The learner understands the term Collective Action. The learner understands the difference between Individual and Collective Actions. The learner understands what their role could be in Collective Action for climate change. The learner is able to support climate-friendly activities.
What is the difference between climate and weather? What are greenhouse gases? How does it affect living things? Students will watch an interactive video.
Next, students will watch a music video on Earth’s song by Michael Jackson.
Next, students will fill in the missing words of the following lyrics in the form. Then, send the completed form to mnasirullah@schools.nyc.gov to collaborate.
Lyrics of the song:
What about sunrise?
What about rain?
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain?
What about killing fields?
Is there a time?
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine?
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we’ve shed before?
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, these weeping shores?
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
What have we done to the world?
Look what we’ve done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son?
What about flowering fields?
Is there a time?
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine?
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war?
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, these weeping shores?
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don’t know where we are
Although I know we’ve drifted far
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Hey, what about yesterday?
(What about us?)
What about the seas?
(What about us?)
The heavens are falling down
(What about us?)
I can’t even breathe
(What about us?)
What about apathy?
(What about us?)
I need you
(What about us?)
What about nature’s worth?
(Ooh)
It’s our planet’s womb
(What about us?)
What about animals?
(What about it?)
We’ve turned kingdoms to dust
(What about us?)
What about elephants?
(What about us?)
Have we lost their trust
(What about us?)
What about crying whales?
(What about us?)
We’re ravaging the seas
(What about us?)
What about forest trails?
(Ooh)
Burnt despite our pleas
(What about us?)
What about the holy land?
(What about it?)
Torn apart by creed
(What about us?)
What about the common man?
(What about us?)
Can’t we set him free
(What about us?)
What about children dying?
(What about us?)
Can’t you hear them cry?
(What about us?)
Where did we go wrong?
(Ooh)
Someone tell me why
(What about us?)
What about baby boy?
(What about it?)
What about the days?
(What about us?)
What about all their joy?
(What about us?)
What about the man?
(What about us?)
What about the crying man?
(What about us?)
What about Abraham?
(What about us?)
What about death again?
(Ooh)
Do we give a damn?
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Michael Joe Jackson
Earth Song lyrics © Mijac Music
Students will introduce themselves by filling in the about me form. Send the form to the collaborator’s email.
Educator will ask students what is your carbon footprint? Investigate how can we reduce our carbon footprint?
Investigate, what it means to be an activist and read about famous activists. How climate affects the weather?
Write a letter to a local politician about an environmental problem or idea. Create a petition for an environmental cause.
Conduct an experiment to explain the greenhouse effect, air pollution, water pollution, visual pollution.
Next, put the words Collective Action and Individual Actions on the board. Ask students what these words might mean.
Collective Action: When a group of people comes together to achieve a common goal/objective.
Check for student understanding of these concepts. Ask students to create a simple table under the headings of
Individual and Collective Action. Ask student groups to sort their actions from Steps 1-5. Is it easier to generate ideas for Individual or Collective Actions? Why might that be? Do students have examples of Collective Action to share?
Note to the educator: Students often find it easier to generate ideas for Individual Actions as opposed to Collective Action.
Next, ask students – how does it make you feel to take an Individual Action like planting a tree, telling someone about the Global Goals, using a reusable water bottle. E.g energized, hopeful, optimistic, defeated, pessimistic, lonely. Sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated if it feels like you are doing activities on your own. How might it feel if you did the action with other people?
Next ask students, what if 100 children in our area all agreed to work on one project. What impact might that have? If you could get everyone to join together to focus on one improvement for the Earth, what would it be? Allow time for student discussion. Explain to students that everyone one of them is an Influencer because they come into contact with people with who they have the opportunity to speak and share their ideas.