A breath of fresh air!

I don't know about you, but recently I have a hard time falling asleep after watching the news. According to Chap I have been grinding my teeth extra hard the last few weeks, I'm sure due to stress that comes from watching what's going on in the media. So, I thought I'd share some positive thoughts that have given me hope in this crazy world we are living in today!

My class is exploring how the development of a society is influenced by changing environments (integrating Native American standards with our habitat standards). This year they have made GREAT connections in comparing how early settlers effected our environment with how people effect our environment today. After reading 'A River Ran Wild' we brainstormed different ways that we effect our environment today.

Next we did a little experiment with 'Fred the Fish' to see how every day pollutants effect lakes, rivers, and streams (Fred had chemicals from factories, salt from streets, litter, and eroding soil dumped into his habitat). My kids were MOST upset for Fred (who was actually a sponge cut into the shape of a fish) that ended up turning black and red living in water that was almost impossible to breathe in.

After this sad experiment, I asked my kids to write a paragraph explaining how this made them feel. They couldn't finish their paragrahs quick enough to start taking action in helping our environment! Below are just a few things they have done independently to help create solutions for problems we face today. I was so proud, I had to share!

Each group gathered old boxes to create a recycling bin for their area of work at school. It's almost become a competition to see which group can recycle the most!

Today I had a girl bring in flyers that she made at her house to share with other classes and local businesses expressing her concern for the earth and solutions of how we can help!

Another boy in my class who walks to school has picked up trash every day along the path he takes to get here. I am so proud of him when he actually takes the time to pick this trash up, bring it to school, and put it in his group's recycle box (side bar: one day he brought in 6 bud light cans that he had found...I was a little mortified when he walked in my class carying beer cans...we made sure we put these in a bag before putting in our box, that's all I need is for administration to walk in and think we've been boozing it up! =)

Other things THEY have come up with to help our environment:

• We'vebeen using one light instead of two in the class, this said this helps save electricity
• They remind me to make limited copies and to be sure and use front and back of paper to reduce on # of trees wasted.
• They have written letters to the school cafeteria asking that we use washable trays rather than styrofoam trays.
• They are writing letters to principal asking that each class has a recycle bin so that the school can decrease trash.
• They ATTEMPTED to have me no longer give tests to reduce on paper...unfortuneatley this one did not pass =)
  

Anyway, I hope reading this gives you a small amount of positive news today. I had to share because if you are like me, you might need a breath of fresh air from all the negativeness in the media today!