Dillon Middle School
“GO GREEN”
(Getting Ready for Eco-friendly Earth Now)
6th Grade:
Students will study storm water impact.(Science 6-4.4, Social Studies 6-1.2, ELA/Writing 6-5.1) (10 hours)
Students will study about water runoff by performing erosion activities in their Stream Table Kit and Water Shed Tour Program. Next they will inspect the campus at Dillon Middle School looking for runoff damage after a heavy storm and how irrigation techniques control the effects of weathering. Then in small groups, they will then draw conclusions as to why there may or may not be damage to the school environment and support these conclusions with evidence. They will also study how storm surge and sediment affect the ecosystem of a stream bed and the aquatic life (large and microscopic) in the stream. Students will collect outside natural water samples from Dillon Middle School and from places in their home environments. They will observe and compare/contrast the samples of water under a microscope to look for evidence of life. Then they will create a brochure with clear focus and sufficient details about their observations.
Students will learn about the origins of the food they eat and discover how some people are farming in major cities and maintaining their own community gardens. (Social Studies 6-1.2) (4 hours)
Students will make a list of the food for a week that is served in the cafeteria at Dillon Middle School. They will research to learn about the origins of the food they have been served and whether or not we are using regionally grown foods in the cafeteria. They will create a poster of their findings and also explaining the benefits of using regionally grown foods.
Students will study energy efficiency. (ELA/Writing 6-5.1, Internet Safety Standards 3-1, 4-5) (3 hours)
Dillon School District Four’s Maintenance/Housekeeping Supervisor will speak to classes and discuss how Dillon Middle School is an energy efficient facility. Individual students will take notes and work in small groups to use the computer to design a brochure in which they will highlight optimal energy performance at Dillon Middle School.
Students will study the relationship between productivity & comfort. (Science 6-1.1, Internet Safety Standards 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4, 4-5) (3 hours)
Students will research various online websites to study thermal comfort and controllability. They will learn how the temperature is controlled at Dillon Middle School and determine the optimum temperature for student productivity at Dillon Middle School. They will then compare this information to the actual temperature at Dillon Middle School. Students will also participate in a Thermal Comfort Survey. Students will assist in administering and tallying the survey.
Students will learn and understand how American cities and schools are dealing with their waste, including recycling, landfills, composting of yard waste and toxic waste. (ELA/Writing 6-5.4, 6-4.1, 6-4.2, 6-4.3, 6-4.4, 6-4.5, 6-4.6, 6-4.7,Internet Safety Standards 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4, 4-5) (10 hours)
Students will learn how Dillon Middle School manages waste produced at the school. After instruction and research about how American cities and schools are dealing with their waste (including recycling, landfills, composting of yard waste, and toxic waste),individual students will develop a graphic organizer listingthree methods used to reduce the amount of waste generated at Dillon Middle School and stating reasons why we do this. Then they will write a rough draft of a persuasive essay convincing their audience that recycling is necessary.After revising and editing the rough draft, they will then write a final persuasive essay. Students will then present their arguments to the class for reflective discussion.
Students will learn the science behind air pollution and how human actions and events are putting Earth’s atmosphere in danger. (Science 6-4.1,ELA/Writing 6-5.1) (2 hours)
Students will discuss smog, ozone, and the greenhouse effect. They will then determine and discuss the attributes of Dillon Middle School that help reduce sending greenhouse gasses into the air. Next students will write an expository essay based on their findings.
Students will have an understanding of how urban forestry can help cities cope with high energy bills and increasingly extreme weather events. (ELA/Writing 6-5.4) (2 hours)
Students will make a class list of how trees help us. Ask students to discuss the importance of a tree-planting program and where the most beneficial locations on the campus would be. Then ask individual students to write about and then debate the possibility of a tree-planting program at Dillon Middle School.
7th Grade:
Students will study soil classifications and their properties. (Science 7-4.3) (2 hours)
Students will test the soil on the Dillon Middle School site and verify that it matches the USDA soil survey maps. Then students will use the knowledge they gained through their state content curriculum standards to discuss the properties that make certain soils qualify as “prime farmland” and why it is important to preserve this land for agriculture.
Students will study fuel consumption & pollution reduction. (Science 7-4.5, Social Studies 7-6.6, Mathematics 7-2.5) (2 hours)
Students will research how energy efficient cars, carpooling, and alternate modes of transportation reduce air pollution and protect the natural environment. Small groups of students will calculate how much CO2 emissions are reduced by riding a bike, carpooling, or taking a bus. Students will then deduce why there are special parking spaces at Dillon Middle School for energy efficientcars and carpoolers. They will also determine other ways in the regional area that alternative transportation is supported by theschool.
Students will study water quality and aquatic life. (Science 7-4.5) (3 hours)
A resource person will be invited into Dillon Middle School to discuss and contrast the characteristics of clean and polluted water with the students. Next, students will collect tap water samples from their homes and from the school. Small groups of will test the samples in order to design a graphic organizer to compare and contrast and list their findings.
Students will explore a variety of water quality issues. (Science 7-4.5) (2 hours)
A resource person from the City of Dillon Water Treatment Plant will discuss the primary water source and availability of the water source at Dillon Middle School.The replenishment of the water source will also be discussed. Students will take notes and discuss any concerns they may or may not have about the quality of water at Dillon Middle School.Students will talk about which features of Dillon Middle School aid in the replenishment of the water source and which features do not. A class list for reflective discussion will be developed using a T-chart.
Students will study water as a limited resource. (Science 7-4.6, ELA/Writing 7-5.4) (2 hours for Activity A, 3 hours for Activity B)
Dillon School District Four’s Maintenance/Housekeeping Supervisor will speak to classes and discuss how Dillon Middle School reduces water use. Students will take notes and:a.) use their notes to write an expository essay in which they will compare and contrast the former water use at JV Martin Junior High School/Gordon ElementarySchool to water use at Dillon Middle School; or b.) calculate the water use of their fixtures at home and determine how much water they would save in a year if they changed to water efficient fixtures. Students will determine if changing some fixtures to more efficient models could pay for the cost of the fixture through savings on their water bill. Students could also compare their water use at the school to their water use at home.
Students will study supply, demand & availability of products with recycled content & cultural impact. (Science 7-4.6, ELA/Writing 7-5.1, Social Studies 7-1.4, Internet Safety Standards 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4, 4-5) (10 hours)
Students will research the advantages of recycling, recycling collection in the city/county (resource supply), and find out where the materials that are collected go and what they become. They will then interview the Dillon School District Four’s Maintenance/Housekeeping Supervisor to discover materials at Dillon Middle School that contain recycled content in the building and in the supplies used every day at school. Small groups of students will also interview faculty/staff/parents/neighbors to determine if they look for recycled content in products they purchase or if they make purchasing decisions based on recycled content (demand). Small groups of students will research a list of productsthat contain recycled content and the % post and pre consumer content, if listed (survey of availability).Students will also discover through their research the concept of supply and demand of products as they study the developing market economy and trade. Then individual students will create an expository essay based on their research. Next they will share their findings with the class.
Students will begin to develop an understanding of the term sustainability and see how it applies to their lives. (Science 7-4.6) (2 hours)
The class of students as a large group will define the word sustainability. They will then brainstorm a list of how recycling sustains products from nature. Next they will investigate the use of recycling at Dillon Middle School and discuss how this is a sustainable process or action.
Students will learn and understand the definitions of various types of community.(Science 7-4.1, Guidance Standard APS 4) (2 hours)
The Guidance Counselors at Dillon Middle School will discuss appropriate behavior for a school environment. Individual students will complete a graphic organizer to compare and contrast their school community to various types of other communities. They will then determine actions they can take to improve their school community.
Students will learn the meaning of soil quality and why the health of a community and school depends on healthy, contaminant-free soil. (Science 7-4.1, ELA 8-6.1) (3 hours)
Students will research different ways that pollution travels between soil, water, and air. They will discover different soil contaminants and how they get into the soil, including the most likely place in Dillon to find contaminated soil. They will also investigate, state their position, and defend with a counter argument whether this pollution does or does not exist at Dillon Middle School.
Students will study how dirt & moisture create an environment for mold growth. (Science 7-3.4) (2 hours)
Students will study environments which promote mold growth. Then small groups of students will interview the administration to learn about the mold prevention plan at Dillon Middle School. They will then organize and report their findings to the class.
8th Grade:
Students will study solar radiation and how it affects materials. (Science 8-4.3) (Activity A-3 hours, Activity B-3 hours, Activity C-3 hours per each season = 12 hours (late summer, fall, winter, spring)
Students will watch SC ETV Streamline videos about solar radiation and take notes on important details. Students will then brainstorm ways that solar radiation is used effectively at Dillon Middle School and why this is important to the school environment. Examples related to the school that the students could study are: a) Heat island Effect– In the sun, students willmeasure the ambient temperature over the grass, over a large area of concrete sidewalk, and over asphalt paving.Data will be collected in order to discuss what happens to the light waves and what this does to the local climate. b) Daylighting– Students will study light transmission through the three types of glass used in Dillon Middle School. Students will discuss how the solar radiation passes through these different types of glazing and how this affects the rooms in Dillon Middle School.Students will determine if they are able to see well enough to comfortably do workwhen turning off some or all of the lights in the classroom. They will also determine how much energy is saved by turning off the lights in all the classrooms during times when students do not need additional light to work.c) Solar Heat Gain– Students will study building orientation, diurnal and seasonal sun angles, and shading devices to keep solar radiation and heat out of buildings at different times of the day/year. They will discover that some windows at Dillon Middle School have external shades and others do not. They will discuss the reasons for this.
Students will study how sharing facilities reduces redundancy. (ELA/Writing 8-5.3) (4 hours)
In order to discover which areas of the school in which the public has access, groups of students will interview the administration at Dillon Middle School. Small groups of students will brainstorm, discuss, and write about why the use of shared facilities reduces redundancy. They will consider the amount of construction materials, associated material transportation fuel & pollution, and energy to operate duplicate facilities that is saved by sharing one facility with many groups.
Students will study fuel use & pollution from transporting products. (Social Studies 8-5.5, ELA/Writing 8-6.8) (10 hours)
Students will research raw materials available in the Southeast regions of the United States that are used at construction sites. Students will study what products are manufactured regionally and if any of them are used at Dillon Middle School. Students should also address the economics of regional production of materials: jobs, tax base, a stable economy. Then they will discuss the benefits of using regional resources. Students can also survey faculty/staff/parents/neighbors to determine if they base purchasing decisions on locally made or made in America products.
Students will study the benefits of fresh air. (ELA/Writing 8-6.8,Internet Safety Standards 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4, 4-5)(3 hours)
Students will research the functions of a CO2 sensor. They will discover the need for and benefits of the CO2 sensors in all classrooms in Dillon Middle School and organize their information into an expository writing activity.
Students will learn about how humans produce energy to run their homes, schools, businesses and vehicles. (Social Studies 8-6.4, ELA/Writing 8-6.8, Internet Safety Standards 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4, 4-5) (3 hours)
Small groups of students will research fuel sources and determine which ones are more efficient and create less pollution. Next they will investigate which fuel sources are used at Dillon Middle School.They will write a contrast and comparison essay and present the information to their peers.
Students will learn about green building practices. (Internet Safety Standards 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4, 4-5) (3 hours)
Individual students will conduct research on the concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort in “green” buildings and share their findings with the class and make connections with Dillon Middle School that signifies it as a “green” building.
Students will study chemical exposureand its effect on humans.(ELA/Writing 8-6.8) (6 hours)
The District Pest Control Agency will speak to the students onhow pest control is managed at Dillon Middle School with environmentally friendly chemicals. Also, Dillon School District Four’s Maintenance/Housekeeping Supervisor will speak about the use of cleaning agents that containfewer chemicals. Students will take notes and collaborate in small groups to write an expository essay on how these are being implemented effectively at Dillon Middle School.
Students will study the benefits of reduced chemical use. (ELA/Writing 8-6.8) (2 hours)
Groups of students will use the information from their notes they learned from the Dillon School District Four’s Maintenance/Housekeeping Supervisor to write an essay about the advantages of using green cleaning agents Dillon Middle School.
Students will study the effect of chemicals on health. (ELA/Writing 8-6.8, 8-4.1-7, Internet Safety Standards 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-4, 4-5) (10 hours)
Students will research and take notes about the effects of chemicals on health. Individual students will also use the information from their notes onDistrict Pest Control Agency and the Dillon School District Four’s Maintenance/Housekeeping Supervisor to create a graphic organizer outlining the effects of chemicals in cleaning agents on health. Then, they will find out which cleaning agents are being used at Dillon Middle School. They will compare and contrast products that are and are not environmentally safe and write an expository essay explaining why only green products are used at Dillon Middle School. Students will organize their written work using pre-writing techniques, discussions, and graphic organizers. They will create a multiple paragraph composition that includes a central idea and supporting details. Students will revise and edit before publishing a final copy.