Introduction:
Earth day is a global day of observance of the need to protect the earth. Earth Day is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth's environment. On Earth Day, people all over the world consciously contribute to taking care of our planet. Earth Day is about acting individually, thinking globally, and collectively making a difference.
Icebreaker: Pledge an Act of Green
· Make a pledge to perform at least one new “act of green” to help take care of our environment.
o “I pledge to...”
Read Aloud: The Earth Book by Todd Parr
Presentation Outline:
· Our World
o The Environment
· Earth Day
o Energy
o Garbage
o Pollution
o Water
· Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
· Be Green!
Activity: Experiments
Energy: Explain that conserving energy lessens the amount of carbon released into the earth’s atmosphere and slows global warming.
· The objective of this experiment is to compare incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs to determine which type of light bulb is more energy efficient.
o Give the kids two bulbs of the same wattage, one incandescent and one florescent. Have the kids put the incandescent bulb into a lamp, turn it on and let it glow for 10 minutes. Then measure the heat output by holding a thermometer six inches above the bulb and record the temperature. Repeat the procedure with the fluorescent bulb and compare the results to see which type of bulb produces the most heat and consequently wastes the most energy.
o The fluorescent light bulb will prove to be the most energy efficient.
o This experiment will demonstrate that fluorescent light bulbs save energy and emit less carbon into the earth’s atmosphere.
· Discuss energy
Garbage: Explain that recycling can help decrease the amount of garbage in landfills.
· The objective of this experiment is to examine how recycling can affect the volume of garbage in landfills.
o Give the kids a trash bag full of clean garbage. Weigh the trash bag on a scale and record the weight of the garbage. Then have the kids select the items that can be recycled and separate those items from the trash. The kids must sort the recyclables into appropriate categories and place in labeled bins. Then weigh the trash bag again and compare the results to see how the weight of the garbage changed after removing the recyclables.
o The trash bag will weigh less after eliminating the recyclables.
o This experiment will uncover how the quantity of garbage in landfills can be reduced by recycling as many items as possible.
· Discuss garbage
Pollution: Explain that diminishing air and water pollution helps eliminate health hazards to the people, plants, and animals on Earth.
· The objective of the experiment is to observe the amount of pollutants in the air.
o Give each kid a sheet of paper and have them coat it with Petroleum jelly. Place the papers somewhere in the library where they will not be disturbed. Later, have the kids examine the condition of the papers.
o The papers will be visibly darker and display an assortment of settled air pollution.
o This experiment will reveal the amount of pollutants in the air we breathe everyday.
· The objective of this experiment is to simulate the toxicity of oil spills to the environment.
o Have the kids take four hard-boiled eggs and place each egg in a separate plastic bag. Then add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of motor oil to each bag. Let the eggs sit undisturbed in the bags for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the egg from the first bag and carefully peel the shell. The motor oil will have seeped through the shell's outer cover and stained the inner egg. Open a new bag every 15 minutes and reveal each egg.
o The eggs will become more tainted the longer they sit in the motor oil.
o This experiment will expose the danger oil spills pose to the creatures that live in the water.
· Discuss pollution
Water: Explain that reducing water usage can help protect against shortages of clean water.
· The objective of this experiment is to measure the amount of water that flows through different types of faucets to determine which type of faucet conserves more water.
o Have the kids place a dish tub in the sink. At a sink with a regular faucet, turn the water all the way on and let it run for 10 seconds. Then pour the water collected in the dish tub into a measuring cup and record the amount of water. Repeat the procedure at a sink installed with a low flow faucet and compare the results to see which type of faucet collected the most water and therefore wasted the most water.
o The low flow faucet will prove to conserve the most water.
o This experiment will show that using low flow faucets conserve more water in our homes, workplaces and schools.
· Discuss water
Video: The Lorax
Activity: Library Tour
· Silver LEED Certification
Quiz: List Ten Green Deeds
1. Recycle.
2. Don’t litter.
3. Plant a tree.
4. Create a compost pile.
5. Grow a vegetable garden.
6. Walk, carpool or take the bus to school.
7. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
8. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
9. Take a shower instead of a bath to conserve water.
10. Unplug electronic devices and appliances when not in use.
Craft: Recycled Milk Cartons Planters
Have kids plant seeds in recycled milk cartons.
No comments:
Post a Comment