Civics
and Government: This
lesson teaches students the characteristics and purposes of the rights and
responsibilities of being a citizen in Pennsylvania. Students will be shown a
county map of Pennsylvania and will be shown the location of the county they
live in. Discuss with students some of the laws that are in place to ensure a
clean environment. Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has a
few programs and laws that aim to ensure that all citizens live in a clean and
healthy environment. The hazardous waste program regulates the generation,
storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste. The Clean
Indoor Air Act, Act 27 of 2008, was signed into law on June 13, 2008. The
legislation prohibits smoking in a public place or a workplace and lists
examples of what is considered a public place. The Bureau of Conservation and
Restoration's mission is to restore polluted streams and lakes and remove them
from the impaired waters list. Pennsylvania made recycling the law in July 1988
with Act 101, the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act,
thus making Pennsylvania the largest state in the nation to require recycling. After
introducing these laws, students will be introduced to terms that are related
to Pennsylvania’s environment such as environment- the air, water, and the land
that surround you and other living things; wastewater-dirty water, sewage-type
of waste water; pollutants –harmful things put into the air; acid rain- when
sleet, snow, or rain has been polluted with certain chemicals given off by things that burn coal, oil or gas;
solid waste- garbage; landfills-large
open areas that communities bury waste; recycle-saving and reusing
materials and energy-usable heat or
electricity. Show students recycling YouTube video and discuss the testimonials
included in the video regarding recycling. The video will show the process of
reusing and recycling materials. As a class, students will achieve a plan of
action to create recycling globally. Students will create a graphic organizer
listing a few causes and effects of pollution. Students should formulate these
ideas on their own but if they need help, give them examples such as cars, factories and chemicals being causes
and pollutants in crops and soil, water and wildlife being effects. Students
will create a decision tree that lists the criteria for recycling and
alternatives to recycling. Students will then utilize a trifold on recycling.
The trifold is an interactive display of recycling for students. It
incorporates the causes and effects of pollution with facts and statistics. It
also includes tangible objects for students to touch and feel. Students will
have to decide whether these objects are recyclable, reusable or reducible.
Tell students that recycling is a series of steps that takes a used material
and processes, remanufactures, and sells it as a new product. Reducing is done
by buying products in bulk, avoiding disposable goods and avoiding over
packaging. Reusing is to use a product again for the same or similar purpose. Distribute
to students a copy of recycling drop off locations in Luzerne County.
No comments:
Post a Comment