We all know that April celebrates Earth Day and if you’re in need of some fresh materials, I’ve got you covered. This Sustainable Living Lesson includes some of my favorite activities from hex blocks to bag assessments. To see what’s all included, read on!

Set

• Intro Activity: Place students into small groups and give them a baggie full of prelabeled hex blocks to make connections with to see what they know about sustainability. Students must work together to discuss and make connections with the blocks and then explain the connections they made. Note to teacher: You will need to cut out the blocks ahead of time and if you plan to use them more than once, I would recommend laminating them for durability.
• Once students have shared their connections with the class, discuss that the hex blocks featured keywords and topics associated with sustainability which will be broken down into specific categories…7 to be exact.
• Inform students they will be working in small groups where each group will be responsible for teaching the class about an “R” of sustainability.

Materials

• iPads or Laptops
• Projector & Screen
• Precut Hex Blocks
• Paper Bags
• Index Cards
• Markers & Glue
• Old Magazines (optional)

Activities

• Copy the article “The Seven R’s of Sustainability” and cut it apart giving each group one of the “R” sections to work with. With that section, they need to create a visual presentation (hand generated or digitally generated) that includes the following:
  • Title: This will be your assigned “R” of Sustainability
  • Show cause and effect of this “R” with an “If this, then that” type of statement.
  • Culminate with at least 3 suggestions with examples on what a consumer can do to eradicate or limit the “effect” of the cause
  • Include 2-3 images related to your “R” that help us understand it better
• Students will present their “R” presentations to the class and the audience will take notes as each “R” information is given.
• After students have taken their notes, have them complete some follow-up prompts pertaining to their use and experience(s) with them.
• Optional: Ask students, “How many “earth planets” do you think you use? This is just a guess based on your sustainability practices. Take the Ecological Footprint Calculator. Screenshot your results and attach them to google classroom and then complete the following questions: Were you surprised or shocked by your results? How did they compare to your prediction? Write 3-5 sentences that share your results along with your reaction to them.
• Finally, have students complete the Sustainable Living Assessment in a Bag with their group (or create new ones) to show what they’ve learned. See the details and criteria for this assignment below.

Attachments

• Hex Blocks for Sustainability (PDF)
• The Seven R’s of Sustainability Article (PDF) **Just in case you can’t access the article on line.
• Seven “R’s” of Sustainability Visuals & Student Notes & Follow Up Prompts (PDF)
• Sustainability in a Bag Group Assessment & Rubric (PDF)

Additional Resources

• Which Bag is Best?
• Fast Fashion: A Talking Points Lesson & Activity
• Sustainability Case Study: The Wasteful Watts
• New Ways to Teach About Food Waste
• Teaching About Food Waste

Photo by Photo Boards on Unsplash