Unit 3

Unit 3: Human Impacts on the Environment

I. Graded Assignments

a. 3 reflections (see Guidelines to Writing Reflections)

b. Unit test November 21

II. Syllabus

Reflection 10 (November 1)

1. Provide a general response to The Lorax. Have you read this before? Were you aware that Dr. Seuss had written about environmental issues? What made the biggest impact on you? Was the story effective in communicating environmental concerns?

2. Provide a general response to The State of the World. Which statistic made the biggest impact on you? Was there information you were already familiar with? What actions could you take to make a positive impact on the earth?

Reflection 11 (November 6)

Read Wild Destruction

Read Extinct Vertebrates

Read Causes of Extinction

Read The Extinction of a Species: Grebes

Read Humans Drive Rare Dolphin to Extinction

Read Forest Statistics

1. Provide a response to Causes of Extinction. Do an Internet search and provide one specific example of each of these human impacts on species.

2. Provide a response to Wild Destruction. Were you surprised to learn about the extent to which mankind has already caused extinctions through history?

3. Provide a response to Extinct Vertebrates. Did the number of extinct vertebrates on the list surprise you? Describe two trends on the list. What do the trends indicate about human activities?

4. Provide a response to The Extinction of a Species. How did the story about the extinction of the giant grebe affect you? What do you think it would be like to watch a species go extinct and not be able to prevent it? Provide a response to Humans Drive Rare Dolphin to Extinction.

5. Provide a general response to Forest Statistics.

Reflection 12 (November 21)

Watch video: World Population Growth

Watch video: World in the Balance (The People Paradox)

Watch video: World on Fire (http://www.worldonfire.ca/)

Take web quiz on the World in the Balance website

Watch video: An Inconvenient Truth

1. Provide a response to the World in the Balance video. You may want to write a separate response to each of the two segments, and then write an overall summary response.

2. Visit the World in the Balance web site and take the three-part quiz. Record your answers and the correct answers. Provide a response to the quiz, and evaluate your knowledge about population and resource issues. What is the importance of being aware of these issues?

3. Provide a response to An Inconvenient Truth video.

3 reflections due no later than November 21

Unit 3 Test November 21