ABSTRACT

The learning scenario “Teaching Sustainability through the “Terra Mission” educational material aims to encourage young students to reflect on the importance of the trees for our planet and the environment and discuss about deforestation and alternatives to prevent it. Through multiple activities, students will use digital tools and and will express their opinion through critical thinking. As a result, they will enrich their knowledge and enhance their skills.

TEACHING SUSTAINABILITY: OBJECTIVES

The scenario is about teaching sustainability through the “Terra Mission” educational material. Students will learn about the importance of trees and the consequences of deforestation. They will enrich their knowledge about the process of photosynthesis and how trees contribute to oxygen’s production. They will also express their opinion, collaborate through STEAM activities and have fun!

ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING SUSTAINABILITY USING THE “TERRA MISSION” MATERIAL

1st activity: “If our planet had feelings”

Students are watching the video “A sick planet” and are asked to write in Mentimeter three words that will describe how they would feel if they were planet Earth. After that we discuss all answers and students express their opinion about what their fellow students wrote.

2nd activity: Let’s talk about trees with “Terra Mission”

The teacher takes a piece of paper, writes something, scrunches up the piece of paper and throws it away. Right after that shows the students the presentation from Terra Mission at Gynzy and asks: “Why is it a shame to just throw a piece of paper away?”, “What is paper made of?” or “What do you know about trees?”

Then, on “Tierra Mission” presentation at Gynzy students complete the parts of the tree. They discuss the prerequisites which form a forest and how trees produce their own food.

After that, they watch the “Photosynthesis video” and discuss their answers.

3rd activity: Working on “Tierra Mission” worksheet

Students complete exercises 1, 2 and 3 and also do the quizzes in slides
17 & 18 in Gynzy’s presentation. Then, they complete the Terra Mission “Trees” Worksheet, which can be found here.

4th activity: The giving tree

Students will watch the video “The Giving Tree”, which narrates Shel Silverstein’s fairy-tale. After that they will express their opinion about what changes as the little boy grows up and how does the apple-tree feel as time goes by. They will, also, describe all the things that the apple-tree gives to the boy. In this way we talk about all the benefits that the trees and the forests offer to our planet and about which human actions have led to deforestation.

5th activity: Giving trees made of recycling materials

Finally, students create their own “giving trees” using recycling materials.