Hey!  I was just thinking the same thing as you.  That would be a great resource for this site.  I think our first job as teachers, though, is to start cultivating a love for the environment/nature.  Take your students out in it if you can, show them how amazing it can be - and then show them some of the effects that we have had on it.  Obviously this gets harder as they get older, but I think this simple, concrete exercise is really effective with the younger ones.  We need to catch them when they’re little.  Also, as teachers, we have to model this lifestyle for them.  The great thing about teaching is that if you’re passionate about it, eventually, it will start to rub off on them - even if they don’t want you to know it.  One book that I think is great for cultivating a sense of wonder about the ocean is ‘Flotsam,’ a recent Caldecott winner - it doesn’t have any actual writing, it’s entirely graphic, but it shows this group of kids interacting with the ocean throughout centuries, and being awed by its inhabitants - realistic ones, and some unrealistic ones : ) I am going to see what else I can find or come up with in this area.  I think school gardening projects can be great teachers as well.

My husband is an environmental education teacher, and I’m a journalism teacher. We both have lots of opportunities to talk about the environment. His program is based around being in the environment. They go outside almost every day, even in bad weather, and hike through nearby natural areas. They also have grants for special projects. For example, they just converted one of those builder-made drainage ponds into a more natural wetland environment. There are lots of community resources available to help with stuff like this. We are both high school teachers, but we’d love to see more action in the elementary schools, where kids really establish their life patterns. Our own kids aren’t learning as much about the environment as we’d like. Parents would be really receptive to good programs in the elementary schools. Unfortunately, as we’re seeing across the country, the important things often get squeezed out because of emphasis on testing skills.

For a while now, I’ve been thinking that it would be great to come up with supplemental math practice sheets that use real life environmental issues for the problems.  I know my kids get summer packets that reinforce the concepts that they have been learning, and why not use problems that address real world issues?

For example, when the kids learn about estimating and the idea of scale, and volume, they could have a problem that estimates how many aluminum cans fill a trash can, a football field, etc.  Then they would be getting an idea of the impact of our trash while at the same time learning the concepts they will be learning anyway.

It also seems teachers would appreciate a free resource that coordinates with the curriculum they are using.

My problem is that I am not familiar with the widely used curriculum materials—I am sure a math teacher or a few would know which companies are widely used, what they teach when, etc.  If someone had that kind of info, or sample problems to look at, I think it wouldn’t be too hard to come up with some materials that taught the same concepts using environmental issues. 

I know the Kokua Foundation has some links for teacher materials.  If someone is interested in working on this, I would like to work together.  When the time comes to order the summer math packets, I will pay attention and start to keep track of what they include. 

There is a really great book, Innumeracy, that talks about the kinds of practical math concepts that many people don’t understand, that kind of ties into what I’m thinking.  One challenge in the book is to estimate how many dump trucks it would take to haul away Mt. Fuji, if it were a pile of soil.  The idea is to be able to estimate all the variables and come up with a reasonable answer, not to get the answer right.  I think if more people had this skill (and if we can teach our kids to think this way) they would naturally “get” the problems of trash in landfills, the amount of fossil fuels we use, the amount of pollution we produce, etc.  If we give people/kids the skills they need to “get” these problems on their own, they are more likely to adjust their own actions accordingly.

FYI, my kids are 1st, 4th adn 5th, I agree that we should be doing this starting in elementary school!

For those educators out there, two songs that I have used to teach in my 11th grade Environmental Science classes are Jack Johnson On and On “Gone Going” and from Curious George “The 3 r’s”.

For the song “Gone going,” (I used the Black Eyed Peas Version) we discussed everyone’s opinion of materialism, created a definition, related the concept to our current chapter on waste, and everyone commented on their view of the song and how it is related to their life.

The 3 r’s, I reviewed for a test and had the students list an example of each (reduce, reuse, recycle) from the song.

The students enjoy the music and learn at the same time :)
Also, check out Brett Dennen “Aint no Reason” on you tube for a message that crosses all subjects and diversities.

If you want another great teaching resource check out http://www.storyofstuff.com
The movie has tons of information about our environment and the effects of mass production. Check out the links below for movie resources:
http://www.storyofstuff.com/blog/?p=8
http://www.storyofstuff.com/host.html

Peace,
Drew