Cross Curriculum Lesson Plan:
Social Studies
Student Resource: "Earthkeeper
Hero: Chico Mendes" by Jeff Trussell
Media Type: Biographical Essay
Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Explain how the health of the environment is fragile and depends on the contribution
of every individual.
- Describe the importance of acting as positive role models for others, and
especially those younger than them, as a developmental task leading to adulthood.
- Identify ways students can become health advocates for the good of the environment.
Introducing the Lesson
Have one volunteer explain or demonstrate the domino effect. Discuss with the
class how this domino effect applies to the actions of people and groups. (One
seemingly unrelated action leads to a whole chain of events, often unwanted.)
Observe that one area in which the domino effect is especially visible is the
health of the environment. Elicit an example (e.g., an oil spill in the ocean
pollutes the water, which decimates the numbers of specific sea animals, which
in turn upsets the entire balance of nature).
Teaching Strategies
Direct students to the Web page, or hand out printed copies of the biographical
essay. Explain that the man students are going to read about, Chico Mendes, was
a citizen of Ecuador who made saving the environment his life's work.
After students have completed the reading, you may either use the following
as class discussion questions or assign them as individual or group work.
Follow Up
- Summarizing. Describe the conflict between the seringueiros
and cattle ranchers in the Amazon.
- Making Inferences. Context—the words and phrases surrounding
another word in a reading passage—provides a strong clue as to word meaning.
Using context clues, give a meaning for the word sustainable as it pertains
to environmental resources.
- Synthesizing. Explain ways that show Chico Mendes was a health advocate,
someone who helps promote the health of others.
- Analyzing. In the last paragraph of the essay, author Jeff Trussell
describes Chico Mendes as "not just a hero of the Amazon, . . . [but] a hero
of the entire planet." Explain the truth of this statement.
- Extending. Name and describe another environmental cause you have read
about that has far-reaching consequences for the health of the planet.
Integrating Social Studies and Health
It is your turn to be an advocate for the health of the planet. Choose an environmental
problem that concerns you. It may be something close to home, such as a local
manufacturing plant that creates more industrial waste than it can dispose of,
or it may be an issue that you read or learned about. Find out more about this
problem and about solutions that have been proposed. Write a public service announcement
alerting others in your school or community about the need to take action. If
possible, post your address on your school's Web site, or read it over the school's
public address system.
For more information:
Books:
The World is Burning: Murder in the Rain Forest
By Alex Shoumatoff
Films:
The Burning Season: HBO films
Rubber Jungle: Camera Guys
