Creative Solutions for Climate Change Byproducts
Created byRoberta Villarreal
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Creative Solutions for Climate Change Byproducts

Grade 3EnglishScienceArt1 days
This project encourages third-grade students to creatively transform daily life byproducts into solutions that mitigate climate change impacts, using insights from history, science, and art. Through hands-on activities such as mock auctions, pollution treasure hunts, and comic strip storytelling, students will learn about the environmental impact of the Industrial Revolution and develop innovative ways to repurpose waste. The focus is on enhancing communication skills and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration while proposing practical and original solutions. The project aims to deepen students' understanding of climate systems and human impact, assessed through a rubric evaluating environmental knowledge, creativity, implementation feasibility, and communication effectiveness.
Climate ChangeInterdisciplinary LearningByproducts ReuseCreative SolutionsEnvironmental ImpactCollaborationInnovative Thinking
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we creatively transform daily life byproducts into solutions that reduce climate impact, considering perspectives from history, science, and art?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • How do our daily actions impact the environment, and what unseen consequences might they have on the climate?
  • What are some examples of products or byproducts in our daily lives that could impact the climate, and how?
  • How has the Industrial Revolution contributed to the creation of new chemical compounds and pollutants?
  • How might different academic disciplines like biology, chemistry, and art contribute to solving environmental problems?
  • What creative strategies could we use to remove, reuse, or repurpose byproducts of climate change?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will understand the impact of daily human activities on the climate and identify specific byproducts involved.
  • Students will learn about the interdisciplinary approach to solving environmental issues, incorporating history, science, and art.
  • Students will develop creative and practical solutions to transform climate change byproducts into useful products or processes.
  • Students will enhance their communication skills by presenting their ideas and solutions effectively through oral, written, and artistic means.

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
Primary
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.Reason: The project requires students to communicate their creative solutions effectively, which involves organizing and explaining the steps of their proposed solutions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1
Secondary
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.Reason: Students will work collaboratively in teams to brainstorm and refine their creative solutions, requiring effective communication.

Next Generation Science Standards

NGSS.3-ESS3-1
Primary
Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.Reason: Students are expected to create solutions that address environmental issues, aligning with making claims about design solutions that mitigate impacts.
NGSS.3-ESS2-2
Secondary
Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.Reason: Understanding global climates is foundational to proposing solutions for climate impact, helping students learn how different environments are affected.

Common Core Standards for Art

CCSS.ART.3.VA.CN.10
Primary
Create works of art using various media that express ideas about different subjects.Reason: The project encourages students to represent their ideas through models, visual art, and other creative methods.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

The Carbon Capture Auction

Start with a mock auction where students bid on everyday items like plastic water bottles, paper bags, and food packaging. Each item comes with a description of its carbon footprint. Challenge students to brainstorm creative methods to offset or reduce this footprint through inventive recycling or repurposing ideas.

Pollution Treasure Hunt

Organize a treasure hunt around the school or local community where students identify sources of waste and pollution. Each 'discovered' item can spark discussions and group brainstorms on innovative ways to turn pollution or trash into 'treasure', fostering interdisciplinary solutions that incorporate science, art, and English language skills.

Virtual Time Machine Experience

Invite students to take a virtual 'journey' to the Industrial Revolution via VR or a creative video, allowing them to witness the origins of today's pollution. When they 'return', challenge them to conceptualize futuristic solutions by blending past inventions with modern technology and environmental needs, thus stimulating creative and critical thinking.

Microbe Intervention Challenge

Start with a surprising demonstration of microbes breaking down waste (e.g., using yeast to demonstrate fermentation). Then, challenge students to research and imagine new microbes or biological processes that could address current climate challenges and pollutions. Promote cross-disciplinary thinking by integrating art to visualize concepts.

Climate Change Comic Strip

Engage students with storytelling by having them create comic strips illustrating the journey of an industrial byproduct from creation to repurposing. Incorporate science facts, artistic techniques, and narrative skills to highlight how interdisciplinary approaches can creatively solve environmental issues.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Byproduct Detective!

Begin exploring the concept of byproducts and their impact on the environment. Students will discuss how relatable daily activities contribute to climate change and identify possible byproducts around them.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Introducing the concept of byproducts, discussing examples like plastic and food waste.
2. Interactive group discussion on how everyday actions contribute to waste and pollution.
3. Students walk around the school or home to identify common byproducts they encounter daily.
4. Create a simple chart highlighting identified byproducts and their potential impact on the environment.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA chart listing identified byproducts and their potential environmental impact, fostering awareness.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with NGSS.3-ESS2-2 by helping students understand climates and environmental impacts, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 by enabling them to organize information.
Activity 2

Carbon Footprint Challenge

Engage students in a mock auction where they learn to assess everyday items' carbon footprints and think critically about minimizing their impact.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Introduce the concept of a carbon footprint and ways it affects the climate.
2. Organize a mock auction with items carrying labels describing their carbon footprint.
3. Challenge students to brainstorm ways to reduce or offset these footprints.
4. Create a group poster showcasing their inventive ideas to offset carbon footprints.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA group poster with creative methods to offset carbon footprints for everyday items.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsSupports NGSS.3-ESS3-1 by creating solutions for environmental issues and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1 by fostering collaborative discussions.
Activity 3

Pollution Hunters: Trash to Treasure

Empower students to become environmental detectives through a treasure hunt around the school, identifying pollution sources and hypothesizing creative solutions.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Conduct a guided treasure hunt to find pollution sources.
2. Hold group discussions to brainstorm how identified waste can be transformed or repurposed.
3. Sketch initial ideas of how to transform waste into useful products.
4. Create simple infographics illustrating the proposed solutions.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityInfographics showing how pollution or waste can be creatively reused, combining art and science.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsTies to CCSS.ART.3.VA.CN.10 by expressing ideas through art, and NGSS.3-ESS3-1 through proposing environmental solutions.
Activity 4

From Steam to Green: A Time Travelling Journey

Enable students to understand historical contributions to pollution via a virtual tour of the Industrial Revolution. Equip them to creatively envision future solutions.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Experience a virtual journey to the Industrial Revolution to learn about pollution origins.
2. Discuss how past technologies contributed to present-day environmental issues.
3. Encourage creative thinking to derive futuristic solutions using modern technology.
4. Create a concept drawing or storyboard depicting the imagined solution.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA storyboard or concept drawing that envisions a solution merging historical and futuristic ideas.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with NGSS.3-ESS3-1 by addressing environmental solutions, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 through conveying ideas.
Activity 5

Comics for Climate: Telling Stories with Impact

Leverage the power of storytelling by having students create a comic strip that narrates the life cycle of a byproduct from its creation to repurposing.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Introduce comic strip storytelling as a method to communicate complex ideas.
2. Guide students to select an industrial byproduct.
3. Students outline the journey of the byproduct from its impact on the environment to a repurposed solution.
4. Combine narrative, science, and artistic skills to create a full comic strip.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA comic strip that illustrates a byproduct's life cycle and proposes a sustainable solution.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsMeets CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 by organizing and conveying ideas, and CCSS.ART.3.VA.CN.10 by using creative art to express ideas.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Climate Impact Solution Design Assessment

Category 1

Understanding of Environmental Impact

Assesses students' comprehension of how daily activities contribute to environmental issues and the identification of byproducts.
Criterion 1

Identification of Byproducts

Ability to identify and list byproducts from daily activities and their potential environmental impacts.

Exemplary
4 Points

Accurately identifies multiple byproducts, providing detailed analysis of their environmental impacts using relevant examples.

Proficient
3 Points

Identifies several byproducts with a clear understanding of their potential environmental impacts.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies some byproducts with basic understanding; explanations of impacts are minimal.

Beginning
1 Points

Lists a few or incorrect byproducts without clear understanding of their impacts.

Criterion 2

Understanding of Climate Concepts

Measures understanding of climate systems and how they are affected by human activities.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates advanced understanding of climate systems and human impact with comprehensive explanations.

Proficient
3 Points

Shows thorough understanding with clear descriptions of climate systems and potential impacts.

Developing
2 Points

Exhibits basic knowledge of climate systems, with limited explanations of human impact.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows initial understanding with incomplete or inaccurate climate system descriptions.

Category 2

Creativity and Innovation

Evaluates the originality and feasibility of proposed creative solutions for environmental problems.
Criterion 1

Originality of Solutions

Creativity in proposing original and effective solutions to reuse or repurpose byproducts.

Exemplary
4 Points

Proposes innovative solutions that are highly original and demonstrate significant creativity and resourcefulness.

Proficient
3 Points

Proposes creative solutions that are original and feasible.

Developing
2 Points

Proposes solutions that show some originality but are not well-developed or feasible.

Beginning
1 Points

Proposals lack originality or are impractical and underdeveloped.

Criterion 2

Feasibility of Solutions

Assessment of how practical and implementable the designed solutions are.

Exemplary
4 Points

Designs highly feasible, practical solutions that are clearly implementable with explained mechanisms.

Proficient
3 Points

Designs feasible and practical solutions with basic implementation outlined.

Developing
2 Points

Proposes solutions that are partially feasible with vague or limited implementation ideas.

Beginning
1 Points

Designs impractical solutions with no clear implementation plan.

Category 3

Communication and Collaboration

Assesses how effectively students communicate their ideas and collaborate with peers.
Criterion 1

Effective Communication

Clarity and coherence in conveying solutions and ideas through oral, written, or artistic means.

Exemplary
4 Points

Communicates ideas with exceptional clarity, coherence, and creativity across various formats (oral, written, artistic).

Proficient
3 Points

Effectively communicates ideas with clarity and coherence across different formats.

Developing
2 Points

Conveys ideas with partial clarity and coherence, demonstrating some organization.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to convey ideas clearly and coherently, with poor organization.

Criterion 2

Teamwork and Collaboration

Contribution and cooperation in group discussions and activities.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates leadership and facilitates group dynamics, significantly contributing to team efforts.

Proficient
3 Points

Contributes effectively to team discussions and activities, helping to achieve group goals.

Developing
2 Points

Participates in team discussions with limited contribution, lacking initiative.

Beginning
1 Points

Rarely participates in group activities, contributing minimally to team discussions or goals.

Category 4

Interdisciplinary Integration

Reflects the integration of knowledge and skills from different subjects, including history, science, and art, to address climate issues.
Criterion 1

Use of Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge

Integration of concepts from different subjects to inform solutions.

Exemplary
4 Points

Seamlessly integrates diverse disciplinary insights, demonstrating deep understanding and coherent application.

Proficient
3 Points

Successfully integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines with clear application.

Developing
2 Points

Integrates knowledge from different disciplines with basic application and understanding.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows limited integration of cross-disciplinary insights, with unclear application.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

What was the most surprising thing you learned about the impact of our daily actions on the environment during this project?

Text
Required
Question 2

On a scale of 1 to 5, how much do you feel your team's solution creatively addressed the problem of byproducts and climate impact?

Scale
Required
Question 3

Which academic discipline (e.g., history, science, art) do you feel offered the most unique insight or approach to solving the problem of climate change byproducts? Why?

Text
Optional
Question 4

Which part of the project did you find the most challenging, and how did you overcome this challenge?

Text
Optional
Question 5

If you could improve one aspect of your final product or presentation, what would it be and why?

Text
Optional
Question 6

How well did your group collaborate and communicate ideas throughout the project?

Multiple choice
Required
Options
Excellent
Good
Average
Poor