Environmental Solutions Inquiry Project

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Caroline Crouch

How can we take care of the world around us? 

In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to develop and pursue their own environmental passions and teach their classmates about possible and realistic solutions. 

4.ESS.4: Develop solutions that could be implemented to reduce the impact of humans on the natural environment and the natural environment on humans.

PBL TEMPLATE: 

What grade level are you working? 4th grade

Which standard are you targeting? 4.ESS.4: Develop solutions that could be implemented to reduce the impact of humans on the natural environment and the natural environment on humans.

Team members:

Name: Mattie Chambers

Name: Caroline Crouch

Name: Olivia Ferguson


Topic: Environmental Solutions


Part 1:  Driving question:   

  • What are your three initial driving questions?

    • 1. What are the current issues with the environment?

    • 2. How can we take care of the world around us?

    • 3. How can we impact climate change?

  • What is your one, final driving question?

How can we take care of the world around us?

  • Background information of this driving question:

The topic of environmental solutions will come up during the Earth and Space science unit in the fourth grade classroom. The Indiana state standard asks that students learn how to develop solutions to environmental problems. This question follows that standard, while also giving students a lot of creative freedom. Some students may focus on climate change and how they can help that issue, and others may learn more about recycling. With this driving question, students will have the opportunity to develop and pursue their own environmental passions and teach their classmates about possible and realistic solutions.

  • Why do you think this is a good driving question?

    • Does the DQ warrant in-depth study?

The DQ does warrant in-depth study. Because fourth graders will likely not be fully aware of all the environmental issues that need attended to, they will have to spend time researching human-caused  issues. Naturally, students will become especially interested in one or two issues and will have the opportunity to focus their attention there.

    • Is the DQ an authentic and relevant issue/problem for my students?

The DQ is authentic and relevant to our students because there are many issues that the students may have a passion for. For example, some students may be concerned about the 70 degree weather we’re having in February. This is relevant to all students in Indiana classrooms. It’s an authentic DQ because our environment does have real problems that need solutions. By answering this DQ, students will essentially be providing real world solutions.

    • Is there more than one plausible solution to the DQ?

There are many possible solutions to the DQ! As mentioned above, all students will have the opportunity to research and focus on what environmental issue and solution that they are passionate about. We encourage students to pursue their interests so that the project is a more involved learning experience for them. Because each student is unique, they will therefore each have different answers to the DQ.

    • Does the DQ provide opportunities for students to evaluate, analyze, present, and defend their solutions?

The DQ will provide students opportunities for all of these methods. Students will first be asked to evaluate environmental issues that are human-caused. Then, they will analyze them and decide realistic and applicable solutions. Students will present their solutions to their peers and classmates through some sort of creative presentation of their ideas. For example, students may create a poster presentation to present to their classmates! Finally, they may be asked to defend their solutions if other students do not agree or understand their issue and solution.

Part2: Grabber

  • What is your grabber?

Youtube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKZMGBA_0Ik

Coloring:

https://dis.arm.gov/education/studyhall/activity/complete.pdf


  • Why do you think this grabber is beneficial and how it  aligns with your driving question?

  • Does the story, article, video, announcement, role play, or other resource hook the learner into asking more questions about the topic?

This grabber, “Climate, Coloring, Crosswords...And Other Fun  Stuff!” hooks the learner because most kids love to color and interact with their learning in a creative way. The crosswords familiarize the students with important key terms. The “Getting Home” activity pushes students to ask themselves what kind of animals live in which environments.

The video, Human Impacts on the Environment, gets the student’s attention by having colorful visuals along with a voiceover that explains the positives and negatives that humans have on the environment.

  • Does the grabber capitalize on novelty and / or high emotion situations?

The video brings a new perspective to the students about the negative  impact that humans are having that could cause a student to have strong emotions about the topic.

  • Does the grabber establish authenticity & relevance?

The video establishes factual information that is relevant to the topic.

  • Make sure to explain in detail how this grabber would be used.

This video would be played for the students after asking a few questions to the students about their thoughts on the impact humans are having on their environment. The video would bring a factual aspect to the conversation that is being had with the students.

Part 3: Culminating activities: List all your activities here:


1) Activity 1

  • What is your first activity?  

Scavenger hunt:

https://dis.arm.gov/education/studyhall/justforfun/scavenger

The students would each need an electronic device. They would all sit in their groups, divide up the separate subject areas and complete them on their own, and then come back and share what they learned with one another.

  • Why do you think this is a good activity for PBL?

    • How is the activity authentic?

The activity is authentic because of it’s range of content. It asks questions about the Obama administration and ranges to questions about greenhouses gasses and other specific factors of global warming. It also includes both sides, keeping it an unbiased activity. It provides information on the debate of global warming.

    • Does the activity provide students with the opportunity to present and defend problem solution?

The scavenger hunt activity pushes the learner into asking more questions. It has 3-5 questions about different subjects including greenhouse gases and arctic temperatures, and then provides students with websites that defend each area of questioning. This allows them to search for information on their own, and gives them the facts to support their claims.

    • Does the activity require student collaboration?

This activity does require student collaboration because each group has to complete scavenger hunt together. They can split up the different subjects in the scavenger hunt, complete them, and then come back together and inform each other what they learned.

    • How will I judge what students have learned from the activity?

Students will use this activity to familiarize themselves with the different areas of the natural environment.


1) Activity 2

  • What is your second activity?

Poster presentation via science fair style… Students will create individual posters over their chosen issue and solution. They will set them up at each of their desks, and divide into two groups. Half of them will present to the other half of students that walk around. Those students who walk around will be asked to leave “compliment sandwiches” for their peers. They will share two compliments and one aspect to work on next time. Students will be in charge of getting posters of their own, but we will have a few for students who cannot do this. This will be an opportunity for students to be creative visually and communicate their ideas orally to their peers.

  • Why do you think this is a good activity for PBL?

    • How is the activity authentic?

This activity is authentic because it is a broad way for students to choose their focus and inform their peers. They can create a poster and give an informative presentation over an aspect of the natural environment that they really care about.

    • Does the activity provide students with the opportunity to present and defend problem solution?

This activity provides students with the opportunity to present and defend a problem and it’s solution. Students will give a science fair-style poster presentation over their chosen focus. They can create solution/s to the problem, ways to take care of the world, such as recycling, and defend that solution when other students ask questions or pose arguments.

    • Does the activity require student collaboration?

The activity requires student collaboration because after the students present their individual posters, they will have comment cards that their peers can come around and write questions or make comments on. This is an interactive way for peers to get their questions answered, and students to be able to see where they need improvement. However, we are asking students to create posters individually because we want fourth grade students to be able to communicate their ideas and passions independently.

    • How will I judge what students have learned from the activity?

Rubric: http://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=ZX7B8XX&sp=yes


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