Curriculum: Fair Trade Lesson Plans, Online Ecology, Oceans & Climate Resources

Curriculum is an essential tool in a comprehensive green schools program. New, greener curriculum is bubbling up all over. Here are a few possibilities to check out:

Equal Exchange offers a Fair Trade curriculum for grades 4-9 with math, social studies, writing, science and other lessons. Titles include 'Where Your Food Comes From', 'Problems with our Food System', and 'Democracy in Action':

"Equal Exchange's curriculum offers 124 pages of interactive classroom activities. Composed of four units, the curriculum raises students' awareness of the core issues surrounding food production and trade. It provides a link between personal actions and community efforts that create a more just and sustainable world. An interdisciplinary resource, the curriculum addresses U.S. curriculum standards from a variety of subjects. The flexible structure allows teachers to easily incorporate one or two classes into current lesson plans, or use all four units."

http://www.equalexchange.coop/educationaltools

Online Ecology Lesson Plans for grades K-12: "Lesson plans and WebQuests on creating terrariums, harnessing solar and wind power, and creating alternative fuels abound. These can effectively introduce youngsters, whether in kindergarten or high school, to the intricacies of ecosystems and how human actions can encourage sustainability to yield a better environment."

http://www.onlineschools.org/resources/ecology-lesson-plans/

The Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) offers resources for educators and classroom learning activities like "Too Many Blankets" (Grades 1-4), exploring some effects of rising levels of greenhouse gases on climate. COSEE seeks to provide "interactive products and processes that highlight fundamental concepts as well as their 'big picture' connections."

http://cosee.umaine.edu/about/

Looking Ahead:
National Environmental Education Week is April 10-16, 2011: "Recognizing the importance of protecting the health of our ocean and understanding our dependence upon it regardless of its proximity, EE Week's 2011 theme is Ocean Connections."

As part of this year's theme, EE Week will provide special resources, lesson plans and opportunities for professional development and student learning about the Gulf oil spill. Learn more

Resources and curricula for teaching about the Ocean , Oil Spills