B-A-L-A-N-C-E: Biology, Agriculture, Life and Sustainability, Adaptations, Natrual Resources, Community, and Enviornment. This lesson plan is one of many activities balancing our new outdoor classroom.

What ideas, attitudes, and beliefs about global warming does the media communicate? After a viewing and interactive discussion of An Inconvenient Truth and lessons on the science of climate change, students are ready to continue moving up to higher-level critical thinking. By examining the role of the media in the globalization of climate change ideas and information in this activity, students are able to examine the interface of science, the public, and public policy. The lesson culminates in a cooperative learning experience in which students form groups and create their own global warming public service announcement using the media of their choice. This lesson plan contains a thorough and engaging 56-slide PowerPoint presentation (including 34 examples drawn from film, television, cartoons, websites, billboards, ads and products, and art) and a rubric for the final project. This lesson is designed to be student-centered, so whenever possible the teacher should act as a “guide on the side,” allowing students to uncover information, synthesize ideas, and present their viewpoints. The PowerPoint file can be altered and adapted to incorporate additional media examples of climate change as well as tailored to different groups of learners. The notes accompanying the slides give an example of how I implemented the activity, in my environmental science inclusion classroom for 9th – 12th graders.