Journal #9 (NETS-T 1,2,3,5)

Waters, J.K. (2011). Teaching green. t|h|e journal, 38(4), Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/research/2011/04/digital-edition_april.aspx

Summary:
This article give a variety of online resources that would help to incorporate a “green” attitude into the classroom and curriculum. Classroomearth.org seems to be one of the most in depth resources, you can search for ideas by subject like social studies or math, or by topic like climate change or recycling. Another site that caught my eye has a heavy engineering angle to it, but I think students would really enjoy it because it is an online 3D game. But the students are on a world that is troubled by pollution and other issues, and they have to learn how to put up solar panels and other green technologies. Overall a lot of resources were given that can are aimed at a variety of grade levels.

Question 1:
Do you think it is important to adopt “green” lessons in the class?
I think it is very important to incorporate ideas on how to live in such ways as to help the environment. By teaching the students, hopefully starting at a young age, and continuing throughout their school years that the environment is something that is crucially important, and something that they can affect positively or negatively, they will grow up with better attitudes towards this issue than we did. I think it also helps that a lot of these lessons are created in such a way as to be fun, and not so much of a chore; this will help to make these “green” habits more of a natural thing to adopt rather than something a student would have to go out of their way to do, at least initially. As they grow up, hopefully they will see the benefit and then choose to go out of their way to adopt even more strict habits that are beneficial.


Question 2:
Can you use these resources beyond your own classroom?
Absolutely. I think it would be crucial for you to not only implement many of these lessons in your own classroom, but to also share them with your peers on campus. One class is able to make a difference on campus, but by sharing these ideas with the entire faculty, so as to expose all of the students to these ideas, you may be able to change the mindset on campus into adopting more “green” initiatives, and have everyone be excited about these changes. As is the case when any valuable teaching resource is discovered, it should be shared. Ideas like this are not meant to be contained.