Earth and Environmental Science · Week 31 · Sustainability and Civic Action
Designing for Sustainability
Defining a local environmental problem with criteria and constraints and choosing one that matters personally.
- Students will
- Students define a local environmental problem with clear criteria and constraints and choose one that matters to them.
- SEL skill
- Notice what you care about and use it to choose a problem and criteria
- What it looks like
- Students use emotions to think by noticing what they care about and why.
- Content focus
- Designing for sustainability
- Format
- Partner exchange
Responsible decision-making
Responsible decision-making means making caring, constructive choices by thinking about ethics, safety, and consequences. More responsible decision-making activities
What you get
A teacher guide with what to say, step by step, plus student pages and a supports page for students with diverse learning needs, including those with IEPs. Print or Project it, or assign it in Google Forms and Google Docs for Google Classroom. Your first 10 activities are free.
Standards
- HS-ETS1-1: High School Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science performance expectation
- Science and engineering practice: SEP1 Asking questions and defining problems
- Crosscutting concept: CCC4 Systems and system models
- CA Environmental Principles and Concepts: Principle V: Decisions affecting resources and natural systems are complex and involve many factors
- Literacy in science: WHST.11-12.7 Conduct short and sustained research projects to answer a question or solve a problem.
- Traditional course: Earth and Environmental Science
Fits these textbook chapters
Textbook names are used only to help you find activities that fit what you teach. RoseThread Connect is not affiliated with these publishers.
More responsible decision-making activities for Earth and Environmental Science
- Cycling Matter Through Earth Responsible decision-makingModeling the carbon cycle across all of Earth's spheres and deciding which personal actions most affect it.
- Dust and Breath Responsible decision-makingAnalyzing air quality data near the exposed lakebed and evaluating fair solutions for communities with high asthma rates.
- Who Gets the Water Responsible decision-makingArguing about water allocation among farms, cities, tribes, and the Salton Sea while managing strong feelings in debate.
- Climate Models Responsible decision-makingComparing climate model projections and weighing uncertainty without sliding into denial or despair.
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RoseThread Connect activities are drafted with the help of AI and shaped by educators. Students never have to share anything personal. Our five SEL skills are informed by CASEL's SEL Framework; RoseThread Learning is not affiliated with or endorsed by CASEL.