Puedo Leer Environmental Project February 2020

Each month will have an environmental theme that will include activities for children (and possibly, the adults) that will lead them to a better understanding of the planet as a whole and the damage we humans are causing and then hopefully lead the children to deciding on how they might help ‘save’ the planet. It is important that we start locally but move the children’s understanding of the world as a whole.

Year-Long Project on the Environment
Suggested Monthly Themes:
JANUARY – Mother Earth
FEBRUARY – Clean Water
MARCH – Clean Air
APRIL. – Food
MAY. – Habitat
JUNE – Energy
JULY – Climate and Weather
AUGUST – Ecology and Ecosystems
SEPTEMBER – Forests and Foresting
OCTOBER – Disposable Products
NOVEMBER – Pollution and Plastics
DECEMBER – Endangered and Extinct Species

The following is for the month of February and the idea for that month’s theme. Over time we will list ideas for projects and activities the librarians might choose to initiate with the members at their library:

FEBRUARY ` CLEAN WATER

This month will highlight the idea of every living thing needs fresh water in order to live. Hopefully after discussions the children will create Use Water Wisely posters that can be taken to the schools, other public locations and homes.

                What things must every living thing have in order to survive?    

We will use January’s Project to identify what living things needs Clean Water and the importance of clean water.

#### This project of listing all the living things on earth will be referred back to throughout the year.

Activities 1. Each library will have a large cut out circle to put up on the wall. Children will be encouraged to write the names of living things on the circle. A word can only appear once on the card. Librarians will need to encourage children to think of different genres ie animals, birds, plants, sea animals etc. Librarians are NOT permitted to tell the children ideas but they may write what the children suggest particularly for the younger children.

1. The librarians need to sit down and talk to a group of the children about what every living thing needs (the librarians are NOT to tell the children what these things are): food, water, air and shelter. Once the children have identified a need the librarian can post it on the wall near the display of the circle in order to prompt other ideas. Eventually all four needs have to be posted but only after a child has given it.

FEBRUARY: Water
Facts and Information:

• What does every living thing listed on our board need in
  order to survive and without it would quickly die?
• What do we do with water? Brainstorm with the children
  and accept every response.
• drink it,
• wash with it
• cook with it
• have fun with it
• swim in it
• water plants
• we’re made of 65% water
  and our blood is 80% water
  etc etc
• there are only two types of water: salt and fresh
  Show a blue circle to represent 100% of world’s water
  with a small wedge in a different colour to represent the
  fresh water (3% of the circle)
• water gets around: it is the ultimate multipurpose,
  recyclable material in the system
• water has three states: solid, liquid and gas
• 5 R’s for Saving Water
  – REPORT AND REPAIR leaks burst
  pipes etc – REDUCE USAGE
  – RETROFIT home with more
  efficient fixtures when possible
  – RAINWATER collect and use
  – RECYCLE gray water
• What can you do? Brainstorm with the children specifics
  of what they can do here in Granada, Nicaragua to save
  water.

It is the stepping stone and obviously can be added to all year.