TITLE: STUDYING THE ABC's OF THE ENVIRONMENT

AUTHOR:  Susan Hixson, Carminati Elementary, Tempe, Az.
 
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  This lesson could be adjusted to apply
to any grade level, however this particular lesson was planned
for a THIRD grade classroom.  Duel subjects areas were emphasized.
  1.  Science:  our environment and ecology
  2.  Writing Skills:  
      -research skills were used in pre-writing
      -writing followed the stages of drafting,
          conferencing, editing, and final published works.
      -parts of a book were taught by including an index in
the completed project.

OVERVIEW:  This project will promote an awareness of environmental
issues and ways in which each student can help to improve our earth.
Research will be done by students on a variety of topics and
students will create a big book about the environment which includes
an index.

PURPOSES:
  1.  to make students aware of the condition of our environment and
what they can do to help improve it.
  2.  to practice research skills, emphasizing the use of an index.
  3.  to follow the writing process to produce a finished
informative article.
  4.  to assemble an index for a book produced by students
  5.  to create an ABC Class Big Book of ways to save our Earth.

OBJECTIVES:
  1.  The students will demonstrate an interest in the environment
and discuss ways to save it.
  2.  The students will complete research on at least one topic
with the beginning letter which they select and write an informative
article.
  3.  The student will contribute to the development of an index for
the book and demonstrate a knowledge of it's working.
  4.  The student will complete a picture to illustrate the items
discussed in his article.
  5.  The student will follow the writing process to draft,
         conference, edit work, and publish.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
    -stencils of large letters
    -blank big book with 30 pages
    -writing paper
    -art supplies/construction paper

    Literature books read to create the set.
    Baylor, Celebrations
    Baylor, Desert Voices
    Burton, Little House
    Siebert, Mohave
    Siebert, Sierra
    Van Allsburg, Just A Dream

    Some of the resources made available:
    Commoner, Making Peace with the Planet
    Ehrlich, Facing American Trash
    Heloise, Hints for a Healthy Planet
    Jones, Pollution: the balance of nature
    Lamb, Two Minutes a day for a Greener Planet
    Nobile, The Complete Ecological Fact Book

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
  1.  Students will listen to and discuss literature read by the
teacher to develop a set to think about.
  2.  Students will select a letter to research for the book and
brainstorm topics to write about.
  3.  Students will use materials available in the room or seek
additional sources of information for their articles.
  4.  Students will write an informative article on their selected topic.
  5.  Students will select important facts form their articles to be
listed in the index.
  6.  Illustrations will be created by the students to be used with
their article in a book format.
  7.  Each student will be responsible for laying out and gluing in
their book page which will include a large letter, an article, and
illustrations.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
  1.  As a culminating activity the book is bound and each student has
the opportunity to share their article with the entire class.
  2.  This book can be put on display in the library and might be used by other classes as a starting point for their ecology projects.
  3.  Have the students check the index to see how many articles discuss the same important topics; ie, demonstrate the usefulness of an index.
  4.  This project was timed to coincide with Earth Day.