Careful attitude to nature.

Lesson

Theme: Careful attitude to nature. Conditional I/ II.

Objectives: to revise lexical and grammar material necessary for speaking about careful attitude to nature; to increase awareness of positive and negative effects that people can have on nature; to develop listening, reading and speaking skills; train to work in groups; to teach to use teaching material in monological and dialogical speech; to teach students to use Conditional I/ II in writing and oral speech; to bring up careful attitude to our nature.

Equipment: Copybook, scheme, table, texts.

Epigraph:                                           The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.

                                                                  American President Franklin Roosevelt

Mother Earth is showing us the red warning light — be careful — she is saying. To take care of the planet is to take care of your own house.

                                                                            The Dalai Lama

                                        Look after your planet, it's the only one we have.

                                                                          Prince Philip of Britain

 

The plan of the lesson

I. Beginning of the lesson.

Aim.

Dear children! Today we’ll have an unusual lesson. Imagine that you are invited to take part in a conference on the protection of the environment.

It won’t be a lesson, but a conference and you’ll be ecologists, doctors, managers, journalists, explorers.  

·        Do you worry about the environment?

·        What would you do to save our nature?

 

I think answers to these questions we’ll get at the end of the lesson.

Warm-up.

T: I’m sure that you are full of energy and ready to do our lesson interesting and rich.

So, welcome to our conference! It will be devoted to nature and our attitude to it.   

The motto of our conference is: Keep our planet clean, healthy and beautiful.

II. Main part of the lesson.

1. Presenting vocabulary.

T: Our conference will be devoted to problems of environmental protection. We live on a wonderful planet. Earth is our home. The relationships between Man and Nature are complicated. According to his attitude to nature a man can be a Creator and a Destroyer.  It is important to find a balance between people and Nature.

Let`s watch how Man describes our planet.

(Video “Save our planet!”)

You know how beautiful our nature is and how terrible it can be because of us.

To make our conference easier let`s repeat the "ecological words", which can help us in our discussion:

 

 

 

What words are connected with the word ENVIRONMENT:

Litter, rubbish, garbage,  pollute, protect, refine, reuse, recycle, reduce,  preserve, wildlife, kill animals, plant trees, safety, air pollution, water pollution,  nuclear pollution, poison, nature, put filters, reduce pollution, cut down trees, radiation, use solar and wind energy, shortage of natural resources, emissions, destruction, rare and vanishing animals, avoid, fuel, waste.

 

2. Role – play “At Round Table”.

T: The word "ecology" came from the Greek, which means “home”. Our "home" is our planet.  We must protect our planet from littering, air pollution, water pollution and destruction of natural resources.

I think that people all over the world are worried about what is happening to the environment. Newspapers and magazines write about air pollution, land pollution and water pollution. They write that the Earth is our home and all people must take care of it. We must do everything possible to save the nature, to make our rivers and air clean.

 

T: Our nature is in danger.

What are the most serious environmental problems:

- pollution of water and air;

- nuclear pollution;

- littering;

- noise and pollution from cars, buses, planes;

- destruction of wildlife and countryside beauty;

- shortage (нестача) of natural resources.

We pollute water – with industrial waste, soil – with chemicals, air with smoke and gases.

 

T: Good for you. Let’s discuss them in details.

 

P:  a journalist of the newspaper “Berdansk News”: We know that without air of good quality there cannot be a healthy life. The air is being polluted by acid gases, dust, petrol and diesel fumes. These come from cars, factories and power plants. Big cities have a great problem with air pollution: the “Killer Smog” caused about 4,000 deaths in London in 1952. In Cairo just breathing the air is life threatening - equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.

 

P:  a journalist of the newspaper “Today”. I’d like to add something on this topic. Black snow fell in Scotland in 1984. Acid rain affects everything it falls on. In Sweden more than 18,000 lakes have become acidic. This kills fish. In Austria, if nothing is done, there will be no trees left by the end of the century. Buildings die too.

 

   Some of the most beautiful historic buildings in the world are being eaten away by acid rains. Notre Dame, St. Paul’s Cathedral have been damaged. According to the latest ranking, China is the largest producer of emissions in the world, United States is number 2.

 

 P.:  a journalist of the “News”. I live near the railway. We breathe the air polluted by the waste of the railway transport. Railway transport throws out into the atmosphere 300 kinds of harmful substances which change the structure of air. It’s very dangerous for the health of people, especially for those whose houses are near the railway track.

 

T: Thank you. Now is the question to the ecologist. What can you say about air pollution?

 

Ecologist: The factories and many of the things they make, like cars, put a lot of harmful gases into the air.  Air pollution causes a lot of ecological problems, green house effect, hole in the ozone layer. Ozone layer protects us from ultraviolet radiation, but if there are holes in the ozone layer this radiation can get to the earth. Such radiation can cause skin cancer.

 

T: What is the danger to our health? Which sickness it can cause? It’s the question to our doctor.

 

Doctor: Today the air is so polluted that it is not always safe to breathe. Air pollution causes acute changes in lung function, respiratory illnesses, heart decease and aggravation of asthma and bronchitis. It’s especially harmful for people with chronic lung disease.

Children probably feel the effects of lower levels of pollution than adults. People who have heart or lung disease also react more severely to polluted air. We must pay attention to the protection of people’s health.

PEOPLE, WALK OR RIDE A BIKE, DON`T DRIVE!

 

T: I’d like to ask a question to the manager of a big industrial enterprise. Are any measures taken to reduce air pollution?

 

Manager: Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere with about 1000 million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog.

First of all I think our government must make strict laws, because in a few years our ecological system can be completely destroyed. Something has already been done. To make air clean we need good filters at nuclear power stations, at factories and plants, cars and public transport. Special kinds of gasoline for cars can help to reduce air pollution. We also should build new roads to prevent traffic jams.

 

P:  a journalist of the “Green Life”. I want to discuss another great problem – water pollution. It affects everyone every day. It is caused by dumping wastes into rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. About 60 people died in Japan because they have eaten polluted fish. It is impossible to eat fish from many Swedish lakes.

 

P: a journalist of the “Our nature”. Today the situation with water is very disastrous. In the oceans some Governments test nuclear weapons. Rivers and lakes are polluted by garbage or by poisonous chemicals which are dumped into them. These poisons kill fishes and sea animals. Pollution kills more than 1 million seabirds and 100 million mammals every year. The earth loses up to three species of plants or animals per day. Some scientists predict that it could be three species per hour by the year 2100.

 

P.: a journalist of the “Country News”. I live near the river. People often leave litter near it. The water is polluted and the fish in the river die. The cleaning structures don’t work well.

 

T: We need to save our water, to keep it clean and healthy so people, plants and animals will always have come to drink. And so fish and other creatures will have a place to live. So we cannot live without water. But do we keep our water clean?

What measures are taken to reduce water pollution?

 

Manager: To solve this problem it is necessary for people to combine efforts, to raise safety standards at all industrial enterprises. Many of the factories in the gas, iron and steel industries now operate closed cycle water systems. They purify and reuse the same water, instead of taking more from river or lake. They modernize the antipollution equipment.

 

T: What is the danger of unclean water?

 

Doctor:  - 5000 people die every day as a result of drinking unclean water.

               - A child dies every 8 seconds from contaminated water.

More than 100 pesticides in air, water or soil can cause birth defects, gene mutation and cancer.

I think we must save water at home, not wash cars in rivers, lakes and ponds, keep wells tidy, not put rubbish into the water, clean small streams. We need special station to clean dirty water.

PEOPLE, HELP TO KEEP ALL WATER CLEAN!

 

Ecologist: There are more than 500 million cars in the world and by 2030 the number will rise to 1 billion. This means pollution level will be more than double.

Scientists have helped find ways to reduce air and water pollution.

We are trying to get energy from the sun and the wind. This energy is clean and renewable. It may help to heat and light quite a lot of homes. And I’d like to advice people to save energy.

 

P. :   a journalist of the “Green peace”. Another great problem that faces the humankind is that by the year 2030 25% of all animals birds, fish and insects may be extinct. Every year man cuts down more and more trees. Every year the earth loses 20 million acres of rain forests. Every rain-forest contains millions of animals, insects and flowers that may disappear forever. Animals that most in danger are: Pandas, Black rhinos, tigers, elephants.

 

T: In this connection I’d like to ask a question to our guests: What can be done in this direction? Let’s listen to the doctor.

 

Doctor: Forests areas and nature parks are of great importance for people’s health. Trees give us oxygen to breath. Forests are homes for wild animals and birds. It’s necessary to save them.

PEOPLE, PLANT TREES AND FLOWERS!

So, as we see, many factors impact our health. To be healthy we need fresh air, clean water, food without chemicals and a lot of exercises. So, let’s lead a healthy way of life.

 

Ecologist: People say that forests are the lungs of our planet, but at the same time they cut forests down. You can see different kinds of trees and flowers in the meadows near our town. But today they are disappearing. We must protect nature.

If we don’t recycle paper, a lot of trees are destroyed. The countryside is spoiled. If trees are destroyed and people pick flowers and grass, birds and animals may become extinct. PEOPLE, DON’T HARM PLANTS!

I think it is necessary to help wild animals. Many of them are in danger now. Some rare species of animals and birds disappear forever. All woods are home to animals and birds. PEOPLE, TAKE CARE OF BIRDS AND ANIMALS!

 

P.: a journalist of the “Local news”. Every year factories of our region pollute the atmosphere and water with tons of harmful things. These are very dangerous wastes. I’d like to pay your attention to ecological situation in Kvasyliv. It faces a lot of ecological problems too. To prove it I took some pictures of the dirtiest places of our town. People themselves should take some steps to reduce the pollution.

For example let’s stop throwing litter wide of dustbins, let’s plant trees as many as possible, let’s love our town. We all need to work together to keep our town clean.

PEOPLE, DON`T POLLUTE THE ENVIRONMENT!

 

P.: a journalist of the newspaper “Berdansk News”. Every spring I see rubbish near our town. I think that our people do it. They throw away old things, paper, clothes, toys and plastic bottles. Leaving the place, burn the remaining paper, cans and bury the remains along with the other garbage or take it away. Do not ever crush bottles or other glassware. The remains of the bottle or metal can injure the wild animals and tourists. PEOPLE, TAKE LITTER HOME!

 

T: Do you know how long does the litter live?  When you throw something away, it can stay it the ground for a long time. Listen very attentively to a short report of our explorer.

 

Explorer: A banana peel stays in the ground for 1 to 2 weeks

- traffic tickets – 2-4 weeks

- rope – 3-14 months

- wool socks stay in the ground for 1 to 5 years

- chewing gum      5 years

- metal can           10 years

-  an aluminum can stays there for 80 to 100 years

-  lighter         100 years

-  plastic bottle      500 years

- a glass bottle can stay there forever!

 

Every time when we throw away a battery, we’re adding to the toxic waste that spoils our planet, because they contain heavy metals. Try to use them less or buy rechargeable batteries. They can be used about 50 times.

 

T.: So, what we must do?

 

Manager: This problem is very important for us. And we have already taken some steps. I think that our task is to build enterprises on the utilization of garbage as many as possible.

 

Doctor: After having received moral satisfaction from the surrounding beauty, leave all places You have stayed in a better condition than those were when you have found them.

 

T: What can we do with the litter? We must remember 3 R’s : reuse, reduce, recycle.

Reuse: glass bottles and tins, metal tins.

Recycle: all kinds of paper, plastic, metal.

Reduce: using electricity, running water.

 

T: Dear friends, we’ve discussed the main environmental problems very well. So, what are they? (Littering, air pollution, smog, water and soil pollution, endangered animals).

 

T: Let’s discuss what can countries do to solve these problems, to save our planet?

 

- develop national and international programmes to preserve nature;

- raise safety standards at all industrial enterprises;

- reduce pollution;

- install antipollution equipment;

- protect rare and vanishing animals;

- find the ways to refine garbage into useful things;

- use natural sources of energy, such as wind/ solar instead of nuclear energy;

- sort rubbish: use special containers for paper, tins, food and glass;

- build more recycling centers.

 

3. Grammar. Conditional I/ II.

4. Exercise in writing.

T: I’d like you to answer the question “Don’t all the pollution solutions depend on our ministers and government? Can we do anything to stop or reduce environmental pollution? How do you think?

I think people can help the environment. And each of us can do it. There are many ways how we can help the planet.

 

Let's make up the ecological rules of the careful attitude to nature: what we should do and what we shouldn't do to find the balance in the relationship between Man and Nature (Man-Creator or Man-Destroyer).

 

There are a lot of things we can do to protect the environment. Let’s imagine:

 

1.  If we want to help animals … we should not kill them.

2.    If we want to help birds … we shouldn’t destroy birds` nests.

3.  If we don’t burn litter … the air will not be pollute.

4.  If we don’t throw away paper, plastic and glass bottles into the rivers … the water will be cleaner.

5.  If we don’t drop the litter or leave it anywhere … our nature will be nicer.

6.  If we use recycled paper product … it will save trees.

7.  If we do not use aerosols … it will not pollute the air.

8.  If we put litter in the containers … our streets will be tidy and clean.

9.   If we use less electricity and gas; turn off the lights when we leave the room … we will save energy.

10. If we clean after picnic … we will save our forests.

 

11.  If we used less paper … we would save the trees.

12. If we had shower, not baths … we would use less water.

13. If we didn’t pollute our rivers and lakes… they would be full of fish.

14. If people didn’t use so much chemicals… the environment would be cleaner.

15. If people hadn’t polluted the planet… they wouldn’t live among litter and waste.

16. If we cut down fewer forests… we would save wild animals.

17. If we plant more new forests… the air would be fresh and clean.

18.  If we were clever and careful … we would change our attitude to the nature.

19. If we took care of our planet… we wouldn’t have ecological problems.

20.  If we took care about animals and birds … many species of animals wouldn’t have disappeared.

 

T: I must say that environmental pollution troubles not only scientists and ecologists but poets, writers, singers and common people as well: M. Jackson’s song “Earth Song”, Louis Armstrong “What a wonderful world”.

 

T: Every conference usually ends with a document. I invite you to work out a document. It’ll be a Declaration “Save our planet!”  We’ll make it unusual. Look, this tree hasn’t any leaves. I want you to use the tree leaf and write a promise. Collect all your tree leaves and make a Green Tree. Read your promises.

 

What can you do to improve the situation on our planet?

-         organize a clean-up day;

-         use less water;

-         avoid packaging;

-         turn off the lights;

-         save empty cans, plastics and glass for recycling;

-         don’t use a spray;

-         recycle used materials;

-         clean after picnic;

-         plant more trees;

-         take care about animals and birds;

-         never drop litter in the street;

-         don't leave fire in the forest;

-         collect litter near the rivers;

-         don’t break baby-trees;

-         keep our land, air clean;

-         don’t pollute the rivers and seas with litter;

-         feed birds and help them.

 

III. Conclusion of the lesson.

1.Summarizing.

T.: It seems to me that today we have done something meaningful and it will help other people to stop for a while and think what they do on the earth, how they live and what to do if we want to survive on the planet.   

You are young and you will live in our planet and it's your duty to save our planet for the future generation. Our Earth is so beautiful. Nature gives people its riches to live and enjoy. That's why we must take care of it. Then we'll be happy to live on the most beautiful planet in the Universe. Nature has its rights, and it is the duty of a man to respect and defend these rights.

At the end of our lesson I’d like to say: Our nature is in danger. We should protect it because we want to save our beautiful planet.

 

Our conference is over. I’m really pleased with you and your work at the lesson. You’ve tried your best and I’ll put you excellent marks.

 

“I picked a flower and it faded, I caught a butterfly and he died in my hands. And then I realized that I can touch nature only with heart”.

 

 

Let’s touch our nature only with heart.

 

2.Homework: 

Write The Declaration of the Earth of its rights. What can the Earth write to mankind.