Sustainability S:1

Learning Targets
1.  Identify the 3 pillars of sustainability and investigate a product or an activity's sustainability.  
As you come into class you will need to switch notebooks with someone and conduct a notebook check from the checklist on the board.  Once finished you should grab a tab divider and name it Human Impacts and place it on page 48 of your notebooks.  On the title page, you should write the word Sustainability and either draw what you think it means or create your own definition or a list of words that you think defines sustainability.   
Step 1:  Watch the videos to the left and below and pick up the sheet called Is it Sustainable? (page 49) Work with your table partner and follow the directions to complete the think pair share and Venn Diagram.
Step 2:  Once finished with the activity, review your title page and add the 3 pillars of sustainability with an illustration for each.    
Step 3:  Pick up the Greenest Mile activity (page 50) and fill out the Pre-Activity Sheet regarding Sustainability.  
Step 4:  You will then follow the directions for choosing a vehicle and evaluating its sustainability level.  
Step 5:  Once you have filled out your column, you will need to find information from other people in the room that have different types of cars and record them on your sheets.  Complete the Post Activity Questions and turn them in.  

Carrying Capacity C:1

Learning Targets
1.  Investigate the carrying capacity of the Earth and calculate your own ecological footprint. 
2.  Calculate the ecological footprint for a particular item.  
GQ....Page 51
1.  What is the population of the Earth?  
2.  What is the Earth's Carrying Capacity?  (if you don't know what this is, ask your table partners if they know)

Step 1:  Use the link above to find out the real population of the Earth and the United States.  Fill out the population activity worksheet.  Watch the population growth for 1 minute and calculate the rate of change.  
Step 2:  Use the link below to investigate the Earth's Carrying Capacity.  Answer the questions as you read.  
Step 5:  Look at the graph to the right and answer the following questions. 
     a.  how long did it take for the population to go from 1 billion to 2 billion?  
     b.  how long did it take for the population to go from 2 billion to 3 billion?  
     c.  3 billion to 4 billion?
     d.  4 billion to 5 billion? 
     e.  do you see a pattern?  
Step 3:  Use the link below to calculate your ecological footprint.  At the end of the survey, you will have to answer the questions located on the back of your Carrying Capacity questions.  
Step 4:  Look at the graph to the left and answer the questions on page 51. 
    a.  When was the old stone age?  
    b.  How long did it take the human population to reach 1 billion people?  

Natural Resources NR:1

Learning Targets
1.  Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
GQ.....Page 52
1.  What is a natural resource?  
2.  List several natural resources that you use everyday, then list whether or not they are renewable or nonrenewable.  
Step 3:  Watch both Chipotle Ads. What do you think the meaning of these ads are?  Do you feel like Chipotle is attempting to be sustainable?  Is food a natural resource?  What does population and sustainable agriculture have to do with each other?  Page 53
Step 4:  Use the tabs to the right to follow the directions for the How It's Made Assignment.  Also use the link for the Goodguide to help you in your research.  
Step 1:  Watch the Story of Stuff.  
Step 2:  You will be assigned a role in a group regarding Extraction & Sustainability.  Groups A-E will sit together.  Paste your cut out assignment onto page 52 in your notebooks.  Read over your assignment out loud to your group.  Once all members have read their roles out loud discuss whether or not you think it is sustainable using the Is it Sustainable? questions.  Each group member elect a spokesperson to discuss their findings with the rest of the class.  

Consumption & Solid Waste

Learning Targets:  Analyze human impacts regarding consumption & solid waste management and mitigate solutions.  
GQ Page 54
1.  Who picks up your trash and where do they take it? 
2.  How many trash bags per week do you create?
3.  What are some ways to reduce the amount of trash you create? Be specific, list 4.  
Step 1:  Watch the Trail of Toxic Waste video using the link above. 
Step 2:  Using the links below, investigate solid waste and landills in America.  Answer the questions and turn into the tray.  

The Human Footprint

Learning Targets:  Analyze human impacts regarding consumption & solid waste management and mitigate solutions.  
You will be watching the documentary by National Geographic called the Human Footprint.  Pick up a set of questions to answer while watching.  

Earth Day Leadership Projects

Earth Day is next Wednesday.  You will be responsible for coming up with a leadership project that you will create.  This can take many forms; art projects, education projects, public policy, school policy, etc.  
  • Think of all the things you have learned in Environmental Science so far.  Climate Change, Water Quality Issues, Chemical Pollution, Consumption, Earth's Natural Resources, Energy Sources, Human Population, etc.....
  • Pick an environmental issue that you would like to make people aware of.  Research it, and then come up with a way to educate and possibly make a difference in the way we do things.  
  • At the same time, you will need to research the history of Earth Day.  When was the first Earth day?  Who came up with this idea and why?  
  • Follow the rubric for the leadership project.  
How bout this for a cool upcycling project?  Create a bench for our landscaping outside.  Build a rainbarrel system for our downspouts, etc.