Footprints
Project Overview
It is important for English language learners to engage with their topics of study
and find them relevant. This activity draws on the learners’ reading, writing and
listening skills using the topic of the environment. Students learn about the size
of their ecological footprint by taking an online quiz, and then bring that
information to class where they discuss it with their classmates. Then, they blog
about their experience and, finally, they read and respond to their classmates’
blogs.
1
Student Learning Objectives
For this RWLO, the student will be able to:



Use appropriate vocabulary to describe the ecological impact of his/her
lifestyle.
Orally compare and contrast his/her ecological footprint with that of
classmates.
Describe ways to minimize ecological footprint size both orally and in
writing.
2
Procedure
Time: Approximately 2 hours
Materials:
Prerequisites: Have a class blog or personal student blogs set up in a site like
www.blogger.com, www.blog.com or blogs.free-esl.com/
Implementation: This RWLO can be used either completely in the classroom if
computers are available or done as a homework assignment with classroom
follow up.
Steps:
1. Have students go to http://www.myfootprint.org/ and select their country
and English. The website will lead them through a quiz about the size of
their ecological footprint. Students should then print out their results or
email them to the teacher.
2. Students will bring their results to class and cut out footprints scaled to the
size of their ecological footprint. For example, if the results of the quiz
show a footprint size of 38, then the student would cut out a 38 inch
footprint. Then they will write some of the information that they have
learned on the footprint. These would then be displayed in the classroom
3. Students will then compare the footprints and their quiz results with their
classmates’ results in small group discussion using the discussion
handout. In addition, they will brainstorm ways to reduce their footprints.
4. Students will post a reflection on the size of their footprint and the class
discussion to their blog, including information on what they can do to
reduce their footprint size. They can also go back to the quiz and find the
information given at the end about reducing the size of footprints.
5. Once all the students of a group have posted, the other group members
will read their blogs and make comments.
3
Content Material
Student Directions:
 Go to http://www.myfootprint.org/, choose your country and English and
take the quiz. When you are finished, print out the page or email the
results to yourself so that you can print them out later. Also, you may want
to spend some time exploring the information on the final page.
 Bring your footprint results to class. Take a piece of paper and measure
out the size of your footprint in inches. For example, if the quiz gave you a
result of a 38 acre footprint, you would measure 38 inches and cut out a
footprint that long. Write some of the information you found on your
footprint. Your teacher will post these on the wall.
 Get into the group to which your teacher assigns you. In the group assign
one person to be the scribe. He/she will write the group’s answers to the
Footprint Discussion Handout questions as you discuss them.
 You should already have a blog set up. Now go to your blog and write a
reflection about your footprint and the class discussion. Answer the
following questions:
What is the size of your footprint?
Were you surprised about how much you consume?
Would your footprint be different in a different country? Why?
What are some ways that you can reduce the size of your footprint?
 Go to your team members’ blogs. Read their reflections and write
comments on them.
Referenced URLs:
 http://www.myfootprint.org/
4
Footprint Discussion Handout
1. What size is your footprint?
2. Which country in your group is the largest footprint in?
3. What things do you do that affect your footprint size the most?
4. What are some things you can do to minimize your footprint?
5. What are some things that your school can do to minimize its footprint?
6. What are some things that the community and city can do to reduce footprint size?
7. How important is it to live a more sustainable lifestyle?
5
Assessment
Student came to class with the appropriate
information and translated the information into a
paper footprint.
Student’s group completed the Footprint
Discussion Handout with student’s contribution.
Student wrote a well thought out blog that
answered all of the questions and showed an
understanding of the topic.
Student commented on all the blogs of his group
members.
Total
/10
/10
/30
/20
/80
6
Links to Course Competencies
This RWLO could be applied in the following courses: ESOL reading, writing and
speaking, and others. It can be modified for use at different levels. Specifically,
this RWLO meets the following course competencies:

Students are using their English to discuss topics relevant to the real
world.

Students are reading and responding to authentic texts.

Students are writing about their thoughts and experiences, and sharing
this with others in the class.

Students are considering the impact they have on the world around them.
7
Supplementary Resources
This activity can lead to further discussion and research on issues such as
sustainability and alternative energy sources. The following are some places to
look for information.
 http://earthtrends.wri.org/index.cfm This website of the World Resources
Institute has a variety of data from around the globe.

http://www.futurenet.org/ YES! Magazine has searchable archives and has
addressed a variety of topics related to the environment and sustainability.

http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/ Images from space of countries around the
world. The maps of cities at night are useful for discussing energy use and
where it is concentrated.
8
Recommendations
Recommendations for Integration: This activity could be used as part of a
larger unit on the environment.
Back-up: The first part of this activity needs to be done online as that is
where the quiz is. However, if there is difficulty with blogging, the groups
could prepare presentations about what they’ve discovered and present
them to the class or they could write paper based journals to share with the
teacher.
9