Boldy Braiding Individual Unit

Cause: Global Warming
Tools: Kites

Art form: Kite-making, painting, photography, videography

Objective/Purpose:  The main objective for this project is for students to learn about the causes and effects of global warming, which will ultimately result with the creation of kites that students will be able to fly at a field near the school.  Students will learn about changes in global weather patterns and climate over long periods of time.  The class will also study and debate the possibility of a Greenhouse Effect and its impact on the earth.

 

Project Title: Kite Runners for Earth

Background/Justification:  Global warming is a pressing issue for today's generation as well as for future generations of the world.  It is important that students learn about the man-made causes and what they can help do to combat its continued rise.  One of the effects of global warming is a decrease in wind energy.  Although there is some disagreement among scientists on what has caused the decrease in windpower, this will be a great jumping off point for students to build something creative and learn about the effects of global warming.

Skills:  Students will be able to read and build explanations for the causes of temperature changes including greenhouse gas emissions and human-induced pollutants.

Content:  Students will learn about the environmental effects, societal effects, and numerous views on global warming.  Students may see portions of the film An Inconvenient Truth to help them gain a better historical understanding of global warming.  Students will be provided with excerpts of Generation Us: The Challenge of Global Warming by Dr. Andrew Weaver to expand their knowledge of the facts as well.

Community Building Assets: This lesson helps student build self-esteem because they gain a better understanding of the effect that they have on their environment and how their individual actions contribute to future generations' well-beings.  They will also gain confidence from the fact that they were able to build a kit with their own hands and will be able to show it off to their family and friends.  This project enriches the community and potentitally the world because students are well-informed citizens who may take action because of their newfound knowledge about the detrimental effects of global warming. 

Other Expertise:  Expertise could be offered from the industrial arts teachers (woodworking or "shop" class) on how to cut and construct the kites that will be made.  Additional expertise could be offered from the arts department where instructors could help students with painting the body of their kites.

Materials: Students will need some materials for the research and note-taking part of the lesson:

    1.  Computers
    2.  Pens/paper

Students will also need materials that they use for the kite-making portion of the lesson:
 
   1.  Nylon/lightweight fabrics/paper
   2.  Twine/cord
   3.  Glue
  4.  Sticks/pieces of wood

Students may also document their culminating project of flying their finished projects with:
   1.  Cameras
   2.  Camcorders

Student Activities:

1. Students will be presented with a PowerPoint to establish an introductory base of knowledge on the debate over global warming.  This presentation will be accompanied by a short worksheet that students will complete for the next day.
2. Students will be divided into groups where they will research data on global warming and its effects.  Students will be divided into groups that believe in the effects of global warming and those that do not (whether they actually agree with these points of view should not be important).  They will construct a debate-style team presentation against another group in the class. 
3. Students will observe and take part in debates with other groups from the class.  Students not taking part in the debates will be able to ask questions of the groups at the end of the debate and will determine the debate winners by a raised hand count. 
4. Students will be given materials to build a kite.  The teacher will instruct students on how to build kites step by step.
5. Students will paint an effect of global warming on their kite's body as well as whatever else they might like to draw.
6. Students will have a class period to take their kites out.  Hopefully, weather conditions will be accomodating. 

Evaluation/Assessment: Students will be measured by their ability to construct arguments for or against the effects of human-induced global warming.  They will be graded with a few quizzes on their ability to consider different perspectives, reason with scientific evidence, and build explanations for their beliefs about global warming.  Students will also be graded on their ability to construct a sufficient kite with a cause of global warming painted on the nylon. 

Reflection: 

N/A