TeachOne for Earth Day

Unit of 3 Lessons
Grade Levels: 
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Subjects: 
Arts Education
Health and PE
Language Arts
Philanthropy
Science
Social Studies
Social-Emotional Learning
Issue Area: 
Environment
Focus Question 

What is great about being outdoors? What traits describe the natural areas in my community? What can I do to influence others to take responsibility for and be playful with nature?

Unit Overview 

Messing Around with Nature: Young people learn about environmental stewardship through valuing and respecting nature. They play outdoors while working together - possibly with people from different generations - to enhance the local community's natural play areas (e.g., mud kitchen, community cleanup). They learn about stewardship, environmental justice, science, reading, language, as well as habits and practices that are good for the environment while they connect to their own interests/talents and different people in the local community. 

Service Experience 
Young people design a project that connects natural resources and their interests. For example, they may design and build a mud kitchen at a local nature center. They may build a stand-up garden bed for a local retirement community. Or they may identify trees or wildflowers, mark/map a trail, or clean up at a local park or neighborhood. If they enjoy music, they may host a free concert in a park. Or, if they like to draw, they can gather some friends and have a sidewalk chalk party.
Lessons in This Unit 
Unit: 
TeachOne for Earth Day
Lesson 3 of 3
Grades: 
9
10
11
12

What are the forces in our lives that separate us from the outdoors today, and what can we do to fuel up on the power of nature? In this lesson, young people research the benefits of being outside and the human impact on the environment or about environmental justice issues with a local impact.  Then they make a service-learning plan to take action to protect nature and get others outside in nature or to address an enviromental justice issue they've identified. This lesson is suitable for physical education, biology, geography, and English classes.