Citizenship
Elementary School - November 2010
Character Education
Newsletters
Broward County Air
Quality Program
Citizenship is knowing, understanding, and displaying a high regard for rules, laws,
government, heritage, and for those who have served and sacrificed for community and
country.
Take the Conservation & Climate Change (C3) Challenge!
We are proud to announce the 2nd annual Conservation & Climate Change (C3) Challenge!
The C3 Challenge is an educational competition intended to engage students, teachers,
school administrators, staff, and parents in practical strategies to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions school-wide and at home. Become your school’s Climate Leader and register by
e-mailing us at airoutreach@broward.org and receive a free Back To School Eco-Friendly C3
Starter Kit. Each kit contains items such as rules, bookmarks, pencils & pens made from
recycled material, a reusable shopping bag, stickers, book covers, Energy Star climate
change materials, and a Broward County Teacher Resources CD. For more information visit
www.broward.org/pollutionprevention.
The winning school will receive:
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Celebration Day hosted by the Broward County Air Quality Program at your school
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Sustainable School Plaque
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E-Certificates for each teacher who participates
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Winning banner for school (8’ by 3’)
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2011 Clean Air Calendars
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Recognition from the Board of County Commissioners

Climate Change Collection (books, documentaries, and movies) for library

A NatureScape butterfly garden
The Broward County Pollution Prevention, Remediation & Air Quality Division continues to
incorporate Character Education into its educational efforts. Each month the newsletter will
relate core values to science in an effort to educate students about good character and the
importance of protecting our natural resources.
This year’s newsletters support the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Science.
Grade K - Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science
Grade 1 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 6: Earth Structures; Big Idea 17:
Interdependence
Grade 2 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 17: Interdependence
Grade 3 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 3: The Role of Theories, Laws,
Hypotheses & Models; Big Idea 17: Interdependence
Grade 4 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific
Knowledge; Big Idea 6: Earth Structures; Big Idea 17: Interdependence
Grade 5 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific
Knowledge; Big Idea 17: Interdependence
Activity 1: Make a Recycled Toy Energy Efficient House
As a class, collect the “materials needed” items. Work in small groups, each group designing
one of the interior rooms following the directions below. In front of the class, have one group
leader discuss their room and the energy efficiencies that they designed in the room.
Materials Needed:
 4 Boxes
 Tape
 Recycled papers: Magazines, gift wrap, school papers
 Glue
 Staples / Stapler
 Paint, markers
 Fabric
Directions for this house:
 Use recycled mailing boxes
 Cut the flaps off one side and save them to make the roof.
 Attach the four boxes together with glue or tape.
 Assemble the flaps to make the roof shingles- about 7 shingles for each side.
 Add 2 flaps as a wall between the top two floors to hold the roof.
 Cut magazine ads, gift wrap or paper as wall covering and floors.
How to decorate:
 Cut magazines and recycled papers to decorate the walls and floors.
 Add pictures and mount them on colored paper to look like frames for the wall.
 Add gardens, play people, animals. Buses, cars…this works for boys and girls. Think of
having an outside yard and the location of trees in front of the window for shade.
Ideas:
 Use the other side of old schoolwork for the walls.
Go Green
Climate Change
Broward County Kids
Corner
Broward County Public
Schools Environmental
Stewardship
Upcoming Events
November:
America Recycles Day
C3 Challenge
December:
Clean Air Poster Contest
January:
Clean Air Poster Contest
February:
Clean Air Poster Contest
March:
Clean Air Poster Contest
Recommended Reading for
November & December:
CLIMATE CHANGE –
Picturing the Science
Gavin Schmidt & Joshua
Wolfe
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Make your own drawings for the walls.
Draw windows and doors (consider the direction of the sun).
Paint and decorate the outside.
Make energy star appliances in the kitchen, furniture and fireplaces from small boxes.
Decorate the outside and inside.
Make solar panels for your roof
Make furniture from small blocks
Source: http://www.planetpals.com/craft_recycle_doll_house.html
Celebrate a Waste-Free Lunch Week! Have the students make posters and pictures of the
alternative choices listed below. Have them bring home the posters to let their parents know
what the class is celebrating. Discuss the importance of waste reduction and the impacts of
their choices. Encourage all of the students to reduce the amount of garbage they dispose of.
If possible, send an email to the parents with the subject: During the entire week; please bring
a WASTE-FREE LUNCH!
Instead of a:
paper bag
zip lock bag/aluminum foil
drink box
plastic spoon
Bring a:
reusable lunch sack
Reusable plastic bowl for sandwich/snack
thermos
metal spoon
Encourage the students to use silverware instead of plastic utensils for the week. For the most
accurate results, the teacher should weigh the garbage before and after WASTE-FREE
LUNCH WEEK.
Teachers….calculate your impact and tell your school about what your class has done.
Here’s an example, “Ms. Thomas’s second grade class calculated that if every child in
Everglades Elementary school threw away one plastic bag every day, we would pollute our
earth with:
3,600 plastic bags in one week;
14,400 plastic bags in one month; and
129,600 plastic bags on one year!”
WE ALL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Source: http://www.wastefreelunches.org
If you have a sample FCAT question you would like to see featured in this section, please email it to airoutreach@broward.org
Next time we change our light bulbs, we should think about reducing the energy usage and
the type of light bulb choices that are available. Which statement best explains why compact
fluorescent light bulbs are better for the environment than incandescent light bulbs?
A. CFLs use less energy.
B. CFLs last longer.
C. CFLs look cooler.
D. CFLs should be handled with care and if they are dropped need to be properly disposed of.
Answer: A
The Walking School Bus
Join the bus! A walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with parents or
volunteers. It gives children a jump start on daily exercise and learning. Benefits include
saving fossil fuels, reducing traffic & emissions around the school and students getting
physical activity.
Spread the Word!!!
Subscribe to our electronic Character Education Science FCAT Warm-up Newsletters
Today!
The monthly edition of this newsletter is distributed only through a FREE electronic e-mail
subscriber list. E-mail the Broward County Pollution Prevention, Remediation & Air Quality
Division at airoutreach@broward.org to ensure that you continue to receive this valuable
curriculum resource. The newsletters are also available on our Environmental Kids Club web
site at www.broward.org/kids. Archived copies of the newsletter are also available through
the School Board’s BEEP system.