What is the most serious environmental issue Earth faces on this Earth Day? Is it…
- vanishing species?
- overflowing landfills?
- air pollution?
- forest destruction?
- water pollution?
- energy depletion?
- vanishing species?
- overflowing landfills?
- air pollution?
- forest destruction?
- water pollution?
- energy depletion?
The Task
The Help Our World (HOW) Foundation has announced that it will give $1 million to help solve the most serious environmental problem Earth faces. Your job is to prove to HOW that your team deserves that money because the problem you are working on is the most serious threat to Earth. Use Internet and library resources to make the case for your team’s cause. Your team will have 3 minutes to present your case to the board of the HOW Foundation. Based on that presentation, the board will decide which problem they will invest $1 million to solve.
Task Sheet
The Help Our World (HOW) Foundation has announced that it will give $1 million to help solve the most serious environmental problem Earth faces. Your job is to prove to HOW that your team deserves that money because the problem you are working on is the most serious threat to Earth. Use Internet and library resources to make the case for your team’s cause. Your team will have 3 minutes to present your case to the board of the HOW Foundation. Based on that presentation, the board will decide which problem they will invest $1 million to solve.
Task Sheet
Resources:
Air Pollution* The Air That We Breathe
http://whyfiles.org/030air_pollution/
* The Last Gasp Gazette (pages 1,2)
http://www.aqmd.gov/ej/CAC/kids/kidspages.pdf
* Environmental Explorers Club: Air
http://www.epa.gov/kids/air.htm
* World Almanac for Kids: The Air We Breathe
http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/WAKI-ViewArticle.aspx?pin=wak-009007
* Air Quality: Just for Kids
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/kids/Kids_Page.htm
* Clean Air Kids: Air Quality
http://www.clean-air-kids.org.uk/airquality.html
On the Trail of the Missing Ozone
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/missoz/
What's All the Fuss About Air Pollution?
http://www.hcdoes.org/airquality/kids/Pollution.htm
Motor Vehicles and Air Pollution Quiz
http://www.epa.gov/OMSWWW/quiz/quiz-env.htm
Protecting Your Health: Air Pollution
http://www.lungusa.org/healthy-air/outdoor/protecting-your-health/
Cars and Trucks and Air Pollution: Clean Vehicles
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/vehicle_impacts/cars_pickups_and_suvs/cars-trucks-air-pollution.html
Indoor and Outdoor Pollution
http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/pollution-main.html
The Science of Ozone Depletion
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/
EPA Student Center: Air
http://www.epa.gov/students/air.htm
Energy Depletion* Energy Quest
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/index.html
* Energy Information Administration Kids Page
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/
* Kids Saving Energy
http://www.eere.energy.gov/kids/
* Department of Energy for Students & Kids
http://www.energy.gov/forstudentsandkids.htm
* Energy Guide for Kids
http://tiki.oneworld.net/energy/energy.html
* Energy Star Kids
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index
* Touchstone Energy Kids Zone
http://www.touchstoneenergykids.com/
* Alliant Energy Kids
http://www.powerhousekids.com/KIDS/index.htm
A Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consume/
Natural Resources Defense Council: Energy
http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/default.asp
Energy Information Administration
http://www.eia.doe.gov/
EIA (Energy Information Administration) Energy Kids
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
http://www.nrel.gov/
Overflowing Landfills* Environmental Explorers Club: Garbage and Recycling
http://www.epa.gov/kids/garbage.htm
* The Rotten Truth About Garbage
http://www.astc.org/exhibitions/rotten/rthome.htm
* Trash Facts (from Keep America Beautiful)
http://web.archive.org/web/20040227133904/http://www.kab.org/trashfacts.cfm
Planet Protectors Create Less Waste in the First Place
http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/pdfs/jellyjar.pdf
Trash and Climate Change
http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/pdfs/k00-001.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste: Introduction to Solid Waste (pages 10-17)
http://www.need.org/needpdf/Museum%20of%20Solid%20Waste%20&%20Energy.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste: Landfilling (pages 38-41)
http://www.need.org/needpdf/Museum%20of%20Solid%20Waste%20&%20Energy.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste: Introduction to Recycling (pages 18-37)
http://www.need.org/needpdf/Museum%20of%20Solid%20Waste%20&%20Energy.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/recycling/
Garbage: How Can My Community Reduce Solid Waste?
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/intro.html
Looking Into Landfills
http://www.acnatsci.org/research/kye/landfills.html
Brown County Landfill Kids Page: Fun Factoids
http://www.browncountylandfill.com/kid.html
Rain Forest Destruction* Rainforest Heroes
http://www.rainforestheroes.com
* Amazon Interactive
http://www.eduweb.com/amazon.html
* Take a Walk in the Rain Forest
http://www.pbs.org/tal/costa_rica/rainwalk.html
* Rain Forest Rescue
http://www.arborday.org/programs/RainForestRescue.html
* Exploring the Tropical Rain Forest
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/explore/valley.htm
Tropical Rainforest Information for Kids
http://kids.mongabay.com/
Rainforests 2015
http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/amazon/index.html
Tropical Rainforest: Rainforest Biomes
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm
Forest Facts
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/resources.cfm?id=facts
Journey Into Amazonia
http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/
Rain Forest Action Network
http://www.ran.org/
Rain Forest Facts
http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm
Amazon Life
http://library.thinkquest.org/20248/inicio.html
Vanishing Species* EndangeredSpecies.com
http://endangeredspecie.com/
* Kids Planet E-Species Animal Fact Sheets
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html
* Endangered: Exploring a World at Risk
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/Endangered/index.html
* Return of the Species
http://whyfiles.org/015species_restore/index.html
Bagheera: An Endangered Species and Endangered Animal Web Site
http://www.bagheera.com/
Endangered Animals: Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Animals and Mammals
http://www.animalinfo.org/
Endangered Animals
http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/e-animals.htm/
Endangered Species Map (U.S.)
http://www.endangeredspecie.com/map.htm
Bagheera: An Endangered Species and Endangered Animal Web Site
http://www.bagheera.com/
School World's Endangered Species Project
http://www.schoolworld.asn.au/species/species.html
Endangered Species (World Wildlife Fund)
http://www.worldwildlife.org/endangered/index.cfm
Endangered Species of the Next Millennium
http://library.thinkquest.org/25014/english.index.shtml
Fish and Wildlife Species
http://species.fws.gov/
Endangered Species at EE Link
http://eelink.net/EndSpp/
Water Pollution* Water Pollution Kids Page
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/kids/
* Environmental Explorers Club: Water
http://www.epa.gov/kids/water.htm
* Especially for Kids: Clean Water
http://www.oceansidecleanwaterprogram.org/kids.asp
* Water Pollution Guide
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/
Clean Water: Water Pollution
http://www.chewonki.org/cleanwater/water_pollution.asp
EPA Student Center: Water
http://www.epa.gov/students/water.html
InfoPlease: Water Pollution
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0851609.html
The Quality of Our Nation's Water (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/305b/
Air Pollution* The Air That We Breathe
http://whyfiles.org/030air_pollution/
* The Last Gasp Gazette (pages 1,2)
http://www.aqmd.gov/ej/CAC/kids/kidspages.pdf
* Environmental Explorers Club: Air
http://www.epa.gov/kids/air.htm
* World Almanac for Kids: The Air We Breathe
http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/WAKI-ViewArticle.aspx?pin=wak-009007
* Air Quality: Just for Kids
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/kids/Kids_Page.htm
* Clean Air Kids: Air Quality
http://www.clean-air-kids.org.uk/airquality.html
On the Trail of the Missing Ozone
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/missoz/
What's All the Fuss About Air Pollution?
http://www.hcdoes.org/airquality/kids/Pollution.htm
Motor Vehicles and Air Pollution Quiz
http://www.epa.gov/OMSWWW/quiz/quiz-env.htm
Protecting Your Health: Air Pollution
http://www.lungusa.org/healthy-air/outdoor/protecting-your-health/
Cars and Trucks and Air Pollution: Clean Vehicles
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/vehicle_impacts/cars_pickups_and_suvs/cars-trucks-air-pollution.html
Indoor and Outdoor Pollution
http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/pollution-main.html
The Science of Ozone Depletion
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/
EPA Student Center: Air
http://www.epa.gov/students/air.htm
Energy Depletion* Energy Quest
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/index.html
* Energy Information Administration Kids Page
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/
* Kids Saving Energy
http://www.eere.energy.gov/kids/
* Department of Energy for Students & Kids
http://www.energy.gov/forstudentsandkids.htm
* Energy Guide for Kids
http://tiki.oneworld.net/energy/energy.html
* Energy Star Kids
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index
* Touchstone Energy Kids Zone
http://www.touchstoneenergykids.com/
* Alliant Energy Kids
http://www.powerhousekids.com/KIDS/index.htm
A Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consume/
Natural Resources Defense Council: Energy
http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/default.asp
Energy Information Administration
http://www.eia.doe.gov/
EIA (Energy Information Administration) Energy Kids
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
http://www.nrel.gov/
Overflowing Landfills* Environmental Explorers Club: Garbage and Recycling
http://www.epa.gov/kids/garbage.htm
* The Rotten Truth About Garbage
http://www.astc.org/exhibitions/rotten/rthome.htm
* Trash Facts (from Keep America Beautiful)
http://web.archive.org/web/20040227133904/http://www.kab.org/trashfacts.cfm
Planet Protectors Create Less Waste in the First Place
http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/pdfs/jellyjar.pdf
Trash and Climate Change
http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/pdfs/k00-001.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste: Introduction to Solid Waste (pages 10-17)
http://www.need.org/needpdf/Museum%20of%20Solid%20Waste%20&%20Energy.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste: Landfilling (pages 38-41)
http://www.need.org/needpdf/Museum%20of%20Solid%20Waste%20&%20Energy.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste: Introduction to Recycling (pages 18-37)
http://www.need.org/needpdf/Museum%20of%20Solid%20Waste%20&%20Energy.pdf
Museum of Solid Waste
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/recycling/
Garbage: How Can My Community Reduce Solid Waste?
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/intro.html
Looking Into Landfills
http://www.acnatsci.org/research/kye/landfills.html
Brown County Landfill Kids Page: Fun Factoids
http://www.browncountylandfill.com/kid.html
Rain Forest Destruction* Rainforest Heroes
http://www.rainforestheroes.com
* Amazon Interactive
http://www.eduweb.com/amazon.html
* Take a Walk in the Rain Forest
http://www.pbs.org/tal/costa_rica/rainwalk.html
* Rain Forest Rescue
http://www.arborday.org/programs/RainForestRescue.html
* Exploring the Tropical Rain Forest
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/explore/valley.htm
Tropical Rainforest Information for Kids
http://kids.mongabay.com/
Rainforests 2015
http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/amazon/index.html
Tropical Rainforest: Rainforest Biomes
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm
Forest Facts
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/resources.cfm?id=facts
Journey Into Amazonia
http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/
Rain Forest Action Network
http://www.ran.org/
Rain Forest Facts
http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm
Amazon Life
http://library.thinkquest.org/20248/inicio.html
Vanishing Species* EndangeredSpecies.com
http://endangeredspecie.com/
* Kids Planet E-Species Animal Fact Sheets
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html
* Endangered: Exploring a World at Risk
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/Endangered/index.html
* Return of the Species
http://whyfiles.org/015species_restore/index.html
Bagheera: An Endangered Species and Endangered Animal Web Site
http://www.bagheera.com/
Endangered Animals: Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Animals and Mammals
http://www.animalinfo.org/
Endangered Animals
http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/e-animals.htm/
Endangered Species Map (U.S.)
http://www.endangeredspecie.com/map.htm
Bagheera: An Endangered Species and Endangered Animal Web Site
http://www.bagheera.com/
School World's Endangered Species Project
http://www.schoolworld.asn.au/species/species.html
Endangered Species (World Wildlife Fund)
http://www.worldwildlife.org/endangered/index.cfm
Endangered Species of the Next Millennium
http://library.thinkquest.org/25014/english.index.shtml
Fish and Wildlife Species
http://species.fws.gov/
Endangered Species at EE Link
http://eelink.net/EndSpp/
Water Pollution* Water Pollution Kids Page
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/kids/
* Environmental Explorers Club: Water
http://www.epa.gov/kids/water.htm
* Especially for Kids: Clean Water
http://www.oceansidecleanwaterprogram.org/kids.asp
* Water Pollution Guide
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/
Clean Water: Water Pollution
http://www.chewonki.org/cleanwater/water_pollution.asp
EPA Student Center: Water
http://www.epa.gov/students/water.html
InfoPlease: Water Pollution
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0851609.html
The Quality of Our Nation's Water (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/305b/