Earth Day, Every Day

JENNY MCKAY EDRL 451 CONTENT LITERACY LITTERNI-SPRING 2011 UNIT PLAN EARTH DAY, EVERY DAY

RATIONALE
The world is a fine place and worth fighting for- Ernest Hemingway Being the great novelist Hemingway was, he absolutely knew what he was talking about. The reason I chose Earth Day to do my Unit Plan on is because we all live on the Earth and we ALL need to take care of it not only on Earth Day, but everyday! We have no choice in this matter, if we dont do anything then we will no longer exist. Some students may not know the history behind Earth Day or what it has do with them. Almost every day parents complain about gas prices and their children have to listen to them. After this lesson, children will know that cars that use part electrical power will be a lot less money and will help the environment we live in. Senator Gaylord Nelson thought the environment was in trouble and was concerned that nobody in politics cared. At first he was right, then Robert and John Kennedy agreed it was something they should concern themselves with. For no reason in particular, it didnt get the spotlight it deserved. About nine years later, Nelson saw that Vietnam protesters were doing teach-ins to teach people about the war and he thought that is what he needed to do in order for everyone in the world to know about the environmental problems. In late 1969, Nelson announced that there would be an effort put forth a time and place where people could talk about the problems and invited everyone to participate. A few months later, The New York Times printed an article that got everyone talking"Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses
with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam...a national day of observance of environmental problems...is being planned for next spring...when a nationwide environmental 'teach-in'...coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned...." On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was held with

over 20 million demonstrators on hand and Gary Nelson was responsible for bringing the environmental problems he saw to the ears of the people. The students will learn about the history of Earth Day, and some of the problems has solved in this plan. Students will have access to a large, diverse text set that includes books, poems, songs and internet articles and research. The unit revolves around this literature and will provide a good foundation on Earth Day and why it matters to everyone! Grade: This unit is set for a 2nd grade classroom. Unit Length: This is a Five Day Unit Plan Discipline: There are many disciplines this Unit will cover including; Literacy, History, Social Studies, Math, Art, and even Music.

Main Concept: Students will learn about Earth Day and also the effects of everyday things on the environment around them. Strategies Within Unit Plan: Think Aloud Make Predictions Access Prior Knowledge Set a Purpose for Reading Make Text Connections KWL Chart Journal/Learning Log Entries Worksheets (Math) Identify Main Idea/details Organize Information Recall Details Decode Vocabulary Group Summarize Research Report using Text and Web Resources Pairs Read Reciprocal Teaching DR/TA-Directed Reading/Thinking Activity R.A.F.T assignment

Text Set
1. Biscuits Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli 2. Earth Day: An Alphabet Book by Gary Kowalski 3. Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day by Jane OConnor 4. The EARTH Book by Todd Parr 5. Earth Day Birthday (Sharing Nature with Children Book by Chad Wallace 6. The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling by Alison Inches 7. Cliffords Spring Clean-Up by Norman Bridwell 8. Going Green by Lydia Bjornlund 9. Will We Miss Them? Endangered Species by Alexandra Wright 10. Water Supplies In Crisis by Russ Parker 11. Air Pollution: Our Impact on the Planet by Matthew Chapman and Rob Bowden 12. Reducing Your Carbon Footprint at School by Jeanne Nagle 13. How Green Are You? by David Bellamy

Websites
www.dltk-kids.com www.crafts.kaboose.com www.childrenoftheearth.org www.abcteach.com www.educationworld.com http://earthday.envirolink.org/history.html

Theme DAY 1What is Earth Day?

Activities 1. Presentation on Earth Day (History and Powerpoint) 2. Make words from Earth Day 3. CraftPaper Plate Earth Day Wreath 4. Journal 5. Earth Day Rap

Literature 1. The Earth Book 2. Cliffords Spring Clean-Up

Vocabulary 1. Biodegradable 2. Compost 3. Ecological Footprint 4. Environment 5. Natural Resources 6. Sustainability

Strategies 1.KWL chart 2.Preview vocabular y 3. Prereading prediction s 4. Journal 5. Literature Circle 6. Character Map of Clifford

Theme DAY 2Animals/ Environment

Activities 1. Watch Free Willy movie 2. Talk with Mother Nature Writing 3. Bear Craft 4. Journal 5. Write Poems 6. Circle of Life song/info

Literature 1. Will We Miss Them? 2. Biscuits Earth Day Celebration 3. Earth Day Birthday 4. What do we Plant? Poem 5. In the Water World Poem

Vocabulary 1. Carnivore 2. Herbivore 3. Omnivore 4. Consumption 5. Ecosystem 6. Atmosphere 7. Pollution 8. Topsoil 9. Erosion 10. Extinction

Strategies 1. Journal/Lea rning Log 2. Pairs read 3. Creative Debate 4. Reciprocal Teaching

Theme DAY 3Water/Air

Activities 1. Color Page and Letter Page Windmill 2. TreePoem 3. Watch Ferngully: The Last Rainforest 4. Math Page #1 5. Make Dirt Cups

Literature 1. Earth Day: An Alphabet Book 2. Air Pollution 3. Water Supplies in Crisis 4. A Cool Drink of Water

Vocabulary 1. Energy 2. Fossil Fuels 3. Global Warming 4. Greenhouse Gas 5. Nonrenewable Energy 6. Renewable Energy 7. Solar Energy 8. Watt

Strategies 1. Group Summariz ing 2. Journal/Le arning Log 3. Creative Debate 4. Literary Circle

Theme DAY 4What can I do?

Activities 1. Word Search 2. Color PageRecycle 3. Earth Coffee Filter 4. Junk Mail OverloadMath Assignment 5. Research PaperCauses, What can I do?

Literature 1. Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day 2. The Adventures of A Plastic Bottle 3. Reducing Your Carbon Footprint at School

Vocabulary 1. Reduce 2. Reuse 3. Recycle

Strategies 1. Prereading Techniques 2. Journal/ Learning Log 3. Think Aloud

DAY 5- Day 5 is not a complete lesson plan, it serves only as a day to wrapup the research paper and get their Earth Day Every Day award for learning we have to take care of our Earth all the time. I will read the students Earth Day, Every Day worksheet and the students will be asked to answer the questions when I am done reading. I will read the students with the book How Green Are You? to see ways we all can try to help out our environment as well.

Calendar for Earth Day Unit Day 1- What is Earth Day?

Objectives: The objectives for the first day will be to learn about the history of Earth Day and how it might affect our lives. Nevada State Standards: 1.2.4- With assistance, use resources to find and/or confirm meaning of unknown words encountered in a text. 2.2.1- With assistance, use before reading strategies based on text and purpose to: preview text, access prior knowledge, set purpose for reading, make predictions, determine reading rate, determine text type. 3.2.1- With assistance, identify how one event may cause another event. 8.2.4- Participate in group discussions following the turn-taking process. 3.2.9- With assistance, make connections to self, other text and/or the world. 3.2.1- With assistance, make inferences and draw conclusions about setting and plot based on evidence. 1.3.3- Paint; using varied media, techniques and processes. 9.0- Student understand the shift of international relationships and power as well as significant developments in American culture. Resources: Text set Website- www.childrenoftheearth.org Website- www.dltk-kids.com Materials Needed:
Computer, art craft printouts,

Activities: The first activity is to hear me introduce the Earth Day unit, explain the humble beginnings and some of the new things going on to help out. Second, the students will watch the powerpoint presentation called, Earth Day on the website www.childrenoftheearth.org. The students will do an art craft making a Earth Day wreath out of paper plates on the website www.dltk-kids.com.

I will also read the rap of the song. The students will read The Earth Book, using pre-reading techniques and looking up the vocabulary words in the dictionary. For Cliffords Spring Clean-up, the students will use Wilhelms Entering the Story World to try to understand what Clifford might do. Using a literary circle, students will discuss the Clifford book and will also do a character map as well. Assignments: The students will take home the assignment the worksheet Make words from Earth Day to do as homework. They will also start a Earth Day journals/learning logs in class to discuss what we do everyday in class for this unit. Create a definition of Earth Day using the Frayer model, then, in their own words, using their definition, create a cover page for their journal. Assessments: Most of the assessments I will be doing are informal. I expect 100% participation by the students doing the activities. There are three concrete pieces of work I would want to see. First, the definition of the words. Second, participation in the literary circle. Third and final item, is their journal/learning log.

DAY 2- Animals/Environment
Objectives: The objectives for the second day will be to learn about animals that are close to extinction due to the environmental changes that are happening. Nevada State Standards: 1.3.3- Create a minimum of one three-dimensional art form using varied media, techniques and processes. 1.2.4- With assistance, use resources to find and/or confirm meaning of unknown words encountered in a text. 2.2.1- With assistance, use before reading strategies based on text and purpose to: preview text, access prior knowledge, set purpose for reading, make predictions, determine reading rate, determine text type. 3.2.1- With assistance, identify how one event may cause another event.

8.2.4- Participate in group discussions following the turn-taking process. 3.2.9- With assistance, make connections to self, other text and/or the world. 3.2.1- With assistance, make inferences and draw conclusions about setting and plot based on evidence. 4.2.7- Read and follow directions to complete tasks. 7.2.5- Actively listen to a speaker. 1.3.3- Paint; using varied media, techniques and processes. L.2.C.1- Explain that plants and animals need certain resources for energy and growth. L.2.D.2- Explain that some plants and animals are extinct. L.2.C.2- Explain that habitats include food, water, shelter, and space. 6.2.3- Write poetry. Resources: Text set Website- www.childrenoftheearth.org Movie- Free Willy Materials Needed:
A Talk with Mother Nature R.A.F.T assignment Art craft printouts/crayons Circle of Life song and handout

Activities: The first activity of day two is to watch the movie Free Willy about the whale that is captured and exploited and how a little boy named Jesse sets him free. Second, the students will do the writing assignment A Talk with Mother Nature. Students will look up their vocabulary words in the dictionary. The students will do an art craft first coloring the bear, then physically putting him together (with assistance) with glue. I will read the students In the Water World poem. I will also read Will We Miss Them? about the animals that are close to becoming extinct and the class will have a creative debate on the animals that would save from extinction. Using pairs read and also reciprocal teaching, the students will read/ discuss Biscuits Earth Day Celebration. Assignments: The students will take home the assignment the worksheet Make words from Earth Day to do as homework.

They will write in their Earth Day journal/learning log in class to discuss what we did in class today. The students will take Earth Day Birthday home to read for homework and return with it the next day prepared to answer in an informal whole class discussion. After reading some of the poems on the website provided, students will write their own poems regarding the Earth. Assessments: Most of the assessments I will be doing are informal. I expect 100% participation by the students doing the activities. Today, I feel that most important is doing the writing assignment and reading the book for homework.

DAY 3- Water/Air
Objectives: The objectives for the third day is to learn about the effects of the environment is having on two very important things in our life; the water we drink and bathe with and the air we breathe. Nevada State Standards: 1.3.3- 1.3.3- Paint; using varied media, techniques and processes. 1.2.4- With assistance, use resources to find and/or confirm meaning of unknown words encountered in a text. 2.2.1- With assistance, use before reading strategies based on text and purpose to: preview text, access prior knowledge, set purpose for reading, make predictions, determine reading rate, determine text type. 3.2.1- With assistance, identify how one event may cause another event. 8.2.4- Participate in group discussions following the turn-taking process. 3.2.9- With assistance, make connections to self, other text and/or the world. 3.2.1- With assistance, make inferences and draw conclusions about setting and plot based on evidence. 4.2.7- Read and follow directions to complete tasks. 7.2.5- Actively listen to a speaker. 1.3.7- Add and subtract two-and three-digit numbers with or without regrouping. Resources:

Text set Movie- Fergully: The Last Rain Forest Materials Needed:
Color Page Windmill Math Page #1 with windmill Ingredients for the Dirt Cups

Activities: The first activity of day two is to watch the movie Ferngully: The Last Rain Forest about a few people trying to save a rainforest. Second, the students will do a color page with a draw-by-letter concept and then color it. Students will look up their vocabulary words in the dictionary. The students will make a treat with their groups, Dirt Cups. The students will do a math page with double digit adding and a small windmill on it. I read them excerpts from Air Pollution and Water Supplies in Crisis Students will read by themselves A Cool Drink of Water and we will discuss as a class some of the ways water is important to us as inhabitants. Using a literary circle, students will read Earth Day: An Alphabet Book and discuss the wonders of nature that appear in the book. Assignments: The students will take home their math assignment if not done in class. They will write in their Earth Day journals in class to discuss what we did in class today. Assessments: Most of the assessments I will be doing are informal. I expect 100% participation by the students doing the activities. Today, I feel that most important is reading their books.

DAY 4- What can I do?

Objectives: The objectives for the fourth day is to learn about the things we all can do to make our next Earth Day feel like it should everyday. Nevada State Standards: 1.3.3- 1.3.3- Paint; using varied media, techniques and processes. 1.2.4- With assistance, use resources to find and/or confirm meaning of unknown words encountered in a text. 2.2.1- With assistance, use before reading strategies based on text and purpose to: preview text, access prior knowledge, set purpose for reading, make predictions, determine reading rate, determine text type. 3.2.1- With assistance, identify how one event may cause another event. 8.2.4- Participate in group discussions following the turn-taking process. 3.2.9- With assistance, make connections to self, other text and/or the world. 3.2.1- With assistance, make inferences and draw conclusions about setting and plot based on evidence. 4.2.7- Read and follow directions to complete tasks. 7.2.5- Actively listen to a speaker. 5.2.2- Collect, record, and classify data in response to questions posed by teacher and/or students. 5.2.3- Use tables, pictographs, and bar graphs to represent data. Resources: Text set WebsiteMaterials Needed:
Word Search Color Page Recycle Coffee Filter, markers for art project Graph for Junk Mail Overload

Activities: The first activity of day three is to do the word search. Second, the students will do the coloring page Recycle Students will look up their vocabulary words in the dictionary. The students start the process doing the Junk Mail Overload, it will be revisited twice again later in the month of May. The students will go to the library to do research What Can I Do to Make Earth Day a success?

I read them an excerpt from Reducing Your Carbon Footprint At School Students will read by themselves Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day using pre-reading techniques to understand what Nancy will try to accomplish. With a partner, students will discuss the book The Adventures of A Plastic Bottle. Students will read the book by themselves using Think-Aloud. Assignments: The students will work on their paper, using the writing process to complete the assignment including; brainstorming, first draft, revision, and will do a final copy to be displayed in class. They will write in their Earth Day journals in class to discuss what we did in class today. Assessments: Most of the assessments I will be doing are informal. I expect 100% participation by the students doing the activities. Today, I believe doing the research paper is the most important activity.

DAY 5Since today is not a formal part of the unit, it will be day of fun. First, the students will read (using comprehension skills) the Earth Day, Every Day printout and answer the questions on the bottom of the page. Then will color the recycle sheet. The students will also put together the book and practice their writing skills tracing the words on the book. Toward the end of the day students will receive their unit award from the teacher, showing they have completed their assignments and know what the concept of Earth Day, Every Day means.