The Arts

Students explore the concept and implications of extinction using the example of the Passenger Pigeon, once an extremely abundant species that was completely eliminated by humans.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-8, and adheres to Benchmarks for Science Literacy.

Through the video The Rotten Truth, students realize that people produce more solid waste than is safely disposed of in sanitary landfills. Students identify and interpret data on the types of trash that are thrown out the most. Through hands-on experiments and use of the Internet, students will see the long-term effects of taking solid waste to the landfill.

Students explore, evaluate, and communicate personal and scientific investigations to understand the nature of science. Students also identify and evaluate the relationships and ethical implications of science upon technology, environment, and society. Students will learn the importance of all three principles of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" with emphasis on natural resources.

Through learning simple facts about recycling, students recognize their own responsibilities in helping to conserve the environment. Students learn to define recycling as the processing and treatment of discarded materials so that they can be used again.

In this lesson, students use recycled materials to create a sculpture using additive and subtractive processes. Students then give a presentation explaining the materials used and how their piece of artwork can be used to tell others about the importance of recycling. This lesson is best suited for 4th-6th graders and adheres to California Content Standards.