RIC-3531 Primary Science - Book D (Digital)

Our Environment
Changes to the Local Environment – Activity 1
Lesson Focus
Outcomes
Earth and Beyond
2.2 Describes changes
that occur in the local
environment.
Indicators
• Recognises factors that
create our environment.
• Identifies that some
influences on our
environment can have
negative and positive
effects.
Skills Focus
• Observes
• Records
• Interprets information
Background Information
Some changes to the
environment benefit it, other
changes benefit the people
who live in that environment.
Many human-made changes
have a great influence on
the natural environment.
Unfortunately, these influences
usually have a negative impact.
Today we are very aware that
the way we live can damage
the environment. We are
now more educated about
environmentally friendly ways
to live than ever before. To try
to repair some of the damage
we have created, we now
recycle rubbish, use aerosol
cans less frequently and try
to car pool or ride bicycles to
work and school. Hopefully,
these small steps will start to
rectify some of the negative
impacts that humans have had
on the natural environment in
the past.
Before the Lesson
Materials Needed
A3 paper, coloured pencils, pictures, charts or books showing natural or damage to
the environment (e.g. erosion, deforestation)
Preparation
Organise the students into pairs or small groups for the second part of the activity.
The Lesson
Stimulus
• Write the word ‘environment’ on the board. Brainstorm words and images about
the environment until the board is full. As a class, create a definition of ‘the
environment’. (Environment – The physical conditions of a place such as weather,
water, vegetation and surrounding influences.)
What to Do
• Discuss what makes up the environment. Explain that it is not just people, plants
and animals but also the air, the ground we stand on and the places we live and
work. Students complete Question 1 on the blackline.
• In pairs or small groups, students discuss and write examples of each of the four
influences on the environment. If they find it difficult to write the positive effect
of people on the environment, remind them that we are now trying to fix our
damage.
• Students share the results of Questions 2 with the class.
• Focus on the positive effects of people on the environment. Make a list of ways we
are now trying to rectify the damage we have caused. Obviously some damage is
irreparable, such as land that has been cleared to build cities and homes.
• Students work together to create posters that remind us of ways we can help to
conserve the environment.
After the Lesson
Answers
1. Teacher check
2. (a) Possible answers
• rain: good effect – animals, plants will flourish, soil will hold together and
not be blown away, bad effect – flooding, destroy crops and soil.
• logging: good effect – we have furniture to sit on, paper to write on and
houses to live in, bad – forests destroyed, land cleared and soil in bad
condition.
• fire: good effect – germinate seeds providing food for animals and plants
to flourish, bad – destroy plants and animals, destroy their homes and our
homes.
• people: bad effect – pollution, logging, mining, greenhouse effect, landclearing,
overpopulation, extinction of animals, good effects – in the
last twenty years, we have begun to consider the consequences of our
actions. We now recycle, use less chlorofluorocarbons, car pool, conserve
environments to prevent animal extinction and much more.
Additional Activities
• Students choose one way of conserving the environment to research. They use
books and the Internet to find information and present it as a poster.
• Students spend a weekend at home making records of things they can do to be
environmentally friendly. These can include saving electricity by turning lights off,
not using aerosol cans, saving water and recycling rubbish.
• Students research National Parks and the reason we have them.
Display Ideas
• Display student posters.
32 PRIMARY SCIENCE ~ R.I.C. Publications ® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au
ISBN 978-1-925660-54-8
©R.I.C. Publications
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