School and Group Programs
Post-Trip Curriculum: Earth's Land as an Apple
Area of Study: Earth and Physical Sciences
Grades: 3 - 7
Subjects: Critical thinking, fractions, percentages, and geography
Time: 30-45 minutes
Objectives: Students will understand the value of land and the importance of conserving it as a limited resource.
Materials
- A globe
- One apple for each pair of students and one for the teacher, or just one apple for you to demonstrate for your students
- Plastic knives, or one knife if you are demonstrating for younger children
- Paper plates or recycled cardboard, one per pair of students, to catch apple juice
Procedure
- Explain that the apple represents the earth.
- Cut the apple in half, then in half again to form quarters.
- Set three quarters aside. The last quarter represents the part of the earth that is not under water.
- Cut that quarter-apple in half.
- Set one piece aside, as it represents the 1/8 of the earth that is too mountainous, too dry, too wet, or too cold for people to live there.
- Cut the last 1/8 into four equal parts.
- Set aside three parts, so only 1/32 of the apple remains. This is what provides us with food and clothing.
Discussion questions
- What resources do you use in a day, week, or year?
- How do they compare with what you need vs. what you want?
- Where do your resources come from?
- Which resources are renewable and which are non-renewable?
- How does human population size affect resource use?
- Are resources used equally by everyone in the world? Is that fair?
- What issues exist regarding land use globally and in your community?
- What are possible solutions to these problems?
Extended activities
- Investigate the geology, weather and history of your community. Was it once agricultural? What percent of the land was used in the past compared to today?
- Have your students plan an ideal community. Let them set the criteria for land use.
- Do you have space for a garden at your school? If you do, how would you distribute the harvest? Some public school cafeterias use produce from their school gardens for lunches. Is there a local food bank or organization that distributes food to people who need it in your community?
California standards
2nd grade
Language arts: Listening and speaking 1.4
Math: Number sense 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
3rd grade
Language arts: Listening and speaking 1.1
Math: Number sense 3.1, 3.2
4th grade
Language arts: Listening and speaking 1.1, 1.2
5th grade
Language arts: Listening and speaking 1.3
6th grade
Language arts: Listening and speaking 1.3
Science: Resources 6b
7th grade
Language arts: Listening and speaking 1.1
This lesson is adapted from Rita Cantu, Discovery on the Continent's Edge: A Resource and Curriculum Guide to the Marin Headlands. YMCA Point Bonita Outdoor Center, California. 1981
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