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Our Eco-Footprint Journey

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Lesson Plan

Our Eco-Footprint Journey

Students will be able to define an ecological footprint and identify at least three daily actions that contribute to it, fostering an understanding of personal environmental impact.

Understanding our ecological footprint helps students connect their daily lives to global environmental health, empowering them to make sustainable choices and become stewards of our planet for future generations.

Audience

Elementary School Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and a simple activity.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Markers or pens, Eco-Footprint Brainstorm Worksheet, Eco-Footprint Discussion Guide, and Our Eco-Footprint Journey Slides

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What is a Footprint?

5 minutes

  • Begin with a warm-up question: "What kind of footprints do you know about?" (e.g., shoe prints, animal prints).
    - Introduce the concept of an "ecological footprint" as the mark we leave on the Earth.
    - Use the Our Eco-Footprint Journey Slides to visually explain the idea.

Step 2

Brainstorming Our Impact

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Eco-Footprint Brainstorm Worksheet.
    - Lead a guided discussion using the Eco-Footprint Discussion Guide on daily activities and how they connect to resources (e.g., turning off lights, recycling, food choices).
    - Students will fill out their worksheets, listing actions that contribute to their eco-footprint.

Step 3

Sharing and Reflection

10 minutes

  • Have students share one action from their worksheet with a partner or the class.
    - Facilitate a brief discussion on easy changes they could make to reduce their footprint.
    - Use the Our Eco-Footprint Journey Slides to summarize key takeaways and reinforce the idea of small changes making a big difference.

Step 4

Cool Down: One Small Step

5 minutes

  • Ask students to write down one specific action they will try to take to reduce their ecological footprint on an exit ticket or small piece of paper.
    - Collect these as a Cool Down activity.
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Slide Deck

What's Your Mark on Earth?

Think about all the footprints you know! What are some examples?

Welcome students and start with a warm-up question: "What kind of footprints do you know about?" Guide them to think beyond physical prints.

Your Ecological Footprint

It's the mark we leave on the Earth!

It measures how much land and water we need to support everything we use and throw away every day.

Introduce the term 'ecological footprint.' Explain it as the amount of land and water needed to support everything we use and throw away. Emphasize that it's about our impact.

Everyday Impact!

What do you do every day?

  • Eating food 🍎
  • Using electricity 💡
  • Traveling to school 🚌
  • Buying new things 👕
  • Throwing away trash 🗑️

All these things use resources and create waste!

Give examples of how daily actions contribute. Ask students to think about where their food comes from, how they get to school, and what happens to their trash.

Brainstorm Your Footprint!

Let's think about your daily actions.

How do they connect to the Earth's resources?

We'll use our Eco-Footprint Brainstorm Worksheet to help us.

Transition to the worksheet activity. Explain that they will brainstorm their own actions and think about the resources involved.

Small Changes, Big Impact!

Even small actions can make a big difference!

What's one thing you can do to reduce your footprint?

After the activity, bring the class back together. Discuss their findings and guide them towards simple, actionable changes they can make.

Be an Earth Hero!

Your actions matter! Together, we can take care of our amazing planet Earth. 🌎

Conclude by reinforcing the main message: we all have a role in protecting our planet.

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Worksheet

My Eco-Footprint Brainstorm

Name: ____________________________

Think about your day! What things do you do that use resources from the Earth or create trash?

My Daily Actions & Their Earth Connection

List at least 5 things you do every day, and next to each, write down how it connects to the Earth.

Example:

  • Action: Eating an apple
  • Earth Connection: The apple grew in soil, used water, and energy for the farmer to grow it and transport it to me.

  1. Action:



    Earth Connection:





  2. Action:



    Earth Connection:





  3. Action:



    Earth Connection:





  4. Action:



    Earth Connection:





  5. Action:



    Earth Connection:





One Small Change

What is ONE thing you could do to make your ecological footprint a little smaller?

My Idea:





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Discussion

Eco-Footprint Discussion Guide

Use these questions to guide students through a discussion about their ecological footprints.

Introduction Questions (after introducing the concept):

  1. Can anyone explain what an "ecological footprint" is in their own words?


  2. Why do you think it's important to know about our ecological footprint?


Brainstorming & Connection Questions (while students are working on their worksheets):

  1. When you think about the food you eat, how does it connect to the Earth? (e.g., growing, transporting, packaging)


  2. How about the clothes you wear? Where do they come from, and what might have been used to make them?


  3. What about electricity? When do you use it, and how might that impact the Earth?


  4. Think about trash. Where does it go after you throw it away? What could we do differently?


Reflection Questions (after students complete their worksheets):

  1. Looking at your worksheet, what was one surprising connection you made between your actions and the Earth?


  2. What are some easy things we could all do in our classroom or at home to make our footprints a bit smaller?


  3. Why is it important for us, as a community, to think about our collective ecological footprint?


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Cool Down

One Small Step: Cool Down

Name: ____________________________

Think about what we discussed today about ecological footprints.

What is ONE specific action you will try to take to reduce your ecological footprint, starting today or this week?





Bonus: Why did you choose this action?


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