Title: Humans and the Environment Instructors: Carina Dean and Rachael Fagella Subject: Science Grade Level:

5 Topic to Teach: Humans and their roles within the living environment. NYS Standards Addressed: Studentswilldescribethewayhumansdependontheirnaturalandconstructedenvironmentandexplaintheway
humanshavechangedtheirenvironmentovertime(L.E.3.2a,7.2b,c,)

General Goals: The Learner Will Identify what elements of the environment are crucial to human life. Describe their own ecosystem and reflect upon what natural and man-made resources they use on a daily basis. Identify changes that have happened to the environment due to human population. Recommend ways in which to preserve our environment Required Materials: Note paper Pencils Poster-sized Paper Colored markers Magazines Wire hangers String Glue

Process: 1. As a class, ask students what resources we need to survive. 2. Have the students come up to the board and write the resource that they named. 3. They will probably begin write things such as food, water, shelter, air, and sun or warmth. Once most of the resources are named, begin asking probing questions such as: How do humans get oxygen? Where do humans get water? Why do humans need food? Why is it important for humans to have shelter? What would happen to your ecosystem without these resources?

4. Discuss ways that humans depend on other organisms such as plants and animals. Refer back to their food chain lesson in which one cannot live without the other. Mention how important it is for

us to respect our environment because if we do not have a healthy environment, our ecosystems cannot work properly. 5. Talk about changes in the earth s environment and how humans are affecting it. Pollution-What do humans do to pollute the earth? Changes and degradation to our habitat- What changes have we seen? Resource depletion-How are humans using our resources? Are they being respected and used carefully? Are we being wasteful?

6. Hand out list of resources and what human activities are harmful to our ecosystem. Explain to students that this hand out will give them the information they need to complete their project and that they may research the topic further at home if they wish. Tiered Activities________________________________________________________________ _ 7. Introduce the days activities. During this particular lesson, students will be given a choice on what type of project they wish to complete. Allow them to either work in pairs or individually, although they each need to complete their own project. Allow them the rest of the period to complete their project. Group 1: Pretend you are a journalist and write an article for Ecosystems Magazine about how important our environment is to us and make suggestions on ways we can better protect it. Explain how all living things and they depend on our environment. You may include pictures in this article. You can draw it or cut it out of a magazine This group will need a: Poster sized paper Markers Magazine Pen Group 2: Create a mobile that represents the different ways in which humans depend on our environment and how we have changed it. Write a short explanation for why you chose each picture. Students will need: Scissors Magazines Wire Hangers String Pen Paper

Glue Group 3:

Create a pamphlet that explains to the public how important our ecosystem is to us and how much we depend on it. Demonstrate how it is necessary to respect our resources in order for humans to inhabit the planet. Include pictures and passages that explain them. Make suggestions on how we can preserve our environment. Give a short oral presentation to the class about your pamphlet. Students will need: 8 X11 Paper to fold in thirds Markers Magazines Glue