The project this week aims to provide opportunities for your child to learn more about the environment. Learning may focus on changes to different environments, the impact of humans on environments, climate change etc. The first section links with last week’s study of animals but looks at how some have become endangered.
Endangered Species- The tiger, Amur leopard, orangutan, sea turtle and the Sumatran elephant are among some of the most endangered animals on the planet. Ask your child to choose an animal from one region and describe how it has evolved to suit its habitat. Now ask them to consider how their chosen animal may need to adapt due to the current environment and human threats it faces. Create an informative leaflet about the threat the animal faces and what humans can do to minimise these threats.
Upcycling, upcycling- Encourage your child to choose an item within the house that they do not really use anymore - this could be an old item of clothing, accessory or household item - and upcycle it to make a new item that they will use. Ask them to evaluate the product and identify any areas that they could improve if they were to make it again. They may even want to write a set of instructions so that other people can upcycle the same item too.
Protecting our Oceans- Marine life faces a number of threats including plastic pollution, tourism, habitat destruction, ocean warming and overfishing. How can we make a difference now? Discuss this question with your child and ask them to sketch an image representing the impact society is having on today’s oceans using a drawing material material of their choice. Afterwards, they may wish to sketch an image of an ideal ocean environment. Encourage them to use websites and books to find out what makes the best environment for marine life to flourish (you may wish to direct them to the Great Barrier Reef and its significance).
Do People Intentionally Damage an Area? - Ask your child to imagine that a new park, housing development, restaurant or other structure is being built on green land near their home. You could discuss the new development on York Road that they may see on the way to school. How might this be positive for the environment? How might this be negative for the environment? Create a poster that explains the pros and cons of this new development. Consider wildlife, air and noise pollution and jobs.