Students learn background knowledge about waste management and energy efficiency in introductory lessons. They draw a floor plan of their home and identify areas where waste is generated and energy is lost. Plans to recycle and conserve energy are developed on the floor plan poster. Students are encouraged to implement the plans.
Students are instructed to draw a floor plan, to identify where waste is generated and to plan a recycling center and how it can be used. They are not explicitly taught how to draw a floor plan or develop a recycling center.
This activity presents an opportunity for an action that is very relevant to the student. Teachers are provided an opportunity to communicate with parents and students about the topic.
There appears to be a lack of background information that sets the stage for the need for a plan of action and implementation of that action.
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Poor/Not considered | |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
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Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Poor/Not considered | Activity information suggests teacher provide research information, web sites, handout, guest speaker and supplementary field trips but these are not provided in the lesson. |
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
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Respects Complexity | Satisfactory | The activity does not address the complexity of recycling in some locations or reducing energy consumption in the home. Factual information about energy conservation and recycling is provided. Students are encouraged to discuss their plans for enviro-proofing their home with their families. |
Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
Acting on Learning | Good | The action is in their own homes but would have spin off benefits for the community. |
Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
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Values Education | Good | Student use the information provided by the teacher in background lessons to develop a recycling plan and energy conservation initiatives for their home . |
Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | |
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
Personal Affinity with Earth | Poor/Not considered | |
Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
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Locally-Focused Learning | Very Good | Activity focuses on the student's home. |
Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
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Past, Present & Future | Satisfactory | This activity could instill in students an understanding that even though there are currently waste management problems and overuse of energy resources, there is a potential to address those problems by individual citizens and that individuals can make a difference. |
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. |
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Open-Ended Instruction | Good | Students may choose to recycle in a variety of ways. Similarly, they may choose any method of energy conservation and implement it. |
Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
Integrated Learning | Satisfactory | Background to the problems with waste management and over use of energy resources has to be provided by the teacher. Through the activity a student will use the knowledge and design solutions which may or may not be implemented. The product is a poster and possibly student action. |
Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
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Inquiry Learning | Poor/Not considered | |
Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
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Differentiated Instruction | Satisfactory | The product to be evaluated is explicitly assigned as a poster and active implementation of the ideas in the poster. This activity would teach to both cognitive and affective domains but there could be options for a final product. |
Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
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Experiential Learning | Poor/Not considered | |
Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
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Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | Students are not encouraged to work with other students on this project however there is a possibility they would work with their family. |
Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
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Assessment & Evaluation | Good | Once students have learned about recycling and energy conservation they are encouraged to implement the plan they have developed. The assessment provided allows for student, teacher and parent assessment of the poster and possibly implementation of the ideas presented in the poster. |
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
Peer Teaching | Poor/Not considered | Students simply hand in posters. |
Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
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Case Studies | Poor/Not considered | |
Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
Locus of Control | Poor/Not considered | |
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. |