Education doesn't begin and end at school. In fact, the first and best teachers of children are their parents! Take advantage of your fifth grader's natural curiosity and eagerness to explore by suggesting the enrichment activities listed below. These environmental education activities are divided into time periods with a theme and an essential question for each section to guide you and your child in your exploration of the natural world.
September/October
Theme: Harvesting
How have methods of harvesting changed over time, and how have these methods influenced lifestyles in the United States?
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research a simple product such as a pencil, finding out how it is made, what resources go into its creation, and where those resources come from.
- Choose three different household products or food items and discuss with your child how they are packaged and why they might be packaged as they are. Then have him or her develop a list describing environmentally-friendly packaging and another list describing packaging that might cause harm to the environment.
- Have your child create three columns on a sheet of paper: one titled “Survival Needs,” one titled “Lifestyle Needs,” and one titled “Luxuries.” Then have him or her list the items and activities in their lives that fit under each category. Finally, have him/her compare today's lifestyle with what he/she knows about Native American and early pioneer life.
- Have your child choose a favorite electronic device or item of clothing. Using the Internet and/or library resources, have him or her research the device or item to discover all of the products and energy that went into making it. Then have him/her draw a poster representing the device or item and the process that created it.
November/December
Theme: Change
How do people try to change each other's thinking and ideas?
- Have your child collect advertisements from magazines and newspapers. Help them analyze ways the advertisers have used images, words, and design elements to appeal to buyers' emotions.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child look up several environmental or government agencies, choose one, research it, and create a "coat of arms" that shows six aspects of the agency.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research a current national or state land use issue. Then have him or her take the point of view of two senators with opposing views on the issue and write a “position paper” for each, explaining his or her viewpoint, solution to the problem, and reasons why the other senators should vote for his/her solution.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child develop a list of five important environmental issues facing the nation or state. Then have him or her choose the issue he/she feels most strongly about, state his/her opinion on the issue in a clear statement, and create a poster designed to persuade others to his/her point of view.
January/February/March
Theme: Restoration
How do people interact with and use the forest?
- Have your child take on the role of a forest ranger interested in wildlife protection, the owner of a wilderness recreation business, and the president of a forest products company, creating a forest management strategy from the point of view of each one.
- After completing Activity 1, have your child choose the point of view that is closest to his or her own beliefs about forest management. Then have him/her write a persuasive letter to a Congressman explaining why his/her forest management strategy should be adopted as national policy.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research different kinds of work people might do in the forest. Ask which jobs he or she thinks are important and which are not really necessary. Ask how other jobs outside the forest might depend on these forest workers. Finally, have your child create a poster showing how people depend on forests.
- Have your child find the book The Lorax, by Dr. Suess, in the library, read it aloud to you or another family member, and list the main ideas of the story.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research the history of forestry in Washington State and create a timeline. Then have him or her choose a time period that interests him/her and write a script for a skit about that part of Washington forest history. If “actors” are available among families and friends, have your child direct the skit for a family audience.
- Have your child list as many forest products as he or she can think of. Then have him or her cut out magazine pictures to create a collage in the shape of a tree showing the diversity of forest products.
April/May/June
Theme: Diversity
How does the environment change over time?
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research three different environments, looking at soil, sunlight, wind, temperature, plant life and animal life, and prepare a compare and contrast chart.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research the layers of the forest, and draw the layers on a mural or poster, adding the animals that live in each layer.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research the four forest regions of Washington, then create a brochure, make a model, or create a commercial about one of those forest regions.
- Using the Internet and/or library resources, have your child research the stages of change or succession in an environment and draw a picture of one of those stages. (Note: For successional stages in our area see City Woods, by Sussman, Constantine and Harpole.)
- Have your child brainstorm the positive and negative effects of forest fires and create a picture chart showing both.
- Have your child interview an older person in your community to find out what it was like when they were growing up. Talk to your child about changes that have occurred and how those changes make him or her feel.
Last Modified: Tuesday, January 08, 2008