The document outlines a lesson plan for teaching students about climate change and reducing carbon footprints. It involves students researching ways to reduce carbon footprints in small groups and presenting their findings. As a class, they will launch a recycling experiment to chart materials collected and money earned over a month. Using digital tools, students will calculate the amount of CO2 kept from the atmosphere. Finally, students will create a video using interviews to share what they learned from the experiment.

1. NETS Performance Indicators in Action! Designed for Grades 3-5 by Beth Piper

2. 5 . Identify and investigate a global issue to research and generate possible solutions using digital tools and resources. (3,4) Students will engage in class discussion about climate change, and the concept of a “carbon footprint.” Students will break into small groups for internet research on global warming. Each group will come up with two specific ways a person can reduce their carbon footprint. One of their solutions must involve recycling, and the other must be something they and/or their parents can do on a daily or weekly basis. Student groups will present their findings to the class.

3. 9. Debate the effect of existing and emerging technologies on individuals, society, and the global community.(6,5) Using the knowledge gained from student research, we will engage on a class discussion about why it is important for everyone to strive to reduce their carbon footprint. We will watch and discuss a short youtube video on the effects of climate change.

4. 4. Select and apply digital tools to collect, organize and analyze data to evaluate theories or test hypotheses. (3,4) As a class, we will launch an experiment to see how much we can reduce our carbon footprint by recycling. We will implement a class-wide recycling program, where students will bring in recyclable materials to be collected at the end of each week for one month. Using digital tools, the class will work collaboratively to chart materials collected and money earned. The teacher will collect and deposit recycled materials each week. Any money earned will be put in a “class recycling fund” to be donated to an environmentally friendly charity at the end of the experiment. At the end of the month, we will convert the pounds of recycled material to CO 2 , using digital resources, and see how much CO 2 our class kept out of the atmosphere.

5. 1. Produce a media rich digital story about a significant local event based on first person interviews. (1, 2, 3, 4) Post-experiment, the class will break into groups. Using imovie, each group will create a portion of a short video, incorporating their research on carbon footprints from the beginning of the experiment. Students will interview each other about their experiences with the experiment, and explain what our class has learned about how recycling affects the environment. The teacher will help edit the video, which will be viewed by the students.