Making Earth Day Every Day: A Scavenger Hunt
Earth Day should be Every Day! Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22, but what about the other 364 days of the year? What can students do to help save the environment? This lesson guides students through a research study of Earth Day and explores ways to help save the environment.
Library OPAC
Searchasaurus
Internet Access
Introduction:
-The library media specialist gathers various garbage/recyleable items around the library such as bags of garbage, newspapers, plastic/glass bottles, metal cans, real plants, polluted water, pictures of landfills, pictures of dying animals/plants, etc.
-The title "Earth Day Every Day?" would be on the whiteboard for students to see.
-The library media specialist asks students why the various objects are displayed around the library and documents the student responses on the whiteboard.
- The library media specialist explains what the students will learn in completing the scavenger hunt. Students will research Earth Day, it's importance, and ways to save and help the environment. Students also demonstrate ways that others can help protect the environment.
Body:
- The library media specialist and students brainstorm possible resources to use to answer the scavenger hunt questions (print, electronic database, and Internet sites).
-The library media specialist demonstrates how to use various resources in the library including the OPAC, Searchasaurus, and the Internet.
-Librarian will review the assignment and the resources that students will use to answer the scavenger hunt questions.
Conclusion:
-Librarian and teacher will answer questions about the resources and assignment.
-The teacher divides students into small groups (2-3) to send to the library media center to complete the scavenger hunt.
- Each group will be given a question to research on the OPAC, Searchasaurus, or the Internet.
-The group will write the answer to the question and move onto the next question. Each group will work with a different question so that all are not working with same resources at the same time.
-The library media specialist will be available to assist students as they search for the answers to the scavenger hunt questions.
-After completing the scavenger hunt, students will work in the classroom on the final project. Students will select a format to present one way in which others can protect the environment. Students present their results to the class.
