Green Ambassadors


	Index Introduction Becoming a Sustainability Expert California Science Standards California ELA Standards How to Be a Green Ambassador Unit: Creating an Earth+ Photo Story Unit: Delivering an Earth+ Presentation Unit: Creating and Delivering an Earth+ Presentation Unit: Writing an Earth+ Script Unit: Producing an Earth+ Video Documentary Unit: Creating Earth+ Marketing Materials Unit: Producing an Earth+ Event Unit: Earth+ Social Marketing Unit: Producing an Earth+ Fundraiser Unit: Earth+ Public Relations Training Unit: Planning and Delivering an Earth+ Elementary Lesson Unit: Creating an Earth+ Game Unit: Creating Earth+ Alternative Marketing

Teaching Guide: Planning an Earth+ Elementary Lesson
Summary	Students analyze a lesson plan to determine the qualities of an effective lesson plan, then learn more about how to plan lessons and work in teams to develop their own elementary lesson plan on an earth+ topic.
Guiding Questions	What makes a lesson effective? How are effective lessons planned?
Objectives: Language Arts	Standard NL-ENG.K-12.4 COMMUNICATION SKILLS Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes. NL-ENG.K-12.6 APPLYING KNOWLEDGE: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts
Objectives: Science	TBD
Objectives: Sustainability	TBD
Objectives: Values	Students believe that they have a responsibility to contribute to the well-being of their community. Students work to gather and share knowledge that supports the well-being of their community. Students encourage other community members to engage in practices that contribute to the well-being of their community.
Assessment	In the performance task for this lesson, students create an elementary lesson plan and present it to the class. (View Performance Task here)
Day One
Preparation	Review the "Systems" lesson plan and prepare materials needed to deliver it. Make enough copies of the Earth+ Systems Lesson Plan for each pair of students. (download here) Make enough copies of the Checklist for an Effective Earth+ Lesson Plan for each pair of students. (download here)
Into	Orient students to the objectives of this lesson and review the basic elements of the Performance Task. Tell them that you are going to take them through an example of an earth+ lesson that might be delivered to elementary students, and that as they go through the lesson you want them to not only think about what they are learning, but also about how they are learning it.
Through	Deliver the Earth+ Systems Lesson to students. Distribute copies of the Earth+ Systems Lesson Plan. Ask students to work in pairs to write out responses to this prompt: What do you think are the qualities of an effective lesson plan? Share out the responses, making a master list on the board. Distribute the Checklist for an Effective Earth+ Lesson Plan, and review it with students. Discuss whether or not you would add any items to the checklist based on what you have talked about in class today, and have students write in on their copies any additions that the class as a whole decides to make. Tell students to keep these checklists, since they will be using them.
Beyond	Ask students to go through the checklist and choose the 3 items they feel are most important, and explain, in writing, why they think so.
Day Two
Preparation	Make enough copies of the handout Earth+ Composting Lesson Example for each pair of students. (download here) Make enough copies of the handout Tips for Creating an Effective Earth+ Elementary Lesson Plan for each pair of students. (download here)
Into	Discuss student responses to the "beyond" assignment from last class; collect their work if you wish.
Through	Tell students that their goal today is for each team to create a lesson plan to teach a class of elementary students about an earth+ issue and solution. Tell them that first they will practice that, with everyone working on the same lesson plan. Distribute the Earth+ Composting Lesson Plan Example to the teams. Read through it with them. Then distribute the handout Tips for Creating an Effective Elementary Lesson Plan, and read through that with the class. Tell the teams you want them to use the information in the Tips handount, and in their checklists, to make a better lesson plan for teaching about compost. Give them 15 minutes to work on this as teams. Share out some of the results of the teams, recording their recommendations on the board. As a class, work out these elements of an effective lesson plan on composting: Objectives Vocabulary Materials Hook Hands-on activity Assessment
Beyond	Students work in teams to complete the Performance Task for this lesson.