Students begin by exploring how consumer goods in their everyday lives produce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Students investigate a variety of consumer goods, like water bottles and electronics. This prompts students to wonder about the steps of a consumer good’s life cycle: extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, use, and waste. Students investigate chemical reactions that occur during consumer goods’ life cycles, including the combustion of fossil fuels, that produce gases that enter the atmosphere. Simulations allow students to observe how greenhouse gases contribute to the recent increase in Earth’s average surface temperatures.
Using mathematical representations, students calculate which consumer good life cycle contributes the most greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Students use engineering principles to explore solutions for greenhouse gas emissions in the consumer good life cycle. The unit culminates with students redesigning one or more steps in the life cycle of consumer goods and creating a plan to implement their solution.
Want to talk through the lesson plans? Need support customizing a unit for your classroom?
Drop into office hours on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month from 4:00-5:00pm PT for free support from Holly or another Seeds to Solutions team member.
“My students often refer to the experience and knowledge gained. I plan to use Seeds to Solutions lessons in the future.”
“From my students: ‘Thank you for teaching us this lesson because if you didn’t it would be bad for our environment.’ ‘This was awesome! Can you do more? Thank you!’ ‘Thank you for helping us in taking care of the environment.'”
“This did a great job of piquing students’ interest and sparking opposing points of view, which created lively discussions on the topic.”
“There is something for all different kinds of learners. We are moving spaces, drawing, talking in big and small groups, writing. Some of my kiddos who would have been disengaged quite possibly the entire time were engaged in at least two or more parts of this lesson.”
“Students really wanted to share their food traditions and look into how climate change might affect their food traditions.”
“This is engaging because it uses real data about the state students live in and shows changes within their lifetime, like the rise of warehouses and trucking during the pandemic.”
“What I find interesting is that students are discussing the material outside of class time. I heard students discussing the ideas before class in the hallways and even during lunch periods.”
“I heard comments like, ‘I didn’t realize how much climate change affects my community,’ and, ‘This project made me think about what I can do to help.'”
“The kids become more engaged because now they are actually actively doing things. They’re really having to look for themselves. It’s not given to them on a platter, but all the resources are right there.”
“Using the maps and seeing things like schools and how close they are to hazards is really cool. They may not be super connected personally, but they can put themselves in the shoes of other kids and try to relate. I know it’s working because I have a kid that just watches Netflix all day, every day and he pulled out his earbud and participated!”
“I am so amazed and impressed by the depth of resources that you embedded in the teacher guide. This is really well put together.”
“They’ve never thought about stuff like this before, and now they’re sharing it. One girl said this was the only class that she went home and talked to her parents about.”
Sylvie Kademian, Curriculum Developer
Jenny Kostka, Curriculum Developer
Susan Lyons, Curriculum Developer
Josh Paschedag, Curriculum Developer
Crystal Howe, San Diego COE
Kelly Meade, Long Beach USD
Milton Reynolds, Steering Committee
Mackenzie Clark, Curriculum Developer
Matt Ellinger, Designer
Sara Krauskopf, Curriculum Developer
Stacey Lane, Illustrator
Ladie Malek, Development Editor
Roger Palmer, GIS Etc
Sofia Safranek, Ten Strands
Rachel Weisbrot, Ten Strands
Craig Manges, Lemoore Union HSD
