A Magazine Devoted to the Environment

Chief Seattle

Congratulations! Your class has been hired as the staff of a new magazine all about ecology. The publisher needs to get the articles to the press in two weeks. This is a class project and each student will be required to contribute something to this new undertaking.

1. Consumers: Buyer Beware - Your guide to eco preservation. What products can be found at home, school, in restaurants and popular recreational spots that are illegal or harm the environment.

2. The Vanishing……Select an endangered habitat or species (plant or animal) and write an article about its characteristics, etc. Be sure to include the reasons for endangerment.

3. Persistent Organic Pollutants Include a description of each and explain its potential hazards.

4. Human Population Growth - It is predicated that, in some ecosystems, humans may soon reach their carrying capacity. Discuss why the population has grown and propose some solutions to the problem. (Include a discussion of the term carrying capacity.)

5. The Roving Reporter - Uncovering eco disasters. What happened to Three Mile Island, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Chernoble,  Love Canal. What effects are we still experiencing today?

6. HIPPO is an acronym that is useful in describing the major threats to biodiversity. Discuss each of the following threats: Habitat, Introduced species, Pollution, Population growth, Overconsumption. Give an example of each kind of threat.

7. Endocrine Disruptors What are they? What effects have they had on our ecosystem?

8. What are the environmental conditions in our local community? (just type in your ZIP code)

9. Wildlife Conservation Society operates the Bronx Zoo. Write an article describing its efforts to conserve our environment and preserve endangered species. Describe at least one of its success stories.

10. Environmental Health Hazards (try this too)

11. Biographical Profile of a modern "Green" Saint. Describe

12. Environmental Diseases from A to Z

13. The ABC's of Health Issues Related to the Environment

14. Twenty one Ways to Personal Health for Teenagers to keep yourself healthy in the present environment.

14. Environmental Protection Laws have been passed on local, state, and federal levels. In addition, the United Nations held an Earth Summit in Brazil in 1992. Research three of these laws and explain the impact that the United Nations has had on international efforts to Save Our Earth!

15. Plant a new truffula. Treat it with care
      Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air.
      Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack
      Then the Lorax and all of his friends may come back. (Dr. Seuss, The Lorax)

What is Dr. Seuss' message about the environment?
Select another passage from a poem or story about nature and explain its significance.

16.  The Greenhouse Effect: What is it? What is the cause? What are the long and short term consequences? What are possible solutions?

17. Nature has no interest in the preservation of her dead; her purpose is to start their elements upon the eternal road to life once more. (Loren Eisley)  

What is Loren Eisley saying about recycling?
Pretend that you are either an earthworm, slug, fungi, such as molds and mushrooms, or a  microorganism, such as a bacteria, living in a rotting log on a forest floor or pile of autumn leaves.  Write a short story or biologue about your "adventures."  

18. The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: What good is it? (Aldo Leopold)

What is the significance of Leopold's quote.  Pick a particular plant or animal and explain its "good" in an ecosystem.   

19. Ten steps to  a "greener home."

1.       Write an eco-quiz! How well do you know your endangered species?  Include at least 20 questions. And (Choices one and two are together)

2.       Crossword Puzzle: Construct a crossword puzzle dealing with ecology with a minimum of 20 clues. A wonderful web site for making puzzles is: www.puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com  I also have a program on the computer to make puzzles.

3.       What's My Biome? - Give five clues about each of the major biomes and have your readers guess which biome it is. (Make it tough!) Include the following biomes: tundra, taiga, temperate deciduous, tropical, desert, grassland, marine and freshwater. Art work welcomed!

4.       Write an Eco-Biologue - 2 characters discuss an ecological problem and offer solutions.

5.       Write a Poem, Song, Limerick or Rap about an endangered species or environmental concept.  If you select a limerick, write three of them. Try performing my "Food Chain" rap!

6.       Cartoon or Comic Strip showing how man has disrupted his environment.

7.       The Food Chain Mall has just opened its doors and you are the reporter assigned to cover opening day. Include a description of the various "stores" and a "map" that would be consistent with the pyramid of biomass. (Include those decomposers!)

8. Create 2 pages of a coloring book for children about pollution. Be sure to include a sentence about pollution on the page.  Color in this one and print it out - it's fun!

9.  It's Earth Day! - Write a "Birthday Song" to the earth.

The A.L.M.S. Travel Agency has bought five pages in Eco-Mania for $25,000. Eco-Mania needs these kinds of advertisers to keep financially afloat and is counting on you to produce a beautiful insert. Your job is to:

I. Describe one of the Biome Tours Available: (Tropical Forest, Grassland, Desert, Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Marine, Fresh Water). (Two students/Biome) Be sure to include:

• Weather Conditions and Type of Clothing and Cosmetics To Pack  
•   Itinerary: Description of Major Species of Fauna and Flora to be visited
•   Location: Countries, States where found on globe  
•   Current Threats to the health of the biome.

  Include at least two of the following:

•   Photodisplay of Stops along the Tour
•   Dining: Sample Menu for at least one day of the tour consisting only of Food
•   Harvested within the Biome.
•   The Museum: Describe the Forms of Life That once but no Longer Exist in that Biome that are  now on display.
•   A Catchy Jingle to attract a would-be tourist to your tour

II.  Describe the Tour of the Biosphere Cemetery: Describe 10 tombstones that you find in the fauna and flora sections of the cemetery. For each tombstone, give the date of death, the major causes for death of the species, and what the species will be remembered for. Include "photographs"/postcards of the tombstones and comments from close relatives of the Deceased  (2 students or 5 for one student)

See Mrs. Weber for an appointment to read these.  

1. Wanted Ads: Select five environmental pollutants and write an ad for them including a description, crime and cause (origin) i.e. Carbon Monoxide alias: Dunky Carbone

2. Souvenir Trail