The New, Improved “Take Action Project” Starts!

The Take Action Project 2020 includes 7th graders getting the community to take informed and effective action for the future with them! Learn how to get prepared to start this exciting real-world project.

What are your hopes and fears, solutions and New Years resolutions?

Here’s what kids have to say about their hopes and fears for the future of nature. Respond to them with YOUR ideas for solutions and New Years resolutions.

The Hurry-cane Help Project

An engaging, upbeat (and manageable) way for students to respond to humanitarian crises!

Climate Change Resources

How bad is climate change? How’s it caused? and What to do about it? Here are the key, scientifically reliable resources to complement the talk at Orinda Community Church “On Care for Our Common Home” series in February, 2016. Includes ppt and many resources for a lay audience.

Engaging students in rigorous research

Those words have often not gone together – engagement, rigor and research. But finally, they are for most students most of the past week or so, with the new and improved Take Action Project. I’m excited to share the activities and pictures with you.

The Take Action Project 2.0 is a go: Pick an Action.

I’ll be posting the new Take Action Project in parts, after Marshall and I actually teach it. So far, we have managed to fan initial student interest in environmental issues as they choose what to do and start a little light research. It’s a balancing act between student choice, rigor and unmanageable chaos. So far, so fun, for us as well as our classes.

Take Action Project 2.0 is published!

After 6 years, 3 teachers and about 1,700 students have been through the Take Action Project, the revised and improved version is finally here! Check it out in it’s entirety at a great, new start-up, with an intro right here.

Energy Opportunity Finale: The “Marketplace” Game!

An ad campaign for energy opportunities has to be effective in the real marketplace for students to be successful innovators. This simulation helped my students to understand basic economics and political realities of 21st Century America. All made possible with the help of my economist husband. I love the intersection between subject areas, where the most interesting ideas are, and where there are rich possibilities for math, English and social studies links too.

Plastic Trash Issue and Density

Plastic particles float like plankton, making up a huge proportion of the diet of filter feeders – from baleen whales to small fish. The possible impact on marine life is huge. What floats and what sinks matters – this engaging issue is used to add context to a unit on density and buoyancy.

TAP: Keeping it simple to make it happen.

Not enough time to plan the action! The gold in the rush…