Accessories topic: integrating environmental science with household management lessons

To trash or not to trash? 

Have you used Lino yet?

http://en.linoit.com/

During a recent online professional development course (IL Writing Standards for grades K-8), I focused on 8th grade ELA standards that I could either use with 8th grade Intro to FACS students or a high school Intro to FACS class with 9th-10th graders typically. Besides the 8th grade ELA standards I also integrated NGSS middle school grade environmental science standards.

Lino was a technology resource I was introduced to and created 2 photo questions that could be included with the 2+ day lessons getting students to understand the waste issues inside and outside our home environments. Hopefully the initial issue of living more 'green', many teaching opportunities will be available throughout the school year to get young teens into the mode of Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle.

My Lino question #1 can be found here:
http://linoit.com/users/beccasheartland/canvases/Intro%20FACS%20home%20manage%20question

This question is semi- text dependent on an article that is listed #1 in my final writing task project for the PD course. The term 'technosphere' is introduced in this informational text as the newest layer to planet Earth full of all our techno discards. To me this makes it a very interesting read.

There are 2 other informational texts that I wanted to follow the reading of technosphere. One is a list of top 10 household items that are made of microplastics that we need to stop using or try to slowly eliminate from our lives (items like laundry/dishwasher pods, synthetic fiber clothing, etc.)

In my writing task I had several text-dependent questions to focus students back to the article(s) for their written responses.

The 2nd question on Lino shows the inside of a hoarder's house inside and another one's outside as a way to expand the discussions from the landfill photo in the 1st linked Lino question given earlier in the post as well as the required readings
http://linoit.com/users/beccasheartland/canvases/Intro%20FACS%20house%20manage%20hoarding

Online article links can be found using these:

a. I love this website because text complexity/word level is suggested plus power words vocabulary are also listed to assist teachers and students=
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/meet-our-trashy-technosphere

b. The version I used was featured at another site. This link is for the original=
http://theconversation.com/ten-stealth-microplastics-to-avoid-if-you-want-to-save-the-oceans-90063

c. This 3rd informational text can be used as a timed reading, PARCC readiness, or as an extension of this lesson. I like this article on garbage because it separates trash into 4 categories and briefly explains each one. And because it is from a website that offers reading comprehension building texts there are questions attached. With the focus on my intended lesson to be for a household management unit, I would create my own text-dependent questions.
https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/garbage/

Hopefully these technology connections can help you during the school year.

From the USA heartland, Becca S