Teacher Process
Green Citizen is a useful educational tool as it allows learners to discover how they personally have contributed to CO2 emissions on our planet. It also encourages the learner to explore different ways they can reduce their CO2 emissions (and save money) and therefore, contribute to protecting the environment. This webquest can be used in collaboration with any environmental program or for a class who's goal is to reinforce knowledge about protecting the environment.Lesson Plan/Process
Lesson Plan Title: Green Citizen
Standards Addressed:
This webquest is designed to be used in Quebec's secondary school curriculum in classes such as, home economics, ecology and geography. It is also possible to use it at college/university level in collaboration or to reinforce prior knowledge of the environment. (MELS - http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca).
Learners will acquire new knowledge, as well as develop thinking skills and awareness.
Knowledge and skills:
- Learners will get familiar with issues such as depletion of fossil fuels, global warming, water scarcity, renewable energy, green energy, the impacts of carbon dioxide emission and ways to reduce them, substitutional energy and sustainable mobility etc.
- Learners will develop the critical skills of systems thinking and systems-dynamics modeling and apply them to the challenges of global environmental and social change. Life-cycle assessment, risk-benefit analysis, environmental economics, energy analysis, carbon emissions modeling and spatial analysis are among the analytical tools and skills taught.
Attitudes and awareness:
- To encourage the learners to develop positive attitudes toward his environment;
- To enable the learner to perceive his environment in a more realistic way and with greater awareness and commitment.
Specific Objectives:
The learner should have acquired the following after completion of The Green Citizen Webquest
- Respect the environment
- Acquire the concepts and skill necessary to understand the notion of Carbon Footprint and their personal impact on the environment
- Be aware of the interdependence of physical and human geography
- Be aware of their roles as responsible citizens of protecting the environment
Required Material:
- Computer with internet access
- Materials (sample links provided) for building the final product - a poster.
Time Line:
Green Citizen can take anywhere from one hour to one week depending on how you use this tool. It is very useful for this reason as it is very versatile. This webquest can vary in the extent to which you desire the learner to do research and produce a final product to your liking (or that fits your purpose). Anyway you use it, Green Citizen will foster the learners power to observe, describe, analyze, and synthesize, and develop their ability to rely on prior knowledge and personal experience
Steps/Process:
1. Introduce the learners to the idea of a webquest: What it is? and how to use it?
2. Introduce the learners to the webquest - The Green Citizen
- Navigate briefly through the webquest with the learners
- Go over the instructions (specified in the process section of the webquest) with the learners
- Go over the evaluation rubric and evaluation criteria so as that they know what is expected of them
- Go over the final product (the poster) with them
- Ask if they have any question before they start
3. Give them a time line - when the product is due
4. Await the due date and the presentations
See teacher reference section for all relevant information.
Enjoy!