Topic/Theme Statement

I will be hypothetically teaching a unit on Environmental Science. I break apart the

unit on Environmental Science to smaller lessons. I begin with two big questions: what is

causing climate change and why are we studying the environment? I use the activity of

planting a tree to open students eyes to see how small acts can lead to environmental change.

Even though planting one tree would not change the entire earth, but the mere action of

planting will change how they think about the environment. I will connect this to look at how

God has called each one of us to be a steward of His creation.

In the next lesson, I focus on the specific environmental degradation that is

happening around the world by looking at the descriptions of World Environmental Day from

2004 to 2013. The texts give the students a better idea of how politicians to scientists to

teachers have stood up to slow down global warming, food waste, extinction, deforestation,

desertification, and pollution.

The third lesson will be specifically on natural resources and how important these are

to humanity right now. I will go back to the problems of climate change and overexploitation

of natural resources. The students must realize that the culture in which we live in value

consumption to the point that we are destroying the natural resources to gain what we want.

The students are coming from a middle-class to upper-middle class families and they own

materials, more than they ought to. This lesson will give them a better look at what they have.

The fourth lesson is going in detail of the history of how humans used natural

resources. By doing this, the students understand that we did not suddenly become

materialistic but it was a gradual process of humanity. In the end, they will look at how they

can make a difference where they are. Change does not happen in planting a tree once, but
through advocacy, writing letters to Congressmen, and so much more. This is something what

students should realize and understand that they can make a difference through their abilities

in which God gave them.

Last lesson is looking at the unjust system of the economy, specifically in the

continent of Africa. The reason I have chosen the continent is because the students either

have very distorted view of the continent or they know what is going but it is not their story

to deal with. However, through this lesson I want the students to realize how the natural

resources needed for a smartphone was most likely from Africa and they are part of the

system that causes injustice. Yes, the students cannot do anything to change but they can

realize the problem for the first time. Hopefully, later they will act against this by becoming

politicians, scientists, teachers, doctors, lawyers and gardeners.

Through this unit, I want the students to see how they are in an economic system that

is causing people to work for hours without equal wage. They are feeding off injustice and

that they are causing climate change. However, the lesson does not end here, through the

assessment I want the students to think about ways to make a difference or change through

their abilities, gifts and talents God has given them. For God created this earth and called it,

good. We have the responsibility to recreate what is lost and bring reconciliation and justice

in this world through Jesus Christ.