Lesson+Plans+for+History+and+Ethics+Classes

Students will work in small groups to apply knowledge of renewable energy to solve a problem. They will formulate a plan to power a summer camp, considering electrical power, hot water, appliances, costs, and environmental and social impacts. Students must present their plans to a mock city council and justify their choices based on data provided by the teacher.
 * Summer Camp 2050**

Students use resources about greenhouse gases, global warming, and climate change to develop and defend a position statement on climate change. They then debate the different positions and construct a consensus position statement. Resources: Teacher Guide Debate Plan: Bush's Approach to the Climate Change Debate: Fact Sheet on the Kyoto Protocol Global Warming in Brief-Q & A Climate Change and Indiana Climate Change and Wisconsin Executive Summary of the Kyoto Protocol What is Global Warming? Global Warming and our Changing Climate The US Greenhouse Gas Inventory Climate Change and Illinois Climate Change and Michigan Straight Talk on Global Warming What is Global Warming? Why Care about Global Warming?
 * Climate Change: The Debate, A Structured Controversy**

PowerPoint Presentation to Supplement Lesson:

Ray’s passion for sustainability and his desire to preserve the earth for future generations has inspired thousands of individuals and sparked a movement, both within Interface and in the carpet industry and beyond. In short, he has become a corporate version of a rock star, drawing lots of media and public attention. His journey also has affected him personally in countless ways. The once captain of industry has eschewed his luxury car for a Prius and built an off-the-grid home. In addition to being the Chairman of the Board for Interface, Inc., Ray is an accomplished speaker and author. His latest book - “Confessions of a Radical Industrialist” - expounds upon his first work, “Mid Course Correction” and chronicles his company’s success and his personal journey. He has become an unlikely screen hero in the 2004 Canadian documentary, “The Corporation.” He was named one of TIME International’s “Heroes of the Environment” in 2007. He’s a sought after speaker and advisor on all issues eco, including a stint as co-chairman of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development and as an architect of the Presidential Climate Action Plan, a 100 day action plan on climate that was presented to the Obama Administration. He also is featured in the 2009 documentary film “So Right, So Smart” as a pioneer in the sustainability movement for industry. Here is his lecture from the TED series: media type="custom" key="6803460" And here is Ray Anderson in a discussion about Natural Capitalism: media type="youtube" key="leuEW-vBpOQ?fs=1" height="385" width="480"
 * Economics:**

Students design and build a solar still to capture drinking water from the capillary water in the soil, and then modify their designs to be more efficient . http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?ex=1202274000&en=8f 4b924e4f931ff3&ei=5070&emc=eta1 NYTimes article “Rethinking the Meat Guzzler”. Gives new data and information showing how eating less meat not only helps the environment, but also world hunger.
 * Survival Still**
 * Rethinking the Meat Guzzler**

**Transportation: The Future is Today**
This teacher guide provides extensive background information on transportation fuels to help your students learn about conventional and alternative transportation fuels by evaluating their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, there are six suggested activities:
 * Learning about transportation fuels
 * Conducting research on transportation fuels
 * Write papers on the fuel choices
 * Develop a plan for a city to reduce emissions from their vehicles
 * Teaching others about transportation fuels
 * Calculating payback periods




 * Climate Change and Politics**
 * Distinguish scientific, ethical, and political claims, and identify examples of each that are related to the issue of climate change.
 * Understand the difference between opposing political responses to climate change and arguing that climate change either does not exist or is not caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
 * Recall and identify basic claims made by the vast majority of climate scientists regarding recent climate change, its causes, and predictions about its likely effects.

Resources for the above learning plan:

This paper describes a project that addresses the human aspects of global change through the development and negotiation of an international environmental agreement. Students play the roles of country representatives and participate in activities such as writings, class discussions, presentations and negotiations.



Students define and discuss sustainability and its 3 key components: the economy, the environment, and society. Students analyze the sustainability of a variety of actions taken by individuals, businesses, and governments, using a Venn diagram to help organize the process.
 * Is it Sustainable?**