Foucs the Nation

I chose to watch “An Inconvenient Truth” on global warming and did some online research into some of the controversy around it.

• I learned that there is consensus in the scientific world that there is climatic change occurring.
  
• There is controversy over how quickly some of the events in this movie may take place.
  
• Though An Inconvenient Truth is very “global warming” oriented there are ways to read the scientific facts to argue the opposite view point.

I have had a hard time focusing on “global warming” because of the opposing views that are out there. There is so much information that can be interpreted in many ways and contain so many variables that in makes my mind swim. I know this seems politically incorrect and naïve, by guconsidering how persuasive Mr. Gore is in this movie, but this move can only be shown in England schools if it is accompanied idance giving the other side of the argument. I really want to know for sure and not be motivated by emotion only with no scientific backing.

With that said, I believe that it is very important for us to take care of the Earth and be good stewards of the assets that we have, and we have not been doing a very good job. Some of the suggestions in the movie are very good, including recycling, and reducing CO2 emmisions.

Here are a few ideas that I have for integrating environmental consciousness into my class room:
Have the students research current and past environmental regulation and the impact on the local, state, federal, and national levels, including impact on other cultures.
Students can learn about a specific issue and write to an appropriate government official with concerns, thoughts, or improvements that can be made.
On way that I think has great potential is to have students choose a political or activist organization like the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, or the Sierra Club and research or join it. They can learn how these groups operate, what they do to affect government, citizens, and popular view.