Reducing the impacts of human activities (by Jimmy Zheng)

1. 1. Students design a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment.

1.1. Small groups of 3-5 students go online and perform a rough search of current methods of reducing impacts of human activities on the environment, before developing their own solution. Students must write a works cited about the sources they used.

2. 2. Students evaluate a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment.

2.1. Students investigate 1-2 ideas that they really like from the first step, and continue their investigation in the real world. This means emailing, calling, and or meeting face-to-face with an expert on the topic. This expert can be found from one of the teacher's university contacts. They can also visit a museum, dam, etc. Students must submit a transcript of any communications that occurred.

3. 3. Students refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment.

3.1. Students compile the first half of a Google Slides document covering their findings, and share it with the teacher. The slides should be a compact summary of their findings, hence the word, "refine."

4. 4. Students design a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on biodiversity.

4.1. Students go online and search current (i.e., recent within 1 year) news and/or peer-reviewed journal articles about human impacts on biodiversity. Students must write a works cited about the sources they used.

5. 5. Students evaluate a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on biodiversity.

5.1. Students draw and then scan a picture they created that reflects the current news and/or peer-reviewed journal articles that they just read, to include in the Google Slides document in the next step. Multiple pictures can be included.

6. 6. Students refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on biodiversity.

6.1. Students compile the second half of their Google Slides document to provide a summarized account of reducing the impacts of human activities on biodiversity. Some key words I would highly encourage the students to use include, but are not limited to: biodiversity, ecological footprint, factories, pollution, and recycling.