (actually Stryker, Sandy and Bingham, Mindy). Mother Nature Nursery Rhymes. Advocacy Press, c1990. MCPS-approved for grades K-4. Price: 14.95 Order on MOF. ISBN: 0911655018.

Water-colored illustrations accompany the ecology-oriented rhymes. Verses begin with a traditional line, followed by an environmentally directed verse. It also includes rap rhymes, finger plays, and activities.

Sheeham, William. Nature's Wonderful World in Rhyme. Advocacy Press, c1993. MCPS-approved for grades K-2. Price: 14.95 Order on MOF.

This poetry book presents rhymes written about the Earth and the animals on the Earth. It helps develop an appreciation for the earth's natural resources.

Tomkins, Jasper. My Secret Sunrise. Children's Press, c1989. MCPS-approved for grades K-3. Price: 12.95 Order on MOF. ISBN: 0516094289

This beautifully illustrated book emphasizes the beauty of the world. Told in first person narration, a young boy, his cat, and pet snake go to a special spot in the country to enjoy the beauty of the sunrise.