Have students try these activities to expand their knowledge and interest in Conservation.
Have students make illustrated posters urging students to conserve resources. Students might focus on one resource such as electricity or address conservation in general. Hang the posters throughout the school, if possible.They can get some great ideas in the topic Our Natural Resources.
Have students do research to find out which countries are the largest producers of oil and which are the largest consumers. Ask students to make graphs showing production and consumption of oil. Encourage students to make picture graphs. For example, they might use oil barrels or oil derricks to show quantities.
Language Arts/Science/Social Studies
Ask students to list 20 or more endangered species of animals and identify why each is endangered. They can find some ideas in the topic Habitat Destruction. On a class map have students label a map with the name of each animal and where it lives. Display the map and students’ list on a bulletin board.
Encourage students to prepare for a “Love This Land” concert. They can learn and perform songs related to the United States and its environment, as well as the entire earth. Help them learn songs such as “This Land Is Your Land,” “America the Beautiful,” and “Big Yellow Taxi.”
Brainstorm a list of natural resources including water, fuels, minerals, plants, and animals. Have student choose a resource to write a report about. The report should include availability, sustainability, uses, and benefits of the resource and any problems associated with the resource. Encourage students to include graphics in their report.
Have students chose an environment, such as the desert, the rain forest, the tundra, the grasslands, or the sea. Ask students to find or draw pictures depicting the environment and its plants and animals. Have students make an album displaying the pictures and writing captions about them.
Have students prepare for a class Conservation Week. They can make plans for and carry out an event to promote Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle at home and in school. Students might list ways they and other students can conserve resources in their daily lives. They can find some ideas in the topic Sustainability. For example, they can make and use cloth lunch bags. They might create artwork by reusing things in a new way, or they might set up recycle centers at home or school. Help students develop plans for the week, prepare the materials, and invite others to participate in a Conservation Week.