My project needs 54 display boards, one world map, one US map and 60 writing journals to support a high school course in environmental science.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Fluharty's classroom raised $624
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
Materials in this request support my plan to teach a quarter-long (six week) curriculum that addresses the responsible use of natural resources. The teaching module is based on the book "Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things," published by Northwest Environmental Watch, a nonprofit organization based in Victoria, British Columbia. "Stuff" follows a day in the life of a typical American middle-class resident, tracing the layers of distribution, commerce, and production involved in everyday consumer goods.
The objective of this curriculum is to develop in students the ability to think critically, work collaboratively and present research while giving them an appreciation for sustainable development and the conservation of natural resources. The curriculum does this by looking at the impact that the average American consumer is having on the Earth's environment every time we sip our coffee, tie our shoes, click our mouse, step on the gas or read a book. The students will learn where consumer goods come from, how they are used, and where they go after we are finished with them.
This curriculum does not follow a dogmatic approach and avoids indoctrination into a particular political agenda. Simply telling students to consume less is unlikely to contribute to their understanding or to affect their behavior. On the other hand, reviewing the relationship between consumption and its consequences integrates a number of curriculum areas in science, technology, and social studies. The curriculum was designed to develop thoughtful, critical, and imaginative students.
This curriculum prepares students to make informed judgments on their consumption choices so that they can make sense of their role as consumers and as citizens. The need for exposing students to this curriculum is important because of the strong counter-message that students receive to buy and consume. I believe it is critical that students understand the "hidden" consequence of consumption so that, ultimately, they can effectively participate as citizens in the debate on issues that involve sustaining our available resources.
I teach at an urban high school that is part of the Chicago Public Schools and many of my students cannot afford the materials included in this request. The materials will be used for group projects and assignments (large World and US maps), keeping a research journal (writing journals), and presentations (display boards).
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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