Global Environmental and Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) - Teach Your Grade 8 Curriculum Using Environmental Themes

Teach Your Curriculum Using Environmental Themes

Grade 8

The GEOEC is pleased to provide the following integrated themes that you can use to teach your curriculum in an environmental context. The documents are provided “as is” in Microsoft Word format to facilitate their use by teachers. These unit plans are living documents – please send your feedback to info@geoec.org.

Theme 1 - Global Views on Water

Technology, trade agreements and water use

Curriculum links for this unit:
Science Unit E: Freshwater and Saltwater Systems (Social and Environmental Emphasis)
1. Describe the distribution and characteristics of water in local and global environments, and identify the significance of water supply and quality to the needs of humans and other living things
3. Analyze factors affecting productivity and species distribution in marine and freshwater environments
4. Analyze human impacts on aquatic systems; and identify the roles of science and technology in addressing related questions, problems and issues
Social Studies
Topic A - Geography of Canada and the U.S.A.
Major inquiry: To what extent does physical environment influence a people's way of life?
Related: How are Canada and the United States linked by physical and human geography?
New Social Studies Curriculum
8.2 Origins of a Western Worldview: Renaissance Europe
8.1.1 appreciate the roles of time and geographic location in shaping a society's worldview
See also:
www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/curriculum/bySubject/
for more information.
Activities

Water Quality Testing
(Note: This activity is also included in the Grade 9 Environmental Chemistry unit)
Field Trip to your Local Wastewater Treatment Plant
(This also fits with the Grade 9 Environmental Chemistry Unit Topics 5 & 6)
Research “water issues”
Concluding Activity: Debrief

Download this unit plan:
grade8-theme1.doc
(5 pages, ~265K)

Theme 2 - Humans vs. Nature

A variety of perspectives

Curriculum links for this unit:
Science Unit E: Freshwater and Saltwater Systems (Social and Environmental Emphasis))
4. Analyze human impacts on aquatic systems; and identify the roles of science and technology in addressing related questions, problems and issues
Science Unit B: Cells and Systems
1. Investigate living things; and identify and apply scientific ideas used to interpret their general structure, function and organization
Social Studies
Topic A - Geography of Canada and the U.S.A.
Major inquiry: To what extent does physical environment influence a people's way of life?
New Social Studies Curriculum
8.1.1 appreciate the roles of time and geographic location in shaping a society's worldview (C, I, TCC)
See also:
www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/curriculum/bySubject/
for more information.
Activities

The Animal Game
Grizzly Bears Need Friends Too
Bears of Banff
Concluding Activity: Crows and Cranes (the true and false version)

Download this unit plan:
grade8-theme2.doc
(3 pages, ~245K)

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