Happy Earth Day!
I always like to start by reading the book, Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg. It is the story of a boy who thinks littering is no big deal. He scoffs at people who recycle or plant trees. He thinks that his choices would have little influence on the future. Then he has a dream that changes his life. The boy travels to a dystopian future, where the air is smoggy, the trees are all cut, and the trash makes mountains. It is a frighteningly realistic vision. At the end, the boy realizes that if everyone makes those same choices there won’t be much left for us.
The students in class always walk away with a good understanding that their choices matter and will have an impact on their world.
Earth Day Stations
1) NASA’s Earth as Art App
This app is totally free and available on the iTunes store.