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How
do You Feel About the Environment?
Program
Area
This activity
may be used in the Grade 9 Mathematics, Science and Technology,
or in the advanced and general Grade 10 Mathematics course as
part of, or a supplement to, the sections on statistics.
Learning
Outcomes
- Teaching,
learning and evaluation will focus on the student's ability
to:
- Complete
a questionnaire and evaluate its effectiveness as a statistical
data gathering tool;
- Record,
present, and analyze a set of raw data;
- Use statistical
measures and techniques to study the data;
- Use the
results of the data to evaluate their attitudes toward environmental
issues or concerns and to compare their attitudes with those
of their classmates and with what a concerned societal attitude
should be.
Classroom
Development
Not all
of these suggestions are meant to be followed in each of the above
mentioned classes. Teachers should do those parts which are appropriate
for their course and their students.
- In all
classes, use this unit toward the end of the section on statistics.
- Have
students complete the questionnaire.
- If time
permits, it may be appropriate to go over the questionnaire
with the class (after they have completed it individually) to
discuss some of the issues and what the appropriate societal
responses are.
- Have
students tabulate "would" and "should" responses.
- Have
students discuss the results and find appropriate measures of
average tendency and of central tendency.
- Students
should use the results of their analysis to evaluate and compare
their attitudes with societal norms.
- Students
could pay particular attention to questions where the correlation
between "would" and "should" answers is
very high and very low and try to explain these extremes.
Timing
Allow 2
periods
Resources
This work
was provided to us courtesy of Velta Mitrevics. The document is
attached and may be reproduced in whole or in part for classroom
use.
Environmental
Attitude-Behaviour Survey
The purpose
of this quiz is to survey the general knowledge that students
hold about their environment. The survey was designed to give
short situational descriptions related to their environment. It
asked the students to indicate what they would do in the situation
and then what they know they should do. The survey was given to
49 grade seven students. The results were analyzed and clearly
show that media and public education have been quite successful
in changing children's attitudes from passive observers to those
of active environmental participators. A high proportion of the
group knew what should be done in any given situation but for
some reason, they did not carry through and put their knowledge
into action. This may be attributed to the social pressures which
accompany adolescence. We as teachers clearly have much work still
to do with environmental education.
Velta Mitrevics
June 1991
An
Environmental Practices Quiz
Instructions
Read each
of the following situations. Then select the response you would
give and the one you should give.
- You are
having a party for your friends after school. Your parents gave
you $10.00 to buy pop. Which of the following do you buy?
- (a)
48 cans of pop
- (b)
24-16 oz glass bottles of pop
- (c)
4-1.5 L plastic bottles
- (d)
5-1 L returnable bottles (plus deposit)
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- It's
Father's Day and you found a great gift for your father. Now
you have to wrap it so it will be a surprise. What will you
use for wrapping?
- (a)
White tissue gift wrap purchased at the drug store
- (b)
Brightly coloured foil gift wrap purchased at the drug store
- (c)
Brightly coloured advertising inserts from the weekend paper
- (d)
Paper bag decorated with felt markers
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- Your
mother is preparing for a special dinner. She asks you to go
to the corner store to get some whipping cream. She gives you
the money and says, "Choose whatever looks best."
- (a)
You buy a carton of whipping cream.
- (b)
You buy prepared whipping cream in an aerosol container.
- (c)
You buy "Cool Whip" in a plastic tub.
- (d)
You buy a product called "Near Whip" in an aerosol
container.
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- You and
your family are visiting your aunt-a pretty boring time. She
gives you some money and says, "Why don't you go to the
plaza to buy yourself a magazine". The plaza is about 1
km away from her house. How do you get there?
- (a)
Your older brother offers to drive you and you accept.
- (b)
You ask permission and borrow your aunt's bicycle.
- (c)
You decide to take public transit.
- (d)
Your cousin says she will drive you over on her new motor
scooter.
- I
would choose ____ I should choose ____
- You are
on a Student Council Committee called the School Improvement
Group. Four proposals have been submitted for changing part
of the school ground. Only one can be financed. Which do you
choose?
- (a)
A paved area for a new outdoor volleyball court
- (b)
An outdoor mini-golf course
- (c)
A fenced space for storing and locking bicycles
- (d)
A "wild area" where plants can grow naturally
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- The school
is considering fundraising campaigns to pay for the improvement
to school property. Which would you vote for?
- (a)
Selling chocolate covered almonds
- (b)
Raffle tickets for an airplane ride over Toronto
- (c)
Selling collections of 20 bottles of spices for cooking
- (d)
Selling specially designed Tupperware containers for "litterless
lunches"
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- Your
mom has started a full time job and cannot make your lunch for
you anymore. You decide to make your own and bring it to school.
Do you pack:
- (a)
A sandwich in plastic wrap and a juice tetra box?
- (b)
A sandwich in plastic wrap and a can of pop?
- (c)
A sandwich packed in a Tupperware container and a bottle
of juice?
- (d)
Nothing, but buy a hamburger in the cafeteria?
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- It is
the 25th Anniversary of the School. Everyone agrees something
special should be done. Which activity would you support?
- (a)
Send helium balloons containing greetings to other schools
from the roof of the school.
- (b)
Organize a parade through the community.
- (c)
Hold a dance for all students with free pop, chips and ice
cream.
- (d)
Contribute money on behalf of the school to the "Save
the Wildlife" Fund.
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- You notice
that your parents are putting some things in your "Blue
Box" that can't be recycled. You mention it to your Dad
and he says, "If your so concerned about it, sort it out
yourself!". What do you do?
- (a)
Get a pamphlet on recycling and leave it on your parents'
bed.
- (b)
Do nothing. "If they don't care, I don't care!"
- (c)
Be careful about what you put in the box, but let them do
what they want.
- (d)
Volunteer to take out the "Blue Box" after removing
the items that don't belong.
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
- Your
eighteenth birthday is next week. Your rich uncle says, "You
were always my favourite. You're old enough to drive now; I
want to buy you a vehicle of your own to go down town to university.
What kind do you want? You ask for...
- (a)
a dune buggy
- (b)
a fuel efficient mini car
- (c)
a motorcycle
- (d)
a "top-of-the-line" mountain bike
- I
would choose ___ I should choose ___
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