(levels 3-6)
- To develop a profile of the local community and its environment.
- To recognize the linkages between environment and human well-being.
- To express hopes for the future and to find simple and concrete means to achieve them.
Students develop a profile of their community. What are the factors that make it a distinct community (aspects of the natural and built environment, the way of life of the people, etcetera)? Why is it a good place to live? Is there anything that could be improved?
In groups, students will choose one of the suggested improvements and undertake an investigation to prepare a report on the present situation.
Each group will become a reporter team to investigate their topic in the immediate neighbourhood. For example "the school yard could be improved by tree planting". Students can use reporter cards suggested above and illustrate the situation with simple pictures or use videos and tape recorders to illustrate and support their findings.
Each reporter team presents their report to the entire class for discussion.
As a class, the students chose one or more situations which they would like to see improved.
Students brainstorm ideas about what they can do individually or as a group to improve the situation. Students can use the action card illustrated below to identify changes in actions, behaviours and attitudes. Students can use drawings, paintings, poetry to describe and illustrate a vision of the future in which the situation has been changed.
Students could make a small booklet with the cards to distribute to other students and teachers, parents and the community, or a poster display for libraries and stores.
Students could conduct an awareness campaign dealing with the problems which are having an impact on the natural and human environment.
Students could develop means of reporting on-going action taken, e.g. a bulletin board, small newsletter, etcetera. Remember to disseminate the results on the Canadian SchoolNet (see page 22).
