So What Else and the Harvest Collective
Environmental Awareness Education Program
Length of Program: 10 to 12 Weeks
Overview and Purpose of Program:
Through outdoor education, research and experienced environmental educators this program
aspires to teach and motivate students, early on, to become socially and environmentally conscious
beings. Students are able to learn in a hands-on setting about the environmental issues taking place in
our world today and how it affects their lives. The classes are designed to teach students not only the
importance of living sustainably but also HOW they can do this as an individual and as a group. This
program introduces children to alternative environmental topics and projects that create a sense of civic
responsibility and awareness. Students are able to gain a heightened interconnectedness with nature and
are thus empowered to make sustainable change in their school or community center and their own lives.
Class Activities:
Week One
Topic: Plastic Pollution
Movie Clip Viewings: Pacific Gyre and Bag it!
Activity:
1. Pick Up America Story, Website Viewing
2. Community/School Litter pick-up
Introduce semester long project: Sell reusable bags throughout the semester to fund their own reusable
water bottle station for their family. This would include reusable water bottles and Brita filter.
Week Two and Three
Topic: Waste
Movie Viewing: Story of Stuff
Ice Breaker: Recycling Relay
Activity:
1. Discussion on Reusing, Reducing and Recycling
2. Trash to treasure craft/art project
3. Discussion and start of bottle brick building project.
Week Four
Topic: Water System and Scarcity
Movie: Earth Echo Web films on how our water systems work, United Nations Water Scarcity Clips
Activity:
1. Map out where our water comes from by locating the local watershed and estimating the distance
from source to the school, center or house.
2. Discussion on water scarcity around the world.
3. Rain Barrel Installation learning activity.
Week Five and Six
Topic: Gardening and Plants
Movie: Planet Earth Clips, The true cost of food YouTube video
Activity:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Outdoor Plant Walk and Photo Project
Lima Bean Dissection
Discussion on edible landscapes
Art project – Students design and draw their own edible landscape.
Service: Students participate in a Harvest Collective volunteer day, planting a garden.
Week Seven and Eight
Topic: Gardening and Health
Activity:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Figuring out how the food we eat reaches our tables.
Garden Salsa cooking lesson.
Discussion on the importance of eating organic, locally sourced food.
Farmers Market Visit or Activity
Week Nine and Ten
Topic: Global Warming and Pollution
Movie: Chasing Ice Clips, Food Inc. Clips
Activity:
1. Discussion on environmental pollution of neighboring coal plants
2. Discussion on Acid Rain
3. Factory farming and pollution
4. Brainstorm of how we can lesson our own carbon footprints/ compile a class list of ways to live
more green every day.
5. Why it’s important for YOU to live more green and offset your carbon footprint.
Week Eleven
Topic: Indigenous Cultures and Earthly Connection
Activity:
1.
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3.
Discussion on spiritually connecting with nature and gratitude for what nature provides for us.
Meditation
Individual or class size terrarium building
Projects depending on location and logistics of the program:
1. Trip to Common Good City Farms
2. Raised garden bed installations at school or community center
3. Bottle brick bench building