What effects do people have on their environment?

1. Using Google Classroom, students can participate in discussion and collaboration with their classmates.

2. Smog City 2: A computer game that educates students about pollution. By playing with the interactive simulator, students can control the air quality in "Smog City." By controlling the air quality, students are given the opportunity to see how individual choices lead to air pollution, as well as environmental and land factors.

3. National Geographic Article: "Save the Earth: Earth Day Facts." An engaging, kid-centered, informational article with tips to improve the environment, focusing on deforestation and pollution.

4. Guest Speaker: Employee from Weyerhaeuser Lumber Company. Speaker will provide students with information about why companies cut down trees (examples: paper, furniture). The speaker will also go into detail about how although the companies cut down trees, there are certain rules and regulations that they have to follow.

5. Guest Speaker: Employee from Coor of Engineers and/or a Park Ranger. The speaker(s) will talk to the students about the negative effects pollution has on the local lakes and/or local parks. They may also mention how the students can be productive community members and contribute to taking care of the environment.

6. Why: Multiple Means of Engagement (What I use in order to engage students in learning)

6.1. Movie Clip from the 1992 cartoon "Ferngully." This movie contains both deforestation and pollution.

7. How: Multiple Means of Expression (How students express what they have learned)

7.1. Google Docs: Using a Google Doc template, students can create their own brochure, pamphlet, newspaper article, etc. informing their audience of the causes and effects of deforestation and/or pollution.

7.2. Using an online graphic organizer provided, students can illustrate the causes and effects of deforestation and/or pollution.

7.3. Journal Entries: Students will use their writer's notebooks for this activity. They will be given 10 different writing prompts concerning deforestation and/or pollution of their choice.

7.4. If students did further research on a topic, they could create presentations using PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, Popplet, etc.

7.5. Using a green screen app, students can perform skits regarding deforestation and/or pollution, or they can give a news presentation.

8. NCSS Themes and how they relate to my UDL:

8.1. Time, Continuity, and Change: This theme relates to my project because students are able to analyze the causes and effects of humans on the environment and how it changes over time.

8.2. People, Places, and Environments: This theme relates to my project because students are able to study how people and their decisions effect the environments in which they live.

8.3. Civil Ideals and Practices: This theme relates to my project because students can develop a sense of citizenship in their community.

9. "Pollution and all Its Types" educational youtube video

10. Social Studies Standard: G.9.4.1. Analyze effects of human-generated changes in the physical environment (deforestation, dams, pollution). English/Language Arts Standard: W.4.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.

11. What: Multiple Means of Representation (What I use to teach in order to meet all learning styles and needs)

11.1. "What is Deforestation" educational youtube video

11.2. Read Aloud: "Deforestation: Earth's Conditions" by Caleb Owens

11.3. Read Aloud: "Clean Air" by Andrew Bridges

11.4. Textbook

11.5. PowerPoint Presentation

11.6. Field Trip to local park/lake