Social Studies 2 to 3
Environment [II]

describe how physical environment influences human activities
demonstrate understanding of their responsibility to local and global environments

Please note that ENVIRONMENT [I] and ENVIRONMENT [II] only exist at this grade level.

As a class, brainstorm a range of recreational and occupational activities that require specific environments (e.g., mountain climbing, deep-sea fishing, mining). Divide the class into groups and distribute a card depicting a different environment to each group. Each group then creates a collage of various activities that can be done in the environment. Bring the class together to compare the activities and discuss why they vary.
Have students brainstorm environmental issues (e.g., pollution, overuse of non-renewable resources). Help them to classify these issues using the headings Land, Water, and Air and to develop focus questions for each heading. (e.g., How can we effectively dispose of our garbage?) Divide the class into small groups and invite them to use problem-solving models to determine how to respond to these issues.
Ask students to collect and measure the water that runs out of the tap at home when they leave it running while brushing their teeth. Next day, have students record the amount when they turn off the water between rinses. As a class, compare the amount of water used, individually and collectively, on the two days. As an extension, multiply students' results by the entire school population or the entire district.
Contact a representative of a local environmental group or of the provincial or federal environment ministry and discuss ways in which the class could practise global citizenship.

After discussing the diverse physical environments within Canada, have students draw pictures of people who work in one of these environments (e.g., fisher, logger, biologist, wildlife photographer). Ask them to include "thinking bubbles" in which these people tell how the environment affects their jobs. Note the extent to which students describe how the physical environment affects human activities.
When students examine environmental issues and work in small groups to determine how to respond to them, look for evidence that they are able to:
- identify environmental issues
- accurately describe the effects of environmental issues on the world
- generate logical solutions to environmental issues
- identify roles and responsibilities for local and global environments
After students have measured water usage at home and multiplied this amount by the entire school or district population, ask them to create cause-and-effect diagrams that illustrate the effects on the environment. Have students write statements on their diagrams to summarize the information. Note the degree to which they are able to:
- identify the potential impact on the individual, the community, and the world
- generalize about the effects on the environment
- accurately represent the causes and effects of water use

Print Materials

Revised: January 28, 1999