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INTRODUCTION |
Global warming, desertification, animal extinction, melting poles, natural disasters...
You surely hear those words every day but you probably think it is not your responsibility.
Find out how YOUR DAILY LIFE affects the planet and how YOU can contribute to stop environment destruction.
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TASK |
Your final task will consist of designing a document (word,powerpoint) including the following topics :
-Global warming effects you feel more worried about (i.e. climate change, extinction,...)
-Actions that increase those effects (i.e. air pollution, resources depletion,...)
-Ordinary habits people could change to stop the destruction of the
planet (i.e. reducing energy: at home, at school, using public
transport,...)
WRITING TIPS
You could start defining "global warming" and giving facts (i.e. the rising of the Earth temperature in the last century).
Introduce the selected topic amongst those that you have been working about on the previous stages and explain your choice.
Next include a description of the effects with real examples if possible. Add images, graphics, etc.
The last point could be designed as a list of "must and mustn´t"
actions about wasting or saving resources at school, at home,
shopping,...
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PROCESS |
1-Make sure you understand the following key words:
Biodiversity
Climate change
Consumption
Extinction
Global warming
Illness/Disease
Policy
Renewable energy
Resources
Rubbish/Garbage
Sustainable development
To save
To waste
2-Find a partner or a small group to work with (max. 4 students).
3-Have a quick look at the questions, write a short list of the main topics and decide who will be working on every task.
4-Write down the answers to the questions below (5 to 9) and everything you consider useful for the final task.
5-Try to discover how deep your CO2 footprint is and how much could it
be reduced if you changed some habits about transport or electricity.
6-Global warming caused by resources depletion and pollution bring
about social and political problems. How do desertificaction, melting
ice or contaminated water affect people´s ordinary lives all around the
world? Find out its effects on developed areas like Europe or
NorthAmerica.
7-Why is it necessary for humans to keep biodiversity? Which human
actions are causing the loss of natural species? Describe different
ways to avoid extinction (trade, preservation of habitats, animal
adoption,...)
8-Sustainable consumption seems to be one of the solutions to stop
environmental degradation. Ennumerate al least 10 facts about "waste of
energy or resources" in developed countries.
9-Most of the individual actions you could easily take to avoid waste
or pollution are related to the three "Rs"
(Reusing,reducing,recycling). Think of some actions for every "R" and
explain your choice.
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RESOURCES |
The following websites offer information for the questions above. On
the left you can find some "clues" on the topics to make the search
easier.
Dictionary - http://www.wordreference.com
Carbon Calculator (CO2 emission) - http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/index.html
U.N.E.P. (Web animations on climate changing) - http://www.unep.org
Greenpeace (How to save the climate) - http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports
National Geographic (Best images) - http://green.nationalgeographic.com
EU Environment (Control climate change) - http://ec.europa.eu/
EU Environment for Youth (Air, waste, water, nature) - http://ec.europa.eu/environment/youth/index_en.html
UNEP (Resource kit/ sustainable consumption) - http://www.unep.org/tools
APTA. (Facts on transport) - http://apta.com/media/facts.cfm
Global issues (Consumption) - http://www.globalissues.org
BBC News (Special reports) - http://news.bbc.co.uk/
WWF (Animal adoption) - http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/index.asp
Panda (Animal extinction) - http://www.panda.org
Recycling guide - http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk
Eco-schools (Eco-code) - http://www.eco-schools.org
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EVALUATION |
You will get a group mark both for the process and the final project.
The process will be evaluated considering:
-Reading skills and selection of useful information.
-The answers to the questions (right/wrong;enough information).
-The use of resources (different websites, dictionary,...).
-The implication of the group in the task (equal distribution of work, attitude towards the activity,...).
The final project will be evaluated by:
-The document design (the introduction of topics or sections must be correct and the document must be clear for reading).
-Summary writing from different topics and coherence of ideas.
-Grammar and vocabulary accuracy.
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CONCLUSION |
At the end of this activity you should know:
-New English vocabulary about environment.
-How to find information through English language webs even if you don´t understand every word.
-How to select ideas and topics to design a document in English according to your interest.
If you were not aware of the global problems that the Earth is facing,
you will surely have learnt how human actions are causing the
destruction of the planet and how your individual habits can contribute
to stop the degradation of the environment.
But your task is not finished! Move for the Earth and tell everybody they should.
Remember:Our Blue Planet is calling...for help.
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CREDITS |
-Aula Tecnológica Siglo XXI: www.aula21.net
-Páginas dispersas: fresno.cnice.mecd.es/~avaler3
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