TAKING ACTION TO PRESERVE

THE ENVIRONMENT

OUR planet is in OUR hands!

Welcome to the website for Mrs. Fields' Class.
We are currently doing a literature unit based around answering the following questions:

What does it mean to take action to preserve the environment?
What does it take to take action to preserve the environment?

Using literature to explore the theme of taking action to preserve the environment,
we will also learn useful skills that will help us be better readers and writers.
Students will read books and magazines, watch a film, keep a journal, design a poster, create a mosaic, and more!

Students will have time in class to read, but they will be expected to complete reading assignments outside of school.
If possible, students should read in a quiet area away from distractions.
If students are struggling with independent reading, please contact me! Many of the books are available on Audio CD.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!
Mrs. Fields: (425) 204-2840
Email: fieldsk@seattleu.edu

Learning Targets

1. Students will understand what is required to take action to preserve the environment.
(Concept/Generalization)

Sample Generalizations:
Some sacrifices must be made in order to take action to preserve the environment.

Preserving the environment is not an easy task; it requires dedication and determination.

We are all responsible for taking action to preserve the environment.

There are little things we can do in our own lives that will help preserve the environment.

2. Students will understand the different types of literary genres and when each is best suited for a desired response from the reader, specifically developing an understanding of what it means to take action to preserve the environment.
(Skill/Process)

3. Students will be able to summarize what they read by identifying key concepts. Students will be able to accurately share the information from the article that increases their understanding of taking action to preserve the environment.
(Skill/Process)

4. Students will be able to gather information from a variety of sources to come to a conclusion about what it means and what it takes to take action to preserve the environment.
(Skill/Process)

5. Students will be able to evaluate their own writing and decide if it accurately describes and illustrates the learning targets for this unit.

Book List

Picture Books (Mrs. Fields will read to class):
Someday a Tree by Eve Bunting. (1993). New York: Clarion Books

In this story, a young girl loses a beloved tree to poisonous pollutants, but it ends on a note of hope. As we study the sometimes grave topic of our environment, it is important to remember that there is hope, as long as we are dedicated to the task.

The Wartville Wizard by Don Madden. (1993). New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

This story about littering illustrates what happens if we don’t take personal responsibility for the environment.

Earthdance by Joanne Ryder. (1999). New York: Henry Holt and Co.

This book is a poem that paints a picture of a living, breathing planet earth. This book inspires us to make sacrifices in our lives and helps us realize that we are all responsible for what happens to our planet.

Dear Children of the Earth by Schim Schimmel. (1994). Minnetonka, MN: T&N Children's Publishing.

This book is written in the form of a letter from earth to its readers. It appeals to the reader to take responsibility and make sacrifices to preserve our precious environment. I will read this book to introduce the unit and encourage a conversation about what it means to take action to preserve the environment.

Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg. (1990). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

This book tells the story of a young boy who dreams of a future where there is trash piled high on every street corner and trees are all cut to stumps. After he awakes, he changes his ways and begins to take action to preserve the environment. He dreams again, but this time the future is much brighter. This book emphasizes the idea that we can all take responsibility and make little changes that will have a great impact on the environment.

Nonfiction (Whole-class independent reading):
An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming by Albert Gore. (2007). New York: Viking.

All students will read this book during the unit. It will provide a different genre of literature (nonfiction) and also provides insight on the theme. The book emphasizes that we are all responsible, and lists little things we can all do in our own lives to make a difference in preserving the environment. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with some dedication and determination, we can succeed at the task of preserving our environment.

Various articles from Current Science, Kids Discover, and Science News.

The articles in these magazines typically focus on a specific environmental issue. Because they are written for school-age children, they often relate the issues directly to students’ lives and provide ideas for how to take action. Every article that I choose for students to read will specifically address the central questions in some form.

Fiction (Discussion Groups - Each student reads ONE of the following):
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George. (1972). New York: HarperCollins.

This book tells the story of a young Eskimo woman who tries to leave her life behind for the promise of modern life. During her journey, she begins to understand the values of her ancestors as she befriends a pack of wolves. This story reinforces the idea that we are all responsible for this planet and, therefore, must all take action to preserve it.

The Talking Earth by Jean Craighead George. (1983). New York: HarperCollins.

This novel tells the story of a young woman of Indian heritage who finds out the having to rely on animals to survive, it becomes clear to her that it the environment is vital to our survival. This book will help students understand that, while preserving the environment is not an easy task, it is something we must all work to do.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen. (2005). New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

This eco-mystery has readers trying to find out who is responsible for the pollution in the water. The book offers several ideas for how to take action to preserve the environment, even though it’s not always an easy task.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. (2004). New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

This eco-mystery involves a group of middle-school students who must take action to protect owls in their community. This story will provide students with examples of things that they can do in their own lives to take action to preserve the environment.

Film (Watch in class):
An Inconvenient Truth (2006). Producer: Jeffrey Ivers. Director: Davis Guggenheim. United States: Paramount.

We will watch this film in class toward the end of the unit. This will accommodate students with different learning styles and will also provide a powerful message regarding the theme of the unit. Like the book, this film encourages us all to take personal responsibility for the environment and provides ways that we can make changes in our own lives to make a difference.