What Is Environmental Citizenship?

Literacy Navigator Foundations: Comprehending Texts Level A

• Student Reader • Table of Contents

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ISBN: 978-0-66364-070-6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 16 15 14 13 12 Table of Contents Table of Contents

Lesson 1 Lesson 8 What Is Environmental Citizenship? 1 We Can Make a Difference! 35 My Plan to Make a Difference for the Climate 39 Lesson 2 What Is Good Citizenship? 3 Lesson 9 Good Citizenship and Community 5 Nine Things You Need to Know about Rights and Responsibilities T-chart 7 Global Warming: And how it’s affecting Environmental Citizenship Vocabulary 8 animals and the planet 41

Lesson 3 Lesson 10 Time to Volunteer: Cleaning up is in Review of Lessons 1–9 47 the bag for one student 11 Review of Important Learning 48 My Opinion of Samantha 13

Lesson 11 Lesson 4 What Is Groundwater? 49 Climate and Weather 15 Groundwater Diagram 52 Climate vs. Weather T-chart 17

Lesson 12 Lesson 5 Kids Can Protect Groundwater Too! 53 Climate Change: What It Is … 19 Water Protection Web 56 What’s Up with Global Warming? 21 Global Warming Questions 23 Lesson 13 Water Worries 57 Lesson 6 Ways I Use Water 58 Can We Change the Climate? 25 Be Water Wise All Week 59 My Activities That Require the Use of Fossil Fuels 28 Water Use Journal 62

Lesson 14 Lesson 7 Pollution Patrol: Children help clean So, What’s the Big Deal? 29 up polluted river near Portland, What I Have Learned about the Oregon 63 Environment and Climate Change 33 Neighborhood Nature 68 Getting Involved 69

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | i Table of Contents

Lesson 15 Lesson 25 Underground Adventure: There’s more Review of Renewable Energy 119 to soil than meets the eye 71 Renewable Energy Matrix, Part 3 120 Healthy Soil, Healthy Critters 76 Opinion Rubric 121 Best Renewable Energy for My Lessons 16–17 Community 122 Clean Air and Dirty Air 77

Your Health and the AQI 87 Lesson 26 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Three great ways you can eliminate waste Lesson 18 and protect your environment 123 What Is Renewable Energy? 89 Jigsaw Activity 132 Energy Graphic Organizer 91

Lesson 27 Lesson 19 Dirty Job, Great Rewards 133 Wind Power 93 Tracing Pronouns to Referents 137 How Wind Becomes Electricity 96

Lesson 28 Lesson 20 Tackling the Trash 139 Hydropower 97 Writing a Summary 143 Renewable Energy Matrix, Part 1 99 How Flowing Water Becomes Electricity 100 Lesson 29 Protecting Our Planet 145 Lesson 21 Venn Diagram 148 Solar Power 101 Overview of Earth Day 149 Renewable Energy Matrix, Part 2 104

Lesson 30 Lesson 22 Culminating Project 151 Sun-Powered Speed 105 Project Planning Sheet 154 Catching Some Rays: Build a solar oven 107 Opinion Rubric for Culminating Project 155 Using Solar Power: Now and Future 109

My Notes N1 Lesson 23 Geothermal Energy 111 Credits

Lesson 24 Biomass Energy 115

ii | Literacy Navigator Table of Contents Table of Contents

My Notes: A Reader’s Comprehension of the Texts

Introduction N1 Lesson 10 My Notes on Review of Lessons 1–9 N11 Lesson 1

My Notes on “What Is Environmental Lesson 11 Citizenship?” N2 My Notes on “What Is Groundwater?” N12

Lesson 2 Lesson 12 My Notes on “What Is Good Citizenship?” My Notes on “Kids Can Protect and “Good Citizenship and Community” N3 Groundwater Too!” N13

Lesson 3 Lesson 13 My Notes on “Time to Volunteer” N4 My Notes on “Water Worries” and “Be Water Wise All Week” N13 Lesson 4

My Notes on “Climate and Weather” N5 Lesson 14 My Notes on “Pollution Patrol” N14 Lesson 5

My Notes on “Climate Change: What Lesson 15 It Is …” and “What’s Up with Global My Notes on “Underground Adventure” N14 Warming?” N6

Lesson 16 Lesson 6 My Notes on “Clean Air and Dirty Air” N15 My Notes on “Can We Change the Climate?” N7 Lesson 17

Lesson 7 My Notes on “Clean Air and Dirty Air” N16 My Notes on “So, What’s the Big Deal?” N8 Lesson 18

Lesson 8 My Notes on “What Is Renewable Energy?” N17 My Notes on “We Can Make a Difference!” N9 Lesson 19

Lesson 9 My Notes on “Wind Power” N17 My Notes on “Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming” N10

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | iii Table of Contents

Lesson 20 My Notes on “Hydropower” N18

Lesson 21 My Notes on “Solar Power” N18

Lesson 22 My Notes on “Sun-Powered Speed” and “Catching Some Rays” N19

Lesson 23 My Notes on “Geothermal Energy” N19

Lesson 24 My Notes on “Biomass Energy” N20

Lesson 25 My Notes on Review of Renewable Energy N20

Lesson 26 My Notes on “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” N21

Lesson 27 My Notes on “Dirty Job, Great Rewards” N22

Lesson 28 My Notes on “Tackling the Trash” N22

Lesson 29 My Notes on “Protecting Our Planet” and “Overview of Earth Day” N23

Lesson 30 My Notes on the Culminating Project N24

iv | Literacy Navigator Table of Contents Reading Passage for Lesson #

Reading # Title Reading Passage for Lesson #1

ReadingWhat Is Environmental # Title Citizenship?

1 The environment is the natural world around us, including the air, water, soil, plants, and animals. Environmental citizenship is the idea that each of us is an important part of the environment in which we live, and that our future depends on acting responsibly and positively toward that environment. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But what exactly does that mean to you?

2 Environmental citizenship means learning about our environment, planet Earth. Earth is a large ecosystem—a group of living and nonliving things that work together. Plants and animals, including humans, depend on each other and the environment around them for food and shelter. If the sun, air, land, water, or any other part of the ecosystem changes, other parts are affected. When we learn about the ecosystem, we are better able to protect it from negative changes.

3 Environmental citizenship means becoming aware of the dangers to our ecosystem. We must understand the effects that our daily

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Morgan Lane Studios (left); © iStockphoto.com (above)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 1 What Is Environmental Citizenship? Reading Passage for1 for Lesson Lesson # 2

lives have on the environment. One of the biggest dangers to our pollution contamination of the environment is pollution—pollution caused by humans. Pollution air, land, or water that is ReadingWhat Is Good # Title Citizenship? usually caused by human threatens the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the land on carelessness which we live—all of which are essential to our survival.

essential 4 Environmental citizenship means getting involved in finding important or necessary; vital solutions to the threats to our environment. We need to find ways to help reduce waste and stop pollution. We have the right to live in a healthy environment with clean air, fresh water, and unpolluted soil. As environmental citizens, we also have a responsibility to protect the environment and keep it clean for others.

5 Environmental citizenship means raising the awareness of individuals, communities, and governments so that everyone takes environmental rights and responsibilities seriously. We must talk and work together in our homes and schools, in our communities, and in our workplaces. We must take action to care for the Earth. We must share ideas and begin to work together to become good environmental citizens.

6 Environmental citizenship means making changes in our daily lives so that Earth will be a healthy place for the plants, animals, and people of tomorrow. We must embrace the challenge of reducing pollution and acting positively toward our environment. As we study environmental citizenship we will learn about the water, air, and soil. We will explore the problems facing the environment and investigate possible solutions to the problems we face.

2 | Literacy Navigator What Is Environmental Citizenship? Reading Passage for1 for Lesson Lesson #2 2

ReadingWhat Is Good # Title Citizenship?

Citizenship is man’s basic right for it is nothing less than the right to have rights …

—Earl Warren, chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

1 As citizens, people who live in a community, city, state, or country have certain rights and responsibilities. Good citizens know their rights and understand their responsibilities. Good citizens actively participate in matters that are important to themselves, as well as to their family, friends, neighbors, community, and country. democracy 2 As a citizen living in a democracy, you have many rights. But government by the people rights also come with responsibilities. For example, you have the right to have your own beliefs. However, you also have the responsibility to respect the rights of other people. You have the

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Joshua Hodge

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 3 What Is Good Citizenship? Reading Passage for2 for Lesson Lesson # 2

right to express your opinions. But you also have the responsibility to listen to other people’s opinions. You have the right to say “no” ReadingGood Citizenship # Title and Community if a friend asks you to do something you disagree with. You also consequences have the responsibility to accept a friend saying “no” to you. You something that naturally follows an action or have the right to make your own choices and the responsibility to condition accept the consequences of those choices.

3 There is no specific right or wrong way to practice good citizenship. That’s because each person serves other people or causes in the way he or she thinks is best.

4 There are many ways to be a good citizen. When you help and serve others, you show that you are a good citizen and leader. Other people will look to you to share ideas that will make your community a better place to live.

5 Good citizens show respect for the rights of other people. They stand up for themselves and others. They get involved in activities that help people, animals, and the environment.

6 Responsible citizens follow the rules in their families and schools. They follow the laws in their communities and countries. These efforts maintain a peaceful, clean, and safe place to live.

Think about it … What are your rights as a citizen?

What are your responsibilities?

4 | Literacy Navigator What Is Good Citizenship? Reading Passage for2 for Lesson Lesson # 2

ReadingGood Citizenship # Title and Community

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

—John F. Kennedy, thirty-fifth president of the United States

1 Being a good citizen in your community means obeying its laws, treating neighbors respectfully, and helping others. You can do this by helping a neighbor with yard work, shoveling snow, raking leaves, or emptying the trash. Sometimes, just talking to your neighbors shows you care about and respect them.

2 You can also be a good citizen by getting involved in organizations and youth groups that volunteer in the community. These groups often organize food and clothing drives, after- school tutoring and childcare, or neighborhood cleanup days.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Mangostock

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 5 Good Citizenship and Community

3 Another way to be a good citizen is to make donations. You can give clothes you have outgrown to organizations that distribute them to people in need. You can collect canned foods for your local food shelf. You can save part of your allowance to give to others. You can donate one of your birthday presents to a foster care program.

4 Good citizens also help take care of the environment. There are many ways you can help create a clean and safe place to live. You can recycle cans, bottles, and paper to reduce waste. You can pick up litter in the park to show you respect public property. You can organic feed the birds to show you care about and respect animals. You chemical free and natural can use organic household cleaners and keep harmful chemicals out of the water and air to protect the environment.

5 Watching out and speaking up are also ways to be a good citizen. When a neighbor is on vacation, you can show you are a good citizen by looking out for any unusual activity. If you see something in your neighborhood that needs to be fixed, such as unsafe playground equipment or uneven sidewalks, you can tell your parents or another adult. Adults can help you learn how to make positive changes in your community. When you care enough to get involved, others will follow your lead.

Think about it … What are some things around your neighborhood that need attention?

What can you do about these things?

6 | Literacy Navigator Good Citizenship and Community Rights and Responsibilities T-chart

Work with a partner to list the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Try to pair each right with a corresponding responsibility.

Rights Responsibilities

Lesson 2 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 7 Environmental Citizenship Vocabulary

Decide where the vocabulary words belong—under Environmental or Citizenship—and then write them in that column.

Citizenship Environmental a person’s conduct relating to the having to do with the natural world, especially rights and responsibilities of being a the air, water, soil, plants, and animals community member

8 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 2 Environmental Citizenship Vocabulary (continued)

Lesson 2 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 9 Reading Passage for Lesson #3 Environmental Citizenship Vocabulary (continued) Time to Volunteer Cleaning up is in the bag for one student Decide where the vocabulary words belong—under Environmental or Citizenship—and Reading # Title then write them in that column.

10 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 2 Reading Passage for Lesson #3 Time to Volunteer ReadingCleaning up is in the# Titlebag for one student

1 For years, Samantha Goldfeld, 11, and her family have carried their reusable own reusable cloth bags to the grocery store. “My family is saving the ability to be used again, usually in place of almost 800 disposable bags each year,” the sixth grader from throwing away Scottsdale, Arizona, told WR News. “Then we got to thinking about what that number would look like if everyone carried cloth bags instead of using paper or plastic.”

2 More than 500 billion plastic shopping bags are used each pollute make something dirty or year worldwide. Plastic bags pollute city streets, jam recycling harmful by adding waste material machines, and harm animals that get caught in the bags or

ingest them. Plus, nonrenewable energy sources are needed ingest to take in by mouth to manufacture plastic bags. Nonrenewable sources cannot be replaced.

3 Now Samantha has the chance to teach others about the benefits community service helping in the of reusable cloth bags. Samantha belongs to the community neighborhood or area where one lives service group, Roots and Shoots, which will take part in National

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Janine Lamontagne

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 11 Time to Volunteer

and Global Youth Service Day. Founded in 1986, the annual project is the largest service event in the world. From April 20 to 22, millions of young people across the globe will participate in volunteer projects, ranging from recycling to tutoring young children.

4 To encourage more people to use reusable cloth bags, Samantha and other Roots and Shoots members will host an information session. They plan to talk about the benefits of reusable cloth bags and provide tips for reducing plastic bag use.

5 Samantha is looking forward to the service event. “Doing community service makes a difference for the environment, animals, and the people,” she says. “Together we can make a huge difference for our planet.”

12 | Literacy Navigator Time to Volunteer My Opinion of Samantha

Think about the article “Time to Volunteer.” What is your opinion of Samantha? Do you think she is a good environmental citizen? Say why or why not.

Lesson 3 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 13 Reading Passage for Lesson #

Reading # Title Reading Passage for Lesson #4

ReadingClimate and # Title Weather

The weather can change very quickly from rain to sunshine.

1 Weather is all around us. Weather may be one of the first things you notice after you wake up. Chances are, if it is cold and snowing, you’ll wear a jacket when you go outside. If it’s hot and sunny, you may wear shorts.

2 Sounds pretty simple, right?

But what about climate?

How is it different from weather?

And what is weather, exactly?

Weather 3 Weather describes whatever is happening outdoors in a given place at a given time. Weather is what happens from minute to minute. The weather can change a lot within a very short time.

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Ivan Astar (left); © iStockphoto.com/Steve Cole (above)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 15 Climate and Weather

For example, it may rain for an hour and then become sunny precipitation rain, hail, sleet, snow, and clear. Weather is what we hear about on the television news mist, or any other moisture that falls to every night. Weather includes daily changes in precipitation, Earth barometric pressure, temperature, and wind conditions in a given location. What is your weather like today? barometric pressure the pressure or weight of the air

Climate 4 Climate describes the total of all weather occurring over a period of years in a given place. This includes average weather conditions, regular weather sequences (like winter, spring, summer, and fall), and special weather events (like tornadoes and floods). Climate tells us what it’s usually like in the place where you live. San Diego is known as having a mild climate, New Orleans a humid climate, Buffalo a snowy climate, and Seattle a rainy climate. How would you describe the climate where you live?

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Frank van den Bergh

16 | Literacy Navigator Climate and Weather Climate vs. Weather T-chart

Review the “Climate and Weather” article. Find words and phrases related to climate and write them in the left column. Find words and phrases related to weather and write them in the right column.

Climate Weather

Lesson 4 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 17 Reading Passage for1 for Lesson Lesson # 5

ReadingClimate Change: # Title What It Is … Reading Passage for1 for Lesson Lesson # 5

ReadingClimate Change: # Title What It Is ……

1 Earth has warmed by about 1ºF over the past 100 years. But why? And how? Well, scientists are not exactly sure. The Earth could be getting warmer on its own, but many of the world’s leading

climate scientists think that things people do are helping to make greenhouse effect the creation of a livable the Earth warmer. temperature, caused by certain gases that trap the sun’s heat in Earth’s Greenhouse effect, climate change, and global warming atmosphere 2 The Greenhouse Effect: Scientists are sure about the greenhouse greenhouse gases effect. They know that greenhouse gases make the Earth warmer gases that prevent heat energy given off by the by trapping energy in the atmosphere. sun from leaving the atmosphere 3 Climate Change: Climate is the long-term average of a region’s

weather events lumped together. For example, it’s possible that atmosphere the mixture of gases a winter day in Buffalo, New York, could be sunny and mild, but surrounding Earth the average weather—the climate—tells us that Buffalo’s winters will mainly be cold and include snow and rain. Climate change represents a change in these long-term weather patterns. They

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Pavel Klyuykov (left); © iStockphoto.com/Matt Jeacock (above)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 19 Climate Change: What It Is … Reading Passage for Lesson #

can become warmer or colder. Annual amounts of rainfall or annual occurring once every year snowfall can increase or decrease. Reading # Title 4 Global Warming: Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth’s temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. When scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their concern is about global warming caused by human activities.

20 | Literacy Navigator Climate Change: What It Is … Reading Passage for2 for Lesson Lesson # 5

ReadingWhat’s Up # Titlewith Global Warming?

What is global warming? 1 Surrounding the Earth is a layer of gases. We call it our atmosphere, or just air. Some of these gases do what the glass in a greenhouse does. They let the sun’s warmth in. And then they keep some of the warmth from escaping. That keeps the carbon dioxide one of the greenhouse Earth—and us—from freezing. gases, a colorless odorless gas found in the atmosphere 2 One of these “greenhouse gases” is carbon dioxide (CO2). The

problem is, humans are putting too much CO2 into the air, and now the Earth (also called the “globe”) is getting warmer.

Why are we putting so much CO2 into the air?

3 It’s not because we want to. It’s because CO2 comes from burning coal, oil, gasoline, and other fossil fuels. These fuels heat and cool

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Debi Bishop

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 21 ReadingWhat’s Up 5 Titlewith Global Warming?

our buildings, power our cars and trucks, and provide energy for making all the things we need. People have known for years that burning these fossil fuels caused pollution and other problems. But they didn’t realize it could change the climate, too.

How big a deal is it? 4 Global warming may sound nice and cozy, especially if you live in a cold place but nice it’s not. If the Earth’s average temperature rises just a few degrees, it will cause big problems. There may habitats be more and stronger storms, croplands may dry up, and forests the natural environments in which plants and may die. Glaciers and polar ice caps will melt, causing the level of animals normally live the sea to rise and drown our coastlines. Animals’ habitats will change, and species will die out. And on and on.

What’s the solution? 5 We need to cut way, way back on how much fossil fuel we burn, as soon as we can. It will help a lot if, instead of burning fuels, we start using more energy from the sun, wind, and waves. And we need to find even better kinds of energy to use.

Can you help? 6 Each of us can do a small part by saving as much energy as possible. Kids can lean more by going on the Web to www. nwf. org/rangerrick. Grownups can check out www. nwf. org/ globalwarming.

22 | Literacy Navigator ReadingWhat’s Up 5 Titlewith Global Warming? Global Warming Questions

Read “What’s Up with Global Warming?” and discuss it with a partner. When you are done, write your answers to the questions below. 1. What is global warming?

2. Why are we putting so much CO2 into the air?

3. How big a deal is it?

Lesson 5 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 23 Reading Passage for Lesson # Global Warming Questions (continued)

4. What’s the solution? Reading # Title

5. Can you help? Explain how.

24 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 5 Reading Passage for Lesson #6

ReadingCan We Change # Title the Climate?

1 It may seem hard to believe that people can actually change the Industrial Revolution Earth’s climate. But scientists think that the things people do that a period of time when advances in machinery send greenhouse gases into the air are making our planet warmer. and factory production changed society and the way that people lived and 2 Once, all climate changes occurred naturally. However, during worked the Industrial Revolution, we began altering our climate and environment through agricultural and industrial practices. altering changing or making The Industrial Revolution was a time when people began using something different machines to make life easier. It started more than 200 years

ago and changed the way humans live. Before the Industrial agricultural Revolution, human activity released very few gases into the related to farming atmosphere, but now through population growth, fossil fuel burning, and deforestation, we are affecting the mixture of gases industrial related to machines in the atmosphere.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Nicolas Loran

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 25 Can We Change the Climate?

3 Since the Industrial Revolution, the need for energy to run machines has steadily increased. Some energy, like the energy you need to do your homework, comes from the food you eat. But other energy, like the energy that makes cars run and much of the energy used to light and heat our homes, comes from fuels like coal and oil—fossil fuels. Burning these fuels releases greenhouse gases.

When do you send greenhouse gases into the air? 4 Whenever you …

• Watch TV

• Use the Air Conditioner

• Turn on a Light

• Use a Hair Dryer

• Ride in a Car

• Play a Video Game

• Listen to a Stereo

• Wash or Dry Clothes

• Use a Dish Washer

• Microwave a Meal

… you are helping to send greenhouse gas into the air.

5 To perform many of these functions, you need to use electricity. Electricity comes from power plants. Most power plants use coal and oil to make electricity. Burning coal and oil produces greenhouse gases.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Руслан Кудрин

26 | Literacy Navigator Can We Change the Climate? Lesson 6

Other things we do send greenhouse gases into the air too 6 The trash that we send to landfills produces a greenhouse gas called methane. Methane is also produced by the animals we raise for dairy and meat products and when we take coal out of the ground. Whenever we drive or ride in a car, we are adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. And, when factories make the things that we buy and use everyday, they too are sending greenhouse gases into the air.

1 Plants remove carbon dioxide from the air.

2 When the plants died, they were buried in the Earth.

3 After millions of years, their remains turned into coal and oil.

4 People mine the Earth for coal and oil, which are called “fossil fuels.”

coc 2 When people burn fossil fuels, they 5 send carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 27 Reading Passage for Lesson # My Activities That Require the Use of Fossil Fuels

Make a list of the things you use or the things you do during a normal week that require Reading # Title energy from fossil fuels.

28 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 6 Reading Passage for Lesson #7

ReadingSo, What’s # Titlethe Big Deal?

1 Sometimes little things can turn into big things. Think about brushing your teeth. If you don’t brush for one day, chances are nothing bad will happen. But if you don’t brush your teeth for one month, you may develop a cavity. It’s the same thing with global temperatures. If temperatures rise above normal levels for a few days, it’s no big deal—the Earth will stay more or less the same. But if temperatures continue to rise over a longer period of time, then the Earth may experience some problems.

2 Average global temperature has increased by almost 1ºF over the past century; scientists expect the average global temperature to century 100 years increase an additional 2 to 6ºF over the next one hundred years. This may not sound like much, but it could change the Earth’s climate as never before. At the peak of the last ice age (18,000 years ago), the temperature was only 7ºF colder than it is today, and glaciers covered much of North America! glaciers very large bodies of ice

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Rob Broek

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 29 So, What’s the Big Deal?

3 Even a small increase in temperature over a long time can change the climate. When the climate changes, there may be big changes in the things that people depend on. These things include the level of the oceans and the places where we plant crops. They also include the air we breathe and the water we drink.

4 What might happen? It is important to understand that scientists don’t know for sure what climate change will bring. Some changes brought about by climate change will be good. If you live in a very cool climate, warmer temperatures might be welcome. Days and nights could be more comfortable and people in the area may be able to grow different and better crops than they could before. But it is also true that changes in some places will not be very good at all.

Human health 5 Climate change may affect people’s health both directly and indirectly. For example, heat stress and other heat related health humidity the amount of moisture problems are caused directly by very warm temperatures and in the air high humidity. Untreated, heat stress can be a very serious medical problem. Scientists suspect that, in many places, climate change will increase the number of very hot days that occur during the year. More hot days increases the possibility of heat related health problems.

6 Indirectly, ecological disturbances, air pollution, changes in impacts strong and powerful food and water supplies, and coastal flooding are all examples of effects possible impacts that might affect human health.

7 How people and nature adapt to climate change will determine how seriously it impacts human health. Some people and places are likely to be affected more than others. Generally, poor people and poor countries are less likely to have the money and resources they need to cope with preventing and treating health problems.

30 | Literacy Navigator So, What’s the Big Deal? Lesson 7

Very young children and the elderly adults will run the highest risks.

Ecological systems 8 Climate change may alter the world’s habitats and ecosystems— all living things are included in and rely on these places. Many of these places depend on a delicate balance of rainfall, temperature, and soil type. A rapid change in climate could upset this balance and seriously endanger many living things.

9 Most past climate changes occurred slowly, allowing plants and animals to adapt to the new environment or move somewhere else. However, if future climate changes occur as rapidly as some scientists predict, plants and animals may not be able to react quickly enough to survive. The ocean’s ecosystems also could be affected for the same reasons.

Photo: © shutterstock.com/Stephen Aaron Rees

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 31 So, What’s the Big Deal?

Sea level rise 10 Global warming may make the sea level become higher. Why? Well, warmer weather makes glaciers melt. A glacier is a large sheet of ice that moves very, very slowly. Some melting glaciers add more water to the ocean. Warmer temperatures also make water expand. When water expands in the ocean, it takes up more space and the level of the sea rises.

11 Sea level may rise between several inches and as much as three feet during the next century. This will affect both natural systems and man-made structures along coastlines. Coastal flooding could cause saltwater to flow into areas where salt is harmful, threatening plants and animals in those areas. For example, an increase in the salt content of the Delaware and Chesapeake bays is thought to have decreased the number of oysters able to live in erosion wearing away of soil and those waters. rock through the action of water and wind 12 Oceanfront property would be affected by flooding, and beach erosion could leave structures even more vulnerable to storm vulnerable able to be damaged or waves. Whether we move back from the water or build barricades injured in the face of a rising sea, it could cost billions of dollars to adapt to such change. Coastal flooding also may reduce the quality of drinking water in coastal areas.

Crops and food supply 13 Global warming may make the Earth warmer in cold places. People living in these places may have a chance to grow crops in new areas. But climate change also might bring droughts to other places where we grow crops. In some parts of the world, people may not have enough to eat because they cannot grow the food that they need.

32 | Literacy Navigator So, What’s the Big Deal? What I Have Learned about the Environment and Climate Change Explain what you have learned about the natural environment and climate change. If you are not sure how to start, look at the articles you have read, the class word wall, or My Notes.

Lesson 7 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 33 Reading Passage for Lesson # What I Have Learned about the Environment and Climate Change (continued) Reading # Title

34 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 7 Reading Passage for Lesson #8

ReadingWe Can Make # Title a Difference!

1 Climate change may be a big problem, but there are many little things we can do to make a difference. If we try, most of us can do our part to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the atmosphere. Many greenhouse gases come from things we do every day. As we have learned, these greenhouse gases trap energy in the atmosphere and make the Earth warmer.

2 Driving a car or using electricity is not wrong. We just have to be smart about it. Some people use less energy by carpooling. For example, four people can ride together in one car instead of driving four cars to work. Here are some additional ways you can help make the planet a better place!

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/David Palmer

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 35 We Can Make a Difference!

Read 3 Learning about the environment is very important. There are many good books that will help you learn. To get started, ask a teacher or a librarian for some suggestions.

Save electricity 4 Whenever we use electricity, we help put greenhouse gases into the air. By turning off lights, the television, and the computer when you are through with them, you can help a lot.

Bike, bus, and walk 5 You can save energy by sometimes taking the bus, riding a bike, or walking.

Talk to your family and friends 6 Talk with your family and friends about climate change. Let them know what you’ve learned.

Plant trees 7 Planting trees is fun and a great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Claudia Dewald

36 | Literacy Navigator We Can Make a Difference! Lesson 8

Recycle landfill a large outdoor area 8 Recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags, and newspapers. When you where waste is deposited recycle, you send less trash to the landfill and you help save and compacted natural resources, like trees, oil, and elements such as aluminum.

When you buy, buy cool stuff 9 There are lots of ways we can improve the environment. One of the ways to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the air is to buy products that don’t use as much energy. By conserving energy, we help reduce climate change and make the Earth a better place. Some products—like certain cars and stereos—are made specially to save energy.

Some things to think about 10 Did you know that you can help the environment if you buy recyclable products instead of non-recyclable ones? Look for the recycle mark—three arrows that make a circle—on the package. Recyclable products are usually made out of things that already have been used. It usually takes less energy to make recycled products than to make new ones. The less energy we use, the better.

Solar energy 11 Imagine that it’s a hot summer day. You put a scoop of ice cream on the sidewalk, and it melts. Why? Well, you probably know that the sun causes the ice cream to melt. But you may not know that the sun produces solar energy. Solar energy is a fancy way of saying “energy that comes from the sun.” Solar energy can be used to heat homes, buildings,

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Elena Elisseeva

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 37 We Can Make a Difference!

water, and to make electricity. Today, more than 200,000 houses in the United States take advantage of the sun’s energy.

Cars 12 Cars are an important part of life for most people. But cars also cause pollution and release a lot of greenhouse gases into the air. Fortunately, there are some cars that are better for the environment. These cars can travel longer on a smaller amount of gasoline. They don’t pollute as much, either. Using these kinds of cars can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the air.

ENERGY STAR® 13 Many things, like computers, TVs, stereos, and VCRs, have special labels on them. The label says “Energy” and has a picture of a star. Products with the ENERGY STAR® label are made to save energy. Buying products with ENERGY STAR® labels will help protect the environment.

Photo: www.brandsoftheworld.com

38 | Literacy Navigator We Can Make a Difference! My Plan to Make a Difference for the Climate

What could you do to make a difference in the climate? Remember that even small actions can produce big results! First, say why it is important to make a difference. Second, say what you will do. Finally, use some details to explain how you will do it.

Lesson 8 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 39 Reading Passage for Lesson # My Plan to Make a Difference for the Climate (continued)

Reading # Title

40 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 8 Reading Passage for Lesson #9 Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming ReadingAnd how it’s affecting # Title animals and the planet

1 The Arctic region is a bone-chilling, uninviting place to live—for people. For polar bears, however, it is perfect. Or it was. The bears’ icy home is melting. Decades of global warming is why.

2 And it’s not just happening in the Arctic. The whole world’s

climate is changing. Climate change occurs naturally, but now gradual happening slowly over people are causing it—or at least speeding it up. Scientists believe time that our use of fossil fuels causes global warming.

3 In the past, animals could adapt to gradual climate change by migrating moving from one habitat modifying behavior: migrating earlier or later, moving to cooler to another, usually in response to the seasons or warmer places, or finding a new niche. Today, environmental or food supply pressures from growing human populations, along with the faster rate of climate change, make survival for many animals a big niche habitat challenge.

4 If temperatures keep rising at the current rate and habitats keep shrinking, polar bears, penguins, frogs, and many other animals

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Josef Friedhuber

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 41 Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming

may not survive. The bad news is that one person can’t fix such huge problems. The good news is that millions can. Of the 6.6 billion people on Earth, nearly 2 billion are kids. Everyone—even you—has the power to make a difference.

eco-lingo 5 Read on to find out about a few problems associated with special vocabulary related to the study global warming. of ecology or the environment ECO-LINGO climate change fossil fuel A long-term and world-wide change Coal, petroleum, and natural gas that in temperature, rainfall, snowfall. Fog, is burned to generate heat or power. frost, hail, wind, and storms. Gradual The less we use, the better.

warming and cooling of the Earth’s carbon dioxide {CO2} climate has been a natural process Every time you breathe out, you

emit throughout its history. release CO2 gas. Burning forests to send out (fossil fuels global warming to clear land and using fossil fuels emit CO2) An increase in the Earth’s average for energy emit carbon into the surface temperature. The increase atmosphere, where it combines with

in CO2 and other gases—such as oxygen to form CO2. A little CO2 in the methane—is the major cause of atmosphere is a good thing; a lot is this warming. By 2100, the Earth’s bad. Trees and other plants filter out

temperature may rise by several CO2 but their destruction reduces this degrees, melting glaciers, drying up natural filtering process. wetlands, and raising sea levels. carbon footprint

The amount of CO2 that results from daily use of energy and resources.

Polar bear 6 STRAIGHT SCOOP Some of the polar bears’ icy home is melting as global temperatures rise.

7 BACKSTORY Polar bears live only in the Arctic and Subarctic. These bears depend on the ice—using it as their platform to hunt for seals far out at sea. Without ice-covered waters, polar bears go hungry, and cubs can’t survive. Some scientists estimate that much of the Arctic will be ice-free in the summer by the year 2100.

42 | Literacy Navigator Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming Lesson 9

Pikas 8 STRAIGHT SCOOP Pikas’ mountaintop habitat is shrinking.

9 BACKSTORY Pikas, cousins of rabbits, often live above the tree line on mountains—cool areas where trees don’t grow. Pikas thrive in cool, moist, rocky areas. They rarely move far from where they were born. As mountaintops become warmer, pikas have less habitat where they can survive.

Sea turtles 10 STRAIGHT SCOOP Rising sea levels may cause a loss of nesting beaches.

11 BACKSTORY Sea turtles bury their eggs on sandy beaches. As global warming causes seas to rise, many beaches will be washed away, leaving fewer places to nest. The sand’s temperature also affects the number of male and female turtles that hatch. If global warming causes temperatures to rise by just a few degrees, there won’t be enough males to support the population. If it gets even warmer, no eggs will hatch at all.

Photos: © shutterstock.com/Adrian Baras (top); © shutterstock.com/SecondShot (bottom)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 43 Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming

Pied f lycatchers 12 STRAIGHT SCOOP In some areas, birds called pied flycatchers are hatching too late to find food.

13 BACKSTORY Pied flycatchers are laying their eggs right on schedule. But winter moth caterpillars, the baby flycatchers’ food, are hatching earlier than they used to be. By the time the birds hatch, their food is gone, leaving them nothing to eat. A warming climate has led to some animals changing their breeding timelines. An ecosystem’s balance is based on timing. The natural timing of pied flycatchers’ egg hatching to coincide with caterpillars available for them to eat has been disturbed.

Galapagos penguins 14 STRAIGHT SCOOP Lack of seasonal cool seas threatens these penguins.

15 BACKSTORY When warm waters stay in a Pacific Ocean area longer than usual, it’s called an El Niño. One result is that fish tend to leave in search of cooler water. When that happens many Galapagos penguins starve. Lack of food and other pressures during a recent El Niño killed 65% of them. There are only about 1,500 left. Global warming could cause more frequent El Niños.

Elephants 16 STRAIGHT SCOOP African elephants face pressures from climate change and habitat loss.

Photos: © shutterstock.com/Carlos Arranz (top); © shutterstock.com (bottom);

44 | Literacy Navigator Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming Lesson 9

17 BACKSTORY Elephants live in a variety of habitats, from grasslands to forests. Global warming, though, could make their homes too hot and dry to support their food and water needs. They have always been able to travel to find new food and rich habitats when they’ve needed to. Now, unfortunately, they have nowhere else to go. Cities, industry, farms—all kinds of human activity—either already use or block the elephants’ access to new habitats.

Frogs amphibian a cold-blooded animal 18 STRAIGHT SCOOP A deadly fungus is that spends part of its life in water killing amphibians, including frogs.

19 BACKSTORY Global warming has chytrid fungus a mold-like growth on the created climate conditions that allow skin that is killing frogs and other amphibians chytrid fungus to thrive and spread to new areas. When the fungal disease grows on amphibians’ skin, it prevents them from breathing properly, eventually killing them. Chytrid fungus is a extinction threat to amphibians around the world. It has already caused the when the last of a species dies extinction of many species of frogs and toads.

Coral 20 STRAIGHT SCOOP Corals are dying because of the rising sea surface temperature.

Photos: © shutterstock.com/Chris Kruger (top); © shutterstock.com/Roy Chang (bottom)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 45 Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming Lesson 10

Review of Lessons 1–9

21 BACKSTORY Corals, animals that live in the oceans in large nutrients colonies, have a unique relationship with tiny plants called algae. substances that help something grow or Algae live in the corals’ tissues, providing them with important develop nutrients. Corals have a low tolerance for temperature change. Warmer sea temperature stresses them, and one result is that they drive out all the algae. Without the algae the coral starves. Twenty- five percent of the world’s coral has been destroyed. Scientists fear 30% more will disappear in the next 30 years. Coral is threatened along with the many ocean animals that rely on coral for food and shelter.

Humans 22 STRAIGHT SCOOP We’re at risk, too.

23 BACKSTORY Reducing our carbon footprint helps save plants, animals, and ourselves. Habitat destruction, pollution, global warming—all the things that affect the survival of animals—affect us, too. So everything we do to save them helps us.

Photo: © shutterstock.com/Marcus Efler

46 | Literacy Navigator Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming Lesson 10

Review of Lessons 1–9

Important Ideas about Environmental Citizenship • Environmental citizenship involves a way of thinking and a way of acting. • Good citizens have a responsibility to take care of the environment. • Through everyday actions, such as using plastic shopping bags, people make pollution. Through everyday actions, such as using reusable cloth bags, people can reduce pollution. • Weather describes the conditions outside for the day, week, or season. Climate describes the average weather conditions over a period of years. • Scientists believe that human activities are causing Earth’s climate to warm. • Greenhouse gases are a natural and important part of Earth’s atmosphere. However, when people use fossil fuels, carbon dioxide is released, resulting in an unhealthy amount of greenhouse gases. • If climate change, or global warming, continues it will negatively affect human health, ecosystems, and habitats around the world. • When individuals are thoughtful about their use of natural resources, they are improving the environment. If all people would reduce their energy use even a small amount, it would make a huge difference. • All living things, including humans, are connected within Earth’s ecosystem. Everything we do to protect habitats and help species survive will also help us.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 47 Reading Passage for Lesson #11 Review of Important Learning ReadingWhat Is Groundwater? # Title Important Information I Have Learned about Helping the Environment

Important Reading Skills I Have Learned

48 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 10 Reading Passage for Lesson #11

ReadingWhat Is Groundwater? # Title

1 Groundwater is water that comes from the ground. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Amazingly, many people use groundwater but don’t irrigate even know it. In fact, half of everyone in the United States drinks to supply water to crops, lawns, gardens groundwater everyday! Groundwater is even used to irrigate crops which grow food for tonight’s dinner.

2 Where does groundwater come from? Groundwater comes from rain, snow, sleet, and hail that soaks into the ground. The water moves down into the ground because of gravity, passing between saturated particles of soil, sand, gravel, or rock until it reaches a depth where filled completely until there is no more room the ground is filled, or saturated, with water. The area that is filled with water is called the saturated zone and the top of this zone is called the water table. Makes sense, doesn’t it? The top of the water is a table! The water table may be very near the ground’s surface or it may be hundreds of feet below.

3 Think about this: have you ever dug a hole in sand next to an ocean or lake? What happens? As you’re digging, you eventually reach water, right? That water is groundwater. The water in lakes, rivers, or oceans is called surface water; it’s on the surface. Groundwater and surface water sometimes trade places.

Water Cycle

Clouds Precipitation Evaporation

Runo Lake Ocean

Groundwater

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 49 What Is Groundwater?

Groundwater can move through the ground and into a lake or stream. Water in a lake can soak down into the ground and become groundwater.

4 Groundwater is stored in the ground in materials like gravel or sand. It’s kind of like the Earth is a big sponge holding all that water. Water can also move through rock formations like sandstone or through cracks in rocks. aquifer the formation of sand, soil, and gravel where 5 An area that holds a lot of water, which can be pumped up with groundwater collects a well, is called an aquifer. Wells pump groundwater from the aquifer, and then pipes deliver the water to cities, houses in the country, or to crops.

6 Most groundwater is clean, but groundwater can become pesticides polluted, or contaminated. It can become polluted from leaky chemical substances, often toxic, designed to underground tanks that store gasoline, leaky landfills, or when kill undesired insects people apply too much fertilizer or pesticides on their fields or lawns. When pollutants leak, spill, or are carelessly dumped on the ground they can move through the soil.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Peeter Viisimaa

50 | Literacy Navigator What Is Groundwater? Lesson 11

7 Because it is deep in the ground, groundwater pollution is generally difficult and expensive to clean up. Sometimes people have to find new places to dig a well because their own became contaminated.

Some questions to ask a parent, grandparent, or teacher: • Where does our water come from? • How does it get to our house? • Has our water ever been polluted? If yes, what was the cause? If adults don’t know the answer, call or write a letter to your city water company or mayor’s office. If you have a well near your home, locate it and talk to your parents or other adults about keeping pollution away from it.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 51 Reading Passage for Lesson #12 Groundwater Diagram ReadingKids Can #Protect Title Groundwater Too!

The water is stored in Water ows through tanks and treated. ______to ______.

Runo seeps through ______and ______.

Just above the groundwater is the The ground becomes ______. lled with water at the ______zone.

This whole area is called an A ______pumps ______. groundwater to the surface.

Underground, ______and ______act like a giant sponge to hold the water.

• sand and gravel • people • aquifer • dirt and rock • water table • pipes • saturation • well

52 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 11 Reading Passage for Lesson #12

ReadingKids Can #Protect Title Groundwater Too!

1 Even with all of the contamination threats to groundwater, it can be protected by kids like you who educate the people in their homes and communities about the water they drink.

2 You can actually start protecting groundwater right at home! Investigate your home for products (paints, cleaners, etc.) that would contaminate the groundwater if they were poured down the drain or dumped on the ground outside. If you live in a house with a lawn, find out about all the chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) that are used on the lawn. Talk to your family members about hazardous dangerous how hazardous household or lawn products can contaminate the groundwater. Instead of pouring chemicals down the drain, they can be used up so there is only a container left. Purchase “environmentally safe” products over hazardous ones. Chemical use on lawns can be reduced to prevent large amounts of contaminants getting into the groundwater.

3 There are lots of easy ways you can make a groundwater difference in your neighborhood, and community as well. Some examples include:

• Pick up litter in your neighborhood and on your school grounds.

• Encourage your friends and family to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

• Talk with your school’s principal and superintendent about certification as a Groundwater Guardian Green Site.

Photo: © shutterstock.com/Leah-Anne Thompson

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 53 Kids Can Protect Groundwater Too!

• You can go to your neighborhood or community leaders and disposed thrown away or given ask them to sponsor a household hazardous waste collection away day where people can bring their old paint, oil, or other chemicals to be disposed of properly. stencil to paint or ink over the cut-out surfaces of a • You and your friends or family members can go around to guide to leave a design storm drains in your area to stencil a groundwater-friendly message.

conserve • Design posters or flyers in your community that educate to use something carefully so that it is not citizens on easy ways to conserve water. wasted, damaged, or used up completely • Ride a bike, walk, rollerblade, or take a skateboard instead of taking the bus or riding in a car. alternatives choices that allow for • Encourage friends and family to purchase “green” household more than one possibility cleaning alternatives and to limit their use of harmful chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers.

Photo: © shutterstock.com/Morgan Lane

54 | Literacy Navigator Kids Can Protect Groundwater Too! Lesson 12

• Talk to your teacher at school about a groundwater class project or a school-wide groundwater education day.

• Join a surface water monitoring club to test and track changes Earth Day in a pond, stream, or lake near your home. an official U.S. celebration of the environment on April 22 • Celebrate Earth Day, everyday.

• Partner with your local FFA, Boy Scout, Girl Scout, or other FFA Future Farmers of organization to host a public “Test Your Well” event. America: a kids’ club focused on agriculture • Consider forming a groundwater club that meets after school. As a club, you can work together to complete some simple groundwater protection service projects in your community.

4 With all the contamination threats to groundwater, what difference can one person make? A lot! It just takes one person to begin positive change toward groundwater and that person can be you!!

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 55 Video for Lesson 13 Water Protection Web Water Worries

56 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 12 Video for Lesson 13

Water Worries

Hydrologic Cycle:

Ecological service: the benefit some natural process or part of the ecosystem provides; for example, the Colorado River provides an ecological service by delivering freshwater, nutrients, and sediment to deltas

Sediment: soil, sand, gravel, and debris from riverbanks that flows downstream, often creating mineral-rich soil that is excellent for farming

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Kate Payton

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 57 Reading Passage for Lesson #13 Ways I Use Water ReadingBe Water # Wise Title All Week Hydrologic Cycle

Clouds Precipitation Evaporation

Runo Lake Ocean

Groundwater

Thinking about Water Use

58 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 13 Reading Passage for Lesson #13

ReadingWaterBe Water Worries # Wise Title All Week

access the right or ability to use 1 Did you know that over one billion people do not have access to something safe drinking water due to unsanitary conditions? That’s about one in every five people on this planet! Drinking contaminated unsanitary unclean and unhealthy water can make you sick.

2 In some parts of the world and right here in the United States, water is used at a greater rate than it is replenished by rainfall. replenished replaced or refilled In arid regions of the world that are naturally dry with rapidly growing populations, there’s often not enough water to meet people’s needs. In addition, communities often cannot afford the scarce technology that can provide large quantities of clean drinking in short supply; difficult to find water. As a result, water is scarce and conservation is crucial.

3 Each of us can work to protect and conserve water in our homes and neighborhoods. Together we can make a difference! You

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Rob Friedman

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 59 Be Water Wise All Week

can start conserving water today and become water wise in just seven days.

Sunday 4 Start the week off fresh by filling a pitcher with tap water and storing it in your fridge. You’ll have a cool, refreshing beverage at your fingertips, and you’ll save water by not waiting for the tap to run cold each time you and your family members are thirsty.

Monday 5 Water outside only when necessary. If you know Mother Nature plans to water the garden, you won’t have to. It is also a good evaporation the process of changing idea to water early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid from liquid to vapor evaporation during the warmest part of the day.

Tuesday 6 Don’t let the faucet run. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. You’ll save about 100 gallons of water per month once this habit becomes second nature. Does anyone else in your family leave the faucet on when they brush their teeth, shave, etc.?

Photos: © shutterstock.com/Rafa Irusta (top); shutterstock.com/Tim Arbaev (bottom)

60 | Literacy Navigator Be Water Wise All Week Lesson 13

Wednesday 7 There is no such thing as a little drip. A leaky faucet with a drip of just 1/16 of an inch in diameter (about this big -o-) can waste 10 gallons of water every washers day! Stop that drip by replacing worn small metal or rubber rings that prevent leaks washers and valve seals with help from your parents.

Thursday

8 Take a shorter shower today. Set a timer for five minutes and get out when it rings. It is also a good idea to install a low-flow shower head. Water savings can really add up when you control the flow; you could save about 450 gallons each month! maintenance Friday regular work that is done to keep things in working order 9 Check all the plumbing in your home. Proper maintenance is one of the most effective water savers. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes and a wrench to replace. Check all water taps, hoses, and hose connections for leaks.

Saturday 10 Be aware of how you use water today by keeping a journal. Write down each time you turn on the tap, how long it was on, and what you used that water for. Keeping track of the water you used will make you more aware and teach you to make every drop count.

Photo: shutterstock.com/Mau Horng

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 61 Reading Passage for Lesson # Water Use Journal

Write down all the ways you have used water since waking up this morning. Continue to Reading # Title keep track of your water use until the next lesson.

62 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 13 Reading Passage for Lesson #14 Pollution Patrol ReadingChildren help clean # up Title polluted river near Portland, Oregon

1 This is a story about a special group of kids—and a special body of water near Portland, Oregon, called the Columbia Slough (pronounced slew). Last year, the kids used a boat, microscopes, and lots of kid power to check out the slough and other nearby waters—and to try to get people to clean them up.

2 The slough is like a slow, mini-river that flows into the Willamette River near Portland (see map on the following page). It rains a lot in this West Coast city. And when it rains a whole lot, the sewers overflow. Then the filthy water flows into the slough.

3 That could be causing a big problem. A lot of people living near the slough catch fish there. They need those fish to feed their families.

4 The families include kids who go to George Middle School. These kids had read in school about the slough, and they started to

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Amit Erez

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 63 Pollution Patrol

United States

Washington Columbia River

Oregon Columbia Slough Willamette River

Trail Unnished trail Portland

worry. Could the pollution be getting into the fish? And could people be getting poisoned by eating what they catch there? The kids decided to check out the pollution themselves.

Dear Ms. Mayor 5 Some scientists had already studied the slough. But no one knew for sure how polluted the waters were or whether the fish in it were really unsafe to eat.

6 When the kids found out how little was known, they decided to write to the mayor of Portland. They asked her to give money for a study of the slough and its fish. The mayor was interested in their letter. But she said there was no money for a study.

7 Then the kids learned about an upcoming meeting. Some local and state government people were getting together to talk about whether they should study the slough. The kids decided to show up.

8 At that meeting, the kids asked if the water was safe for fishing and swimming. The government people said they didn’t know. They said someone would have to study the water to find out. So the kids encouraged them to do it.

64 | Literacy Navigator Pollution Patrol Lesson 14

Stunning fish 10 To begin their study, government scientists went out on a boat with lots of equipment. And the kids followed them on a boat owned by a group called Riverwatch.

11 First the scientists put some of their equipment into the water. The jolt a sudden burst equipment shocked the fish with a jolt of electricity. The shock left the fish stunned, but it didn’t hurt or kill them. It made the fish float to the top of the water, where they were easy to scoop up.

12 Then the kids went to work. The scientists were looking for particular kinds of fish. The kids helped the scientists find just the right kinds.

13 One of the kids asked how to tell if a fish was good to eat. The scientists explained that one way to tell is to see if there are lots of carp little pests living on the fish’s gills. That would mean that the fish a large fish found in lakes and slow moving rivers wasn’t very healthy. Then they passed the kids a carp to check out themselves.

14 The kids took the fish back to their school. They also took water samples to check out under a microscope. So the kids did a little study while the scientists did a big one! The kids found out that their fish didn’t have lots of little pests. But the scientists haven’t finished their big study yet.

15 The kids also helped the scientists find out how people in the area used the slough—who fished there, what kinds of fish they caught, and how many fish each person ate.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/František Czanner

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 65 Pollution Patrol

16 The kids went to a grocery store and asked customers to fill out questionnaire a set of questions used to a questionnaire. At first, nobody wanted to fill it out. So the gather information in a survey kids put out some candy. Then lots of people stopped for the questionnaire!

17 Finally, the kids gave the completed questionnaires to the scientists. The scientists said the kids helped them gather important information.

Neighborhood nature 18 The more the kids learned about the different bodies of water in their area, the more they wanted to get involved. One student named Jesse Shields met a scientist who was studying salamanders near one of these bodies of water. Jesse went out with the scientist to look for the salamanders.

19 First they had to find the animals, so they put down lots of boards. When they came back later and checked the boards, salamanders had crawled underneath them.

20 Later, some government people wanted to learn about wildlife in the area. Guess who talked to them? That’s right—Jesse!

21 All the kids were learning how important clean water and wild spaces are to wildlife in the area. They decided to tell their neighbors about it. They figured that if people knew about the neat wildlife nearby, they’d want to help it.

Photo: © shutterstock.com/James DeBoer

66 | Literacy Navigator Pollution Patrol Lesson 14

22 First, they made huge banners that said, “Nature in Your Neighborhood.” They also put pictures on the banners showing different animals that use the wild areas.

23 The kids strung these banners from light poles in their neighborhood. And they asked business owners to help them explain the banners to their customers. The business owners agreed.

24 Now the kids are waiting for the government study to be finished. The study should show just how much pollution is in the slough. And the kids from George Middle School are staying involved. Why? They want to be sure their favorite waters get cleaned up!

An update on the Columbia Slough It has been a long time since the kids got involved—some of them may even have kids of their own now! But they definitely started something and raised awareness of the Columbia Slough. As it turns out, the water quality was not good. At one time, the slough was one of Oregon’s most polluted waterways. But after years of effort by individuals, the community, and the state, the slough is cleaner today than it has been in almost a century. Efforts to restore plants and improve water quality continue. Deer, beaver, river otter, and bird habitats are being protected. Trails have even been built, and the area is now part of Portland’s 40-mile Loop Trail.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 67 Neighborhood Nature

Refer to the section “Neighborhood Nature” (paragraphs 18–24) in “Pollution Patrol” and fill out the sequence of events.

68 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 14 Getting Involved

How could you get involved to help prevent water pollution? Identify a way to help. Say what you will do and why.

Lesson 14 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 69 Reading Passage for Lesson #15 Getting Involved (continued) Underground Adventure There’s more to soil than meets the eye Reading # Title

70 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 14 Reading Passage for Lesson #15 Underground Adventure ReadingThere’s more to soil # than Title meets the eye

Soil properties overview 1 Even though you might not have thought about it before, there are many types of soil and they can be very different from each other. Soil can be sticky, slippery, or crumbly. It can be smooth or gritty. It can be brown, black, gray, tan, or red. Some of the different characteristics of soil have an impact on what kinds organisms individual living things of organisms can live there.

Soil structure 2 The soil we see around us is made up of small pieces called particles. Soil particles form clumps called aggregates. Soil structure refers to the way soil particles of different sizes are clumped together.

Soil particles 3 There are three different types of soil particles: sand, clay, and silt.

Particle Description

Sand particles are the largest and heaviest particles.

Silt particles are middle size and weight.

Clay particles are the smallest and lightest particles.

Photos: © iStockphoto.com (top; and bottom in table); © iStockphoto.com/CraftVision (top in table); © iStockphoto.com/Scott Leigh (middle in table)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 71 Underground Adventure

Spaces in soil 4 When soil particles form aggregates they leave spaces for air and microorganisms life forms so small that water to get into the soil. Air and water are vital for everything they can only be seen with a microscope that lives and grows in soil. These spaces are where tiny living things such as plant roots, microorganisms, insects, and fungal hyphae are found. The amount of spaces in the soil depends on fungal hyphae the long thread-like the type of soil. A sandy soil will have lots of spaces, and a soil structures that fungi form high in clay will have fewer spaces.

Investigating soil structure 5 Compaction describes how tightly the spaces in the soil are packed together. Soils that are highly compacted have fewer spaces for air, water, and living things.

6 Percolation describes the movement of water through the soil. Percolation is another measure of the amount of compaction of your soil. The faster the water runs through the soil, the less compacted the soil is.

7 The texture of a soil refers to the particle sizes found within it. Remember that most soils are composed of a mixture of different- sized particles. The three main categories of soil particles are sand, silt, and clay. These three particles can exist in a soil in almost any combination. Soil scientists classify different types of soil by both their texture and color.

Making connections 8 Soil structure and soil type can affect the diversity of critters that are found in the soil. If the soil is made mostly of clay, for example, it has less space for air and water. Less space for air and water means fewer living things

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Amlet

72 | Literacy Navigator Underground Adventure Lesson 15

can be found in the soil. Living things help to nourish soil and make it healthy.

9 Healthy soil is important to us for many reasons. Without soil, we could not eat breakfast. Everything from the wheat in cereal to the oranges in juice to the animal proteins in milk, bacon, and eggs were nourished by the soil and what grows in it. Believe it or not, without soil, we couldn’t wear blue jeans! Jeans are made of cotton denim stitched together with cotton thread. Their blue color comes from indigo dye. Cotton and indigo come from plants that need soil to grow.

10 If you wanted to grow a garden at your school, it would be important to know what kind of soil you have. Soil with too much sand or clay would not be good for growing plants. You might need to add special soil for the plants to grow.

Factors that affect soil

11 Many factors affect the soil—from things we can’t control like the interact weather, to things we can control, like how we humans interact to engage, effect, or change one another with the soil.

Climate and soil 12 Climate and soil are important factors in determining the distribution of plants and animals everywhere on Earth, including your neighborhood. Changes in local weather affect when seeds will begin to sprout from the soil and when animals will burrow underground to settle down for the winter months. Therefore, to

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Jill Chen

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 73 Underground Adventure

understand the soil in your area, it is important to understand the local weather and to monitor any changes that might occur. Some weather events and forces, like flooding and erosion, can have dramatic and lasting effects on the soil. Such events can change the composition of the soil and affect the kinds of soil critters that can live there. In addition, normal weather conditions, such as rain, can affect the kinds of soil critters you see on any given day. As you study soil critters in their habitats, it is important to understand how these changes can affect what you find. unintended consequences unexpected results; Human impact on the soil conditions that were not part of a planned 13 We humans change the world around us every day. Sometimes, outcome our actions can have unintended consequences on the soil and the critters that live there. Pollution and the dumping of waste, as well as the loss of agricultural land and other soil habitats to hospitable pleasant, healthful, or development, can cause significant changes in the environment. advantageous Such actions can make soils much less hospitable to life and reduce the biodiversity in the area. Our actions can also have a positive impact on the soil. Restoration and preservation efforts, such as replanting native plants, changing land use and preserving wetlands, have reclaimed lost habitats and protected valuable existing habitats. Many people have begun to support a native plant industry, selecting these plants rather than non- native species for their landscaping. These native plants offer natural habitats for many soil creatures. The increasing popularity of organic farming and organic produce has begun to lessen the impact of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on the soil. All of these efforts make a difference in keeping and protecting the soil habitats that soil critters need.

74 | Literacy Navigator Underground Adventure Lesson 15

Keeping soil healthy 14 Each of us can do simple things to help keep the soil healthy. Composting organic waste instead of sending it to the landfill helps to return valuable nutrients to the soil. Gardening with native plants, organic fertilizers, and limited pesticides helps to protect your soil. Choosing to buy products from companies that support soil conservation efforts lets them and their competitors know that soil health is important to you. What other ways can you think of to help keep the soil around you healthy?

Why is this so important, anyway? 15 All life depends, in one way or another, on the soil. Healthy soil supports high biodiversity—both in the soil and in the surrounding environment. Understanding how our actions and other factors affect the soil helps us to make choices that are good for the soil and all the life it supports.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Janine Lamontagne

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 75 Reading Passage for LessonLessons # 16–17 Healthy Soil, Healthy Critters

Read and discuss paragraphs 11–15 with a partner. Then answer the questions below. ReadingClean Air # and Title Dirty Air 1. In what ways does climate affect soil and the critters that live in it?

2. What human actions have been harmful to the soil and the critters that live in it?

3. What human actions have been helpful to the soil and the critters that live in it?

76 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 15 Reading Passage for LessonLessons # 16–17

ReadingClean Air # and Title Dirty Air

1 On a clear breezy day, the air smells fresh and clean. Clean air is air that has no harmful levels of pollutants (dirt and chemicals) in it. Clean air is good for people to breathe. pollutants dust, soot, and gases that make the air dirty 2 On a hot day with no wind, the air can feel heavy and have a bad smell. Once in a while, the air can even make your chest feel tight, or make you cough. When too much dirt and chemicals get into the air, the air is dirty or polluted. Dirty air is not good for people to breathe.

Dirty air can make you sick 3 When the air has some dust, soot or chemicals floating in it, people who are inside probably won’t notice it. People who are outside might notice it.

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Imagedepotpro (left); © iStockphoto.com/Sander Kamp (right)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 77 Clean Air and Dirty Air

4 People with asthma, a disease that can make it hard to breathe, and children who play outside a lot might feel a little strange. When you are active outdoors, for example, when you run and jump a lot, you breathe faster and take in more air. Any pollutants in the air go into your lungs.

5 When the air is very dirty, almost everyone will notice it. It would be good if we could stop breathing on those days, but of course we can’t!

How can I tell if the air is clean or dirty? 6 Have you ever been stopped behind a truck or a bus at a traffic light? When it starts up, sometimes a puff of dark smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe.

7 At times like that you can see dirty air—it looks hazy and brownish. If your window is open, you might be able to smell the index pollution. But sometimes the air can be dirty and you can’t see it a list of numbers that act as an indicator of or smell it. So you need another way to tell if the air is dirty. This something is why the EPA developed the Air Quality Index, which we will describe in the “What is the AQI” section.

The Environmental Protection Agency 8 The environment is everything around you—the air, the land, and the rivers and oceans. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a government office that works to keep the air, the land, and the water clean. Clean air, land, and water help keep us healthy. The EPA works with state environmental agencies to keep the air clean. State environmental agencies take samples of the air at more than 1000 places in the United States to see if the air is dirty or clean.

78 | Literacy Navigator Clean Air and Dirty Air Lessons 16–17

Pollutants ozone a colorless, odorless gas; 9 Pollutants are what make the air dirty and cause pollution. Five a greenhouse gas pollutants are used by the EPA to determine the Air Quality Index (AQI). Two of the pollutants, Ozone and Particulate Matter, make particulate matter up most of the air pollution in this country. very tiny separate pieces of pollution in the air Ozone 10 Ozone can be good or bad. It all depends on where it is. Ozone is good when it is high up in our atmosphere. It protects us from sunburn. Ozone is bad when it is near the ground where we can breathe it in. You can’t see ozone in the air. Bad ozone is sometimes called smog. It is formed when chemicals coming out of cars and factories are cooked by the hot sun. Ozone is more of a problem in the summer.

11 Breathing in ground-level ozone can make you cough. It can also make it harder for you to breathe. Ozone might even make it hurt to take a breath of air. When you breathe in ozone, it can make the lining of your airways red and swollen, like your skin would get with a sunburn.

Particles in the air: particulate matter 12 Have you ever noticed a sunbeam with lots of little specks of dust floating in it? That is particulate matter. Particulate matter is mostly dust and soot so small that it floats in the air. Soot comes from anybody burning anything. When you burn gasoline in your car engine or burn wood in a campfire, soot happens! Dust comes from lots of places, too. When a company’s business is to grind things up very small or when someone drives down a dirt road, dust is thrown into the air. Soot and dust make the air look hazy.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 79 Clean Air and Dirty Air

13 Some particles in the air are so small you can’t see them. It is not good for you to breathe in too much of the tiny particulate matter. Particles in the air can make you cough. Particulate matter can also make it hard for you to take a deep breath and you might get more colds. If you already have asthma or problems with your exposure coming into contact with heart, particulate matter could make you sick enough to go to something the hospital. To reduce exposure to particulate matter when the AQI is orange or worse, don’t play near streets with heavy traffic. Heavy traffic areas are highways and busy streets where there are a lot of cars, buses, and trucks.

What is the AQI? 14 The EPA and your state environmental agency measure pollution in the air. Then they use the Air Quality Index, or AQI, to tell the people about the air. An index can be a quick way to tell people how good or bad something is.

15 The AQI uses colors, numbers, and words to tell you about the air.

AQI colors Green 16 These are the AQI colors. Each day the AQI is

one of these colors. The colors tell you how Yellow healthy the air is to breathe that day. The

colors go from Green to Yellow to Orange to Orange Red to Purple to Maroon, each color telling

you that the air is less clean than the color Red before. Green is the best air quality.

Purple 17 When the AQI is green, the air is clean!

18 We see a lot of Yellow, Orange, and Red AQI Maroon colors in the summer when air quality often isn’t at its best. Purple and Maroon are the worst air quality!

80 | Literacy Navigator Clean Air and Dirty Air Lessons 16–17

Luckily we hardly ever see the AQI get to Purple. Because of people working to clean up the air, the AQI has not reached Maroon in many years! This is why Maroon is usually not shown with the AQI.

AQI numbers 19 An index with numbers can be a quick way to tell people how good or bad something is. For example, you might say your school lunch is a 1 (very good) or a 5 (yucky). The Air Quality Index uses numbers from 0 to 500. These numbers are used to decide the AQI color. On days measuring less than 100, the air is clean. If the air is dirtier, the numbers get bigger. On days measuring more than 100, the air can be bad for you to breathe.

20 Here is how the AQI numbers match up with the AQI colors:

AQI Numbers Colors

0 to 50 Green

51 to 100 Yellow

101 to 150 Orange

151 to 200 Red

201 to 300 Purple

301 to 500 Maroon

Where is the AQI? 21 You can find the AQI in several places. If you have a computer connected to the Internet, go to www.airnow.gov. You will see a map of the United States that looks something like a weather map. However, the colors on this map explain air quality. Click the Current Ozone tab and a new map appears.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 81 Clean Air and Dirty Air

22 This map shows the ozone levels recorded in the last eight hours. This is ozone in Earth’s lower atmosphere—the bad ozone near ground level. You will probably see a lot of green and some yellow and orange. You might even see some red, especially in the forecast summer. to predict what is likely to happen 23 You can see an AQI Forecast for the entire United States. Click the Forecast tab. This shows the quality of the air for the entire nation using the AQI colors.

24 If you would like to see a forecast for air quality in your particular area, click on your state. This shows a close-up of the predicted sensitive very responsive to air quality, going from green (good) to orange (unhealthy for irritants sensitive groups). There may be some red (unhealthy) in the map of your state. The example below shows some red in the state of California.

Illustration: AIRNow/OAQPS/EPA

82 | Literacy Navigator Clean Air and Dirty Air Lessons 16–17

25 Once you are in the close-up view of your state, you will see a list of cities on the right. This shows the AQI for many large cities in the state. Scroll down and look for your city (or one nearby). Check to see if your air is clean, unclean, or somewhere in between.

26 You can find the AQI in the newspaper, often in the weather section. It might look something like this:

Air Quality Index Pollutant Ozone Today’s Forecast 130 Quality Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Children and people with asthma are most at risk.)

Illustration: AIRNow/OAQPS/EPA

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27 Sometimes the weatherperson on TV or the radio will talk about the AQI for today and may also tell you what tomorrow’s AQI will be.

The Air Quality Index today was 160, a code red day. Air quality was unhealthy due to ozone. Hot, sunny weather and stagnant air causes ozone in Center City to rise to unhealthy levels. Children and people with asthma are the groups most at risk.

Illustrations: AIRNow/OAQPS/EPA (top); © iStockphoto.com/Yuri Schipakin (bottom)

84 | Literacy Navigator Clean Air and Dirty Air Lessons 16–17

Air pollution and health 28 One thing the AQI does is help you understand what the air quality around you means to your health. Each of the AQI colors has a word or phrase to go with it that tells you something about health. These are the colors and the health words that go with them.

Air Quality Index Health Concern Colors (AQI Values) … air quality … as symbolized When the AQI is: conditions are: by this color:

0 to 50 Good Green

51 to 100 Moderate Yellow

101 to 150 Unhealthy For Orange Sensitive Groups

151 to 200 Unhealthy Red

201 to 300 Very Unhealthy Purple

301 to 500 Hazardous Maroon

How can I tell if air pollution is affecting me? 29 If you are playing hard outside when the AQI is orange or worse you may cough, feel some discomfort when you breathe, or your chest may feel tight. If you do, you should tell your parents or wheeze to make a whistling teachers. People with asthma may wheeze the day after pollution sound, which is caused by breathing difficulty levels are high. If you have asthma, be sure and follow your doctor’s advice when pollution levels are high.

What can I do? 30 What can I do to lower my risk from air pollution?

If pollution levels are forecast to be high:

• Play outside at the time of day when levels will be lower

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 85 Clean Air and Dirty Air

If you know pollution levels are high:

• Playing outside is ok, just take it easier

• Pay attention to symptoms like coughing, pain when taking a deep breath, chest tightness or wheezing

• If you have any of these symptoms, stop playing and tell your parents, teachers or other adults

31 What can I do to lower pollution?

• Conserve energy

• Carpool, ride your bike, walk, take the bus

• Don’t make trips you don’t need to make

• Ask your Mom and Dad to help (by keeping cars tuned, filling up early or late in the day, inflating tires, etc.)

• Visit other kids’ web sites to learn about recycling, global warming, etc.

– Waste & Recycling

– EPA Explorers Club

– Climate Change

– Recycle City

86 | Literacy Navigator Clean Air and Dirty Air Your Health and the AQI

Reflect on “Clean Air and Dirty Air,” and then answer the questions below. If you need help, look at paragraphs 28–31.

1. Why is clean air important to you? How can the EPA and the AQI help you to stay healthy?

Lesson 17 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 87 Reading Passage for Lesson # Your Health and the AQI (continued)

2. What, if anything, can good environmental citizens do about air pollution? Reading # Title

88 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 17 Reading Passage for Lesson #18

ReadingWhat Is Renewable # Title Energy?

1 All the energy we use comes from the Earth. The electricity we use every day doesn’t come directly from the Earth, but we make electricity using the Earth’s resources, like coal or natural gas.

2 Both coal and natural gas are called “fossil fuels” because they were formed deep under the Earth during dinosaur times.

3 The problem is that fossil fuels can’t be replaced—once we use them up, they’re gone forever. Another problem is that fossil fuels can cause pollution.

4 Renewable energy is made from resources that Mother Nature will replace, like wind, water, and sunshine.

5 Renewable energy is also called “clean energy” or “green power” because it doesn’t pollute the air or the water.

Why don’t we use renewable energy all the time? 6 Unlike natural gas and coal, we can’t store up wind and sunshine to use whenever we need to make more electricity. If the wind doesn’t blow or the sun hides behind clouds, there wouldn’t be enough power for everyone.

Photos: © iStockphoto.com (left and right); © iStockphoto.com/Kyu Oh (middle)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 89 What Is Renewable Energy?

7 Another reason we use fossil fuels like coal and natural gas is utility because they’re cheaper. It costs more money to make electricity a public system for delivery of water, gas, or from wind, and most people aren’t willing to pay more for their electricity monthly utility bills.

turbines How can we use renewable energy? rotating machines powered by air, water, or gases that work to keep 8 You might be using renewable energy today without knowing it! them turning Iowa is home to more than 600 wind turbines, creating enough electricity to power 140,000 homes. Wisconsin and Minnesota also have lots of wind farms—and the number is growing every day.

switchgrass 9 Power companies like Alliant Energy are also working with a type of grass that can be used to feed animals customers to find new ways to make electricity, from crops like and to make fuel switchgrass and even from cow manure!

10 The more we use renewable energy, the better off our environment will be!

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Andrey Kravchenko

90 | Literacy Navigator What Is Renewable Energy? Energy Graphic Organizer

Use a graphic organizer to compare fossil fuel sources and renewable energy sources. Use single words and phrases to show what you know about both types of energy.

Lesson 18 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 91 Reading Passage for Lesson #

Reading # Title Reading Passage for Lesson #19

ReadingWind Power # Title

1 Using the wind to create electricity has been around for a long windmills a machine that runs on time—you’ve probably seen windmills on farms. When the wind energy made from wind spinning its bladed wheel turns the blades of a windmill, it spins a turbine inside a small generator to produce electricity, just like a big coal power plant.

2 A windmill on a farm can make only a small amount of electricity—enough to power a few farm machines. To make enough electricity to serve lots of people, power companies build “wind farms” with dozens of huge wind turbines.

3 Wind farms are built in flat, open areas where the wind blows at least 14 miles per hour. Iowa currently has more than 600 wind turbines, producing enough electricity to power 140,000 homes. Minnesota and Wisconsin are also home to wind farms—and the number is growing every day.

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Mark Evans (left); © iStockphoto.com/Maranso (above)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 93 Wind Power

4 Some schools in the Midwest have their own wind farms! In Spirit Lake, Iowa, the school playground is right underneath two wind turbines.

They sure are big! 5 When it comes to size, bigger is better—the bigger the wind turbine, the more wind it reaches and the more electricity it produces.

6 The turbines at Flying Cloud Wind Plant in northwest Iowa are about 240 feet tall. The largest wind turbine in the world, located in Hawaii, stands 20 stories tall and has blades the length of a football field!

7 The tower is usually hollow and made of steel. The blades, called rotors, are made of fiberglass and polyester.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Iñaki Antoñana Plaza

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8 A wind farm might have only two or three turbines, or it could have as many as 150 spread across a big field. One of the largest wind farms in the U.S. is in Altamont Pass, California. It has more than 900 wind turbines.

How a wind turbine works

1 Tower: an elevated structure that holds wind turbine 2 Pitch: part that controls angle of rotors 3 3 Rotors: blades that turn with the wind 4 Turbine: a rotating machine that powers the generator 5 Generator: a device that converts energy to electricity 2 4 6 Transformer: a device that prepares voltage for transmission 7 Transmission lines: lines that send electricity to a substation 8 Substation: prepares voltage for users 9 Distribution lines: lines that deliver electrical power to 5 homes and businesses

Wind Turbine

1 7

9 6 8

9 A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using

electricity to make wind, a turbine uses wind to make electricity. transmission the process of sending something from one 10 The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to place to another a generator and makes electricity. The electricity is sent through

transmission and distribution lines to a substation, then on to distribution delivery from one central homes, businesses, and schools. area to other distant points 11 Wind turbines have an emergency shutoff if a wind storm or tornado happens.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 95 Reading Passage for Lesson # How Wind Becomes Electricity

Explain how a wind turbine can change wind into electricity. Reading # Title

96 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 19 Reading Passage for Lesson #20

ReadingHydropower # Title

1 “Hydro” means “water” in Latin—so “hydropower” is made from water.

2 It might sound odd that we can use water to make electricity— they’re a dangerous combination, right? Actually, the water never contact touch comes in contact with the electricity. The water flowing down a river is used to spin the turbines inside the generator.

3 People have used water power for more than 2,000 years. Ancient Egyptians used water wheels for grinding grain, and early Americans learned how to use them for sawing wood.

4 In the 1880s, scientists learned how to use a flowing river to spin the turbines of a generator. The first hydroelectric power plant in the U.S. opened on the Fox River near Appleton, Wisconsin, in 1882. Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Fabian Rothe

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 97 Hydropower

5 By the 1940s, nearly half of the electricity in the United States came from hydropower. After World War II, coal power plants became more popular.

Hydroelectric Dam

Reservoir Dam

Intake Generator

River Turbine

6 Hydropower isn’t very common in the Midwest because most of our rivers are small and slow. Alliant Energy has three hydropower plants, including one in Kilbourne, Wisconsin, that’s been making electricity for more than 90 years!

7 Most of the big hydroelectric power plants in the United States are in California, Oregon, and Washington.

8 People built dams to control the power of the big mountain rivers. Workers can change the amount of water flowing through the dam depending on the weather and how much electricity people need.

9 The biggest hydroelectric dam in the United States is the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington. Started in 1933 and completed in 1942, it’s the largest concrete structure ever built: 5,233 feet long and 550 feet high!

10 It has four power plants with 33 generators, making enough electricity for more than two million homes.

98 | Literacy Navigator Hydropower Renewable Energy Matrix, Part 1

Energy Wind Power Hydropower Compare Natural energy source used

Conditions needed to use the natural energy source

Amount of power the natural energy source can produce

How the power is produced

Interesting facts about the natural energy source

Negatives associated with the natural energy source

Lesson 20 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 99 Reading Passage for Lesson # How Flowing Water Becomes Electricity

Explain how a hydroelectric dam can change flowing water into electricity. Reading # Title

100 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 20 Reading Passage for Lesson #21

ReadingSolar Power # Title

1 Have you ever used a magnifying glass to make something melt or burn? You were using solar power!

2 “Solar” is the Latin word for “sun”—and it’s a powerful source of energy. In fact, the sunlight that shines on the Earth in just one hour could meet world energy demand for an entire year!

3 We can use solar power in two different ways: as a heat source and as an energy source.

4 People have used the sun as a heat source for thousands of years. Families in ancient Greece built their homes to get the most sunlight during the cold winter months.

5 In the 1830s, explorer John Herschel used a solar collector to cook food during an adventure in Africa. You can even try this at home!

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Nataliya Hora

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 101 Solar Power

6 Today we can use solar collectors for heating water and air in our homes. If you’ve seen a house with big shiny panels on the roof, that family is using solar power.

7 We can also use solar energy to make electricity. The process is called photovoltaics. If you have a solar-powered watch or silicon calculator, you’re using photovoltaics! an element found in sand and used in solar panels 8 In 1954, scientists at Bell Telephone discovered that silicon (an element found in sand) created an electric charge when it was exposed to lots of sunlight. Just a few years later, silicon chips were used to help power space satellites.

Photovoltaics

Sunlight

Electricity Glass Silicon layers

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9 Today, more than 10,000 American families get all of their electricity from solar power. And silicon from just one ton of sand, used in photovoltaic cells, could produce as much electricity as burning 500,000 tons of coal.

10 You might be wondering why we don’t use solar electricity all the time. Solar power systems make a different kind of electricity than big power plants do, so different wiring is needed—and that can be expensive.

11 There are a few big solar power plants in the United States, mostly in California. It’s difficult and expensive to make a lot of electricity using photovoltaics—the panels cost a lot, and a lot of open land is needed.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 103 Reading Passage for1 for Lesson Lesson # 22 Renewable Energy Matrix, Part 2 ReadingSun-Powered # Title Speed Energy Solar Power Geothermal Power Compare Natural energy source used

Conditions needed to use the natural energy source

Amount of power the natural energy source can produce

How the power is produced

Interesting facts about the natural energy source

Negatives associated with the natural energy source

104 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 21 Reading Passage for1 for Lesson Lesson # 22

ReadingSun-Powered # Title Speed

The Dutch Nuon Solar Team solar-powered car “Nuna II”

1 A group of strange-looking cars recently zipped through Australia. The vehicles looked like spaceships, but they were solar-powered cars.

2 The cars and their drivers were competing in the World Solar Challenge, a 1,877–mile solar-car race. The cars, with one driver in each, raced from Darwin to Adelaide, Australia. Twenty-two teams from 11 countries competed. The winning car, from the Netherlands, finished in about 29 hours.

3 Solar cars run on sunlight instead of gasoline. Flat solar panels line the outside of the cars. The panels catch sunlight and turn it into electricity to power the cars’ motors. With this power, solar cars can travel up to 74 miles per hour.

Photo: Jamie McDonald/AFP/Getty Images/Newscom

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 105 Sun-Powered Speed Reading Passage for2 for Lesson Lesson # 22 Catching Some Rays Europe North Asia Build a solar oven America Reading # Title Africa Start Darwin South America Australia Antarctica

The World Solar Challenge checkpoint city race route Finish Adelaide

crude oil a liquid fuel source, also called petroleum, and found in underground 4 Today, most of the world’s cars run on gasoline, which is made reserves from crude oil—a fuel source that comes from underground reserves. The world has a limited amount of crude oil. Recently, oil prices have risen, making gasoline expensive.

5 In contrast, solar power is free. And it is renewable, which means it won’t run out. Solar cars also create less pollution than gas- powered cars.

6 Solar cars aren’t advanced enough to replace gas-powered cars yet. But the race demonstrates that their future is bright. The large map shows the race route. The small inset map shows Earth’s continents.

Maps: © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates (left); adapted from iStockphoto.com/CrispConcept.com (right)

106 | Literacy Navigator Sun-Powered Speed Reading Passage for2 for Lesson Lesson # 22 Catching Some Rays ReadingBuild a solar oven # Title

1 By providing heat, the sun can help us save fuel. Solar ovens have been around since the 1830s, when astronomer John Herschel used one to cook food during an African expedition. You can make one out of a pizza box.

2 Directions:

1. Draw an 8½ inch x 11 inch square in the lid of the assembled box.

2. Cut out three sides of the square, and fold the flap back along the uncut edge.

3. Cover the inside of this flap with aluminum foil, using tape to hold the edges securely.

4. Line the inside bottom of the box with black construction paper. Use tape to hold the edges down.

5. Create insulation by rolling up some newspaper (about 1½ inch thick) and fitting it around the inside edges of the box.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 107 Catching Some Rays

6. Tape one plastic wrap (stretched tightly) to the underside of the lid opening, to cover. Tape another piece of plastic wrap on top of the lid opening, to create a layer of insulation that will help hold the heat in the box.

7. Prop the box at an angle facing the sun. Use a ruler to prop the flap open.

3 On a hot, sunny day the temperature can reach 200° F in your oven! Use it to make s’mores or to warm some muffins.

4 Other options: Use different containers—like bowls or cans. Paint the cans different colors and see if it makes a difference.

5 Test the temperature (with a thermometer) inside the container with and without a plastic covering.

108 | Literacy Navigator Catching Some Rays Using Solar Power: Now and Future

List all the ways people are using solar power now. Imagine far into the future. Then list all the ways people might use solar power in the future.

Now Future

Lesson 22 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 109 Reading Passage for Lesson #

Reading # Title Reading Passage for Lesson #23

ReadingGeothermal # Title Energy

volcano an opening in the surface of the earth through which hot lava, steam, and ash are thrown out

1 Have you ever seen pictures of a volcano or a geyser? If so, then geyser you’ve seen geothermal energy in action! a natural hot spring that may shoot steaming jets of hot water into the air 2 “Geo” means “from the Earth,” and “thermal” means “heat,” so this type of energy is found under the Earth. The hot lava from a volcano and the hot steam from a geyser both come from underground heat—and we can use that same type of heat in our homes.

3 Here’s how it works: about four feet underground, the temperature of the Earth stays the same all year long—about 55 degrees.

4 A geothermal heating system uses pipes buried more than four feet deep in the Earth. The system pumps a liquid through the

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Ammit (left); © iStockphoto.com/Agnieszka Szymczak (above)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 111 Geothermal Energy

pipes to absorb the heat and brings it back indoors. A device device a tool, machine, or called a “heat exchanger” takes the heat from the liquid and uses it invention used for something specific to heat the air inside the home.

5 A geothermal system can cool your house during the summer, too! It just works in reverse, absorbing the heat from the air inside your home and moves it back into the Earth.

6 A geothermal heater is also very energy-efficient. Almost none of the energy used is wasted, so it helps keep heating bills very low during the winter.

Geothermal at school 7 Schools all over the Midwest are using geothermal energy for heating and air conditioning. Geothermal is great for schools because it uses a lot less energy than other types of heating and cooling equipment.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/BanksPhotos

112 | Literacy Navigator Geothermal Energy Lesson 23

8 Kids at Table Mound Elementary School in Dubuque, Iowa, learned all about geothermal as workers dug wells in their playground.

Geothermal Power

Turbine Generator

Cooling Steam tower

Hot water Injection well

Electricity from under the Earth reservoirs 9 We can also use geothermal energy to make electricity. A natural, underground areas where large geothermal power plant works by tapping into steam or hot water amounts of water or steam collect reservoirs underground; the heat is used to drive an electrical generator.

10 Most geothermal plants are located in the western United States, where hot water reservoirs are common. The Geysers power plant in northern California is the world’s largest geothermal power plant, producing enough electricity to light up more than 22,000 homes.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 113 Reading Passage for Lesson #

Reading # Title Reading Passage for Lesson #24

ReadingBiomass Energy# Title

1 Have you ever sat by a campfire or fireplace? If so, you’ve seen biomass energy in action!

2 Biomass means “natural material.” When biomass energy is burned, it releases heat—just like the wood logs in your campfire.

3 Biomass energy uses natural materials like trees and plants to make electricity. It can also mean waste products like trash.

4 Biomass is the second-most common form of renewable energy we use in the United States, providing enough electricity to power more than two million homes.

5 There are lots of examples of biomass energy right here in the Midwest.

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Jeannot Olivet (left); © iStockphoto.com/Dustin Steller (above)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 115 Biomass Energy

6 In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a company called BFC Gas & Electric recycles more than 150 tons of biomass material every day to produce electricity for about 4,000 homes. Some of the material they use includes:

• Leftover wood from sawmills

• Leftover paper and wood waste from paper mills

• Corn stalks, corn cobs, and seed corn from farms

• Paper and cardboard that can’t be recycled in other ways

• Fast-growing crops and trees

• Growing energy crops

7 In Ottumwa, Iowa, Alliant Energy is studying how to use a new crop called switchgrass. Area farmers grow the switchgrass on their land, then sell it to the power company. The switchgrass is burned along with coal to make steam for the generators.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/George Clerk

116 | Literacy Navigator Biomass Energy Lesson 24

Turning garbage into energy decomposes decays or breaks down; 8 In Wisconsin, people are using electricity made at the local rots trash dump! When trash decomposes, it gives off a gas called methane. A machine called a microturbine captures the methane a colorless, odorless gas methane gas and uses it to run a small jet engine to produce that can be used as fuel electricity. microturbine And don’t forget cow power! a small rotary engine used to make energy 9 Or how about electricity from cow manure? Animal waste gives off methane gas too, and dairy farms in Iowa and Wisconsin are using microturbines and a machine called a “digester” to turn the methane into electricity.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Eric Isselée

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 117 ReadingLesson 25 Passage for Lesson #25

ReadingReview of #25 RenewableTitle Title Energy ReadingLesson 25 Passage for Lesson #25

ReadingReview of #25 RenewableTitle Title Energy

Important Ideas about Renewable Energy • The use of renewable energy is growing, but these sources provide only a small fraction of the country’s total power. • Many communities are using renewable energy in place of nonrenewable energy. However, there are still more communities using nonrenewable energy than those who have converted. • Producing electricity from renewable sources such as wind power will not produce harmful pollutants or emissions that harm ecosystems. • The number of individuals using energy from wind power is growing every day. • Hydropower is a good source of renewable energy and can be used in place of coal, which is a fossil fuel and can damage the environment. • Solar power is better for the environment than traditional forms of energy and has a very low impact on the environment. It requires space for solar panels but is non- polluting. It is an emission-free source of energy. • Geothermal energy is a very efficient form of renewable energy that helps to protect the environment. • Using biomass energy will help clean up the Earth and save fossil fuels.

Photos: © iStockphoto.com/Lawrence Freytag (top); © iStockphoto.com/ Maranso (middle left); © shutterstock.com/Carlo Taccari (middle right); © iStockphoto.com/Agnieszka Szymczak (bottom left); © iStockphoto.com/Eric Isselée (bottom right)

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 119 Renewable Energy Matrix, Part 3

Energy Biomass Power Compare Natural energy source used

Conditions needed to use the natural energy source

Amount of power the natural energy source can produce

How the power is produced

Interesting facts about the natural energy source

Negatives associated with the natural energy source

120 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 25 Opinion Rubric

States an opinion The opinion is The opinion is stated The opinion is There is no opinion stated clearly and and it connects unclear or it does stated. it connects to the to the topic of the not connect to the topic of the piece. piece. topic of the piece.

Gives reasons for the Three or more Two reasons support One reason supports No reasons support opinion reasons support the the opinion. the opinion. the opinion. opinion.

Uses facts and Many facts and A few facts and Facts or details do There are no facts or details to support details support details support not support the details. the reasons the reasons for the the reasons for the reasons for the opinion. opinion. opinion.

Stays on topic and The opinion piece The opinion The opinion piece The opinion piece is uses connecting stays on topic with piece uses some does not use off topic. words to link connecting words connecting words connecting words opinions and that link opinions but includes and sometimes reasons and reasons, and some unrelated wanders off topic. uses information information. directly related to the topic. Provides a closing The closing restates The closing restates The closing does not There is no closing. statement the opinion in a new the opinion. restate the opinion. and interesting way.

Lesson 25 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 121 Reading Passage for Lesson # Best Renewable Energy for My Community

Reflect on the five renewable energy sources: wind power, hydropower, solar power, Reading # Title geothermal power, and biomass power. Select the best option for your community and write a strong opinion supporting your choice. Look at the Opinion Rubric to guide you.

122 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 25 Reading Passage for Lesson #26 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: ReadingThree great ways you# Title can eliminate waste and protect your environment

1 Waste, and how we choose to handle it, affects our world’s environment—that’s YOUR environment, everything that surrounds you including the air, water, land, plants, and man- made things. And since by now you probably know that you need a healthy environment for your own health and happiness, you can understand why effective waste management is so important to YOU and everyone else. The waste we create has to be carefully controlled to be sure that it does not harm your environment and your health.

What exactly is “waste”? 2 Simply speaking, waste is anything discarded, rejected, surplused, abandoned, or otherwise released into the environment in a manner (or quantity) that could have an impact on that environment. Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Diego Cervo

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 123 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

How can you help? 3 You can help by learning about and PRACTICING the three R’s of waste management: Reduce, reuse, and recycle! Practicing all three of these activities every day is not only important for a healthy environment, but it can also be fun too. So let’s take a minute right now to learn more about waste and waste management, so you can become a key player in making our world a safe and healthy place.

Reduce 4 Reduce/Reduction: to make something smaller or use less, resulting in a smaller amount of waste. “Source reduction” is reducing waste before you purchase it, or by purchasing products that are not wasteful in their packaging or use. A key part of waste “reduction” is “conservation”—using natural resources wisely and using less than usual in order to avoid waste.

5 You can practice reduction by selecting products that do not have to be added to landfills or the waste stream in general. This is really easy to do . . .

6 First and foremost, buy and use less! If all the other people on the Earth used as much “stuff” as we do in the United States, there sustain would need to be three to keep something going to five times more space just to hold and sustain everybody . . . WOW! So buy only what you need and use all of what you buy. Or make sure that when you are through with something, you pass it along to other people who can continue to put it to good use. This is especially important when it comes to items where disposal is

124 | Literacy Navigator Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Lesson 26

difficult or could be particularly dangerous to our environment, such as paint and chemicals (cleaners, strippers, pesticides, herbicides, etc.).

7 Start making wise “package” selections. Why is it important to consider how something is “packaged” when you consider what to buy? You can reduce waste by selecting products that are not wasteful in their “packaging.” The package surrounding the product really only needs to be designed to protect the product from damage, keep it clean and sanitary, and present product information. Yet many manufacturers make the packaging far more elaborate (and expensive!) than necessary with the hope that it will attract your attention or give the appearance that the product inside is better than its competitors. So keep the following package- related tips in mind no matter what you are buying:

8 Precycle by purchasing products in materials/packaging that can be readily recycled. Flashy and fun packaging costs more, usually adds little or no value to the product, and (worst of all!) can do considerable harm to our environment by creating more waste or waste disposal difficulties. So whenever you have a choice, put plain and recyclable packages high on your list to reduce packaging waste in our environment.

9 Avoid single-serve containers whenever possible. You can buy juice or water in large recyclable bottles or cans and then divide it up into smaller portions in reusable, washable containers as you need it at home or to take with you. And if you want to take juice or water with you on your bike rides or to the gym, just take it along in your own reusable sports bottle. With regard to buying bottled water, first determine if you really even need to buy bottled (packaged) water. City water (and clean well water) is usually just as healthy, much cheaper, and may even be safer than bottled water products.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 125 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

10 Think BIG! Buying in “bulk” (a large amount that is not divided into separate containers) gives you the best “product to package” ratio. Many stores allow shoppers to scoop out the amount they need of bulk goods like nuts or coffee. This considerably reduces waste and packaging materials. Or you can buy in bulk by selecting bigger quantities in a single box or package—for example, buy the largest box of toothpaste, dishwasher detergent, or cereal, rather than a series of small boxes. This not only reduces the waste (from having to throw out the old containers) but it will also save

concentrates you money. Packaging is expensive, so buying in larger volumes substances with the water removed reduces the unit cost.

11 Buy concentrates rather than diluted products—the result is less diluted waste for disposal when it is empty. substances that have had water added 12 Refuse store bags! When you buy one or two items at a store, carry them out in your hands; or take a reusable bag with you to carry the items you buy. And don’t forget to take your old plastic and paper bags back to the grocery store for reuse or recycling. Most grocery stores have convenient paper and plastic recycling bins located near the entrance.

13 Use durable goods longer. Durable goods are sturdy things like furniture or household appliances that can (and should) be used for many years. You can save money and reduce waste by keeping these items longer and repairing them when they break, rather disposable items designed to be than buying new ones. discarded after only a few uses 14 Use durable items rather than disposable items whenever possible. For example, select reusable razors rather than the disposable one that you can only use a few times and then have to throw away. Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Todd Bates

126 | Literacy Navigator Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Lesson 26

15 Say NO to junk mail! Call toll-free numbers in unwanted catalogs and ask to be removed from mailing lists. Whenever possible, use the Internet to obtain (and pay) bills, news, catalogs, stock reports and other information that usually comes to your house in a paper format. Reducing paper reduces waste.

16 Start a garden. Food that you grow yourself does not have to be “processed” or “packaged”, and no fossil fuels are needed to get it to the store and then to your house.

17 Start a compost or vermiculture to transform your household garbage (food wastes, coffee grounds, etc.), into a rich Earth-like material that can be added to a garden to help plants grow. Grass, leaves, paper, and some other types of food can naturally decay and turn into compost, and that compost can then be put to good use in your garden. You can also help your family replace lawns with mulched gardens that are just as pretty, but are better for our environment.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 127 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Reuse 18 You can “reuse” materials in their original form instead of throwing them away, or pass those materials on to others who could use them too! Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Here are some examples of reuse . . .

19 Take along washable cups or travel mugs instead of disposables; a lot of restaurants and convenient stores will be glad to fill or refill your own mug.

20 When you do use disposables like plastic cups, plates, utensils, and plastic food storage bags, don’t throw them away! Wash and reuse them—most of them will last for a long time with many uses. They may not cost much to replace, but it doesn’t make any more sense to throw away those things than it does to throw away your bicycle after one use.

21 And speaking of bicycles (or other durable goods like washers, dryers, etc.)—why not repair them rather than replace them when they break? This is another form of “reuse.” New is not always better, nor is it always necessary. You’ll be helping your environment, but your pocketbook will thank you too!

22 When you do decide to replace something large and “reusable”, be sure to donate the old one to charitable outlets like Goodwill, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Vietnam Veterans, and the redistributed gathered, divided, and many others that are probably in your area. Most of the time the given away again item can be repaired by those groups and then redistributed into other homes rather than landfills.

23 Hold a yard sale or give-away. And ask your neighbors to join in too—this shares the work and increases the number of unused things that can find new homes and new uses. And your local recycling/solid waste office may run a “swap shop” at a recycling center.

128 | Literacy Navigator Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Lesson 26

24 When you do need to purchase something, check those yard sales and charitable outlets first to see if they have what you need before selecting something new.

25 Use cloth gift bags and stop ripping the paper off gifts! If you remove the wrapping paper carefully, you can use it again, and there’s nothing wrong with doing just that! And don’t forget to use canvas or cloth bags when shopping so you don’t need to make the choice between “paper or plastic.”

26 Use washable table napkins instead of paper napkins—cloth napkins are usually much larger and more absorbent than paper products, and they can dress up your dinner table too!

27 New baby? Buy washable cotton diapers (look for them at yard sales or charitable outlets). Check the yellow pages to see if there is a diaper service in your area. If you select those with velcro wraps, reusable diapers are just as convenient and may even be cheaper than disposable diapers.

Recycle 28 Recycling occurs when you save and take reusable materials to places where they can be remade into either the same product or new products, rather than to just toss them in the trash. Making new items from recycled ones also takes less energy and other resources than making products from brand new materials.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 129 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

29 Just about anything in your home (or office or school, etc.) that cannot be reused CAN be recycled into something else. You’d be amazed what can be done with a recycled product . . . a recycled soda bottle, for example, can be made into T-shirts, combs, or hundreds of other plastic goods that can be used for many years. Even your brand new computer case might be made from ordinary recycled plastics. And paper products can take on different forms as well—an old phone book or coloring book might become one of your school books or a composition notebook.

30 Your recycling mission is not impossible! In fact, it is very simple:

• Don’t throw away anything that can be recycled!

• Here is a list of things you should always recycle (or reuse!) . . .

• Acid Batteries • Oil • Aluminum Cans • Paint • Building Materials • Paper • Cardboard • Plastic Bags • Chemicals • Plastic Bottles • Electronic Equipment • Steel Cans • Glass (particularly bottles • Tires and jars)

130 | Literacy Navigator Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Lesson 26

• Lead • White Goods (Appliances) • Magazines • Wood • Metal • Writing/Copy Paper • Newspaper • Yard Waste

31 Some of the items listed above will require special handling procedures and special recycling places or events. Just ask your local recycling office (city, county, or state) for assistance and information.

32 Now isn’t that easy? There is so much that YOU can do with very little effort. And the best part is you will probably save yourself a lot of money while you are at it!

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 131 Reading Passage for Lesson #27 Jigsaw Activity

Use this page to record important information from the other presentations. ReadingDirty Job, # GreatTitle Rewards

Paragraphs 4–11 Paragraphs 4 and 12–17

Paragraphs 18–27 Paragraphs 28–32

132 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 26 Reading Passage for Lesson #27

ReadingDirty Job, # GreatTitle Rewards

1 Looking for a rewarding activity? This dedicated teen says you dedicated might want to get your hands dirty. It’s Friday afternoon, and devoted to a cause or action school’s out. What will you do for fun?

2 For Jon Russell, the answer is easy. He and his friends spend Friday afternoons sorting trash from their school’s recycling bins. They act as volunteer janitors, and they save resources.

3 “It’s not the best activity, to go trash-packing,” says Jon with a laugh. “But it’s enjoyable.”

A club for change 4 Jon has made recycling enjoyable. When he was a freshman at Scarborough High School in Scarborough, Maine, he started

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 133 Dirty Job, Great Rewards

recycling at school. At that time, only six students were involved. They couldn’t cover the whole school, but they did their best. More students wouldn’t choose to stay after school on Fridays, but Jon and his friends did—and had fun!

5 Recycling caught on at the school. The next year, there were 12 volunteers. This year, there are 50. Jon, now 17 and a junior, runs the Environmental Club with fellow officers Doug Endrizzi and Laura Wood. The teens roll big blue bins around the school. They collect bottles and paper from the recycling bins in the classrooms.

6 “We sort it all out and make sure there’s no trash in it,” explains Jon. Recycling is good for the environment. It’s also good for the club. The teens take the bottles to a redemption center. They collect about $40 a week for the 800 bottles. “That goes to our treasury, the money we use for our school projects,” says Jon.

A project for students

convert 7 Last spring, Jon and his friends wanted to enter the Maine State to change something from one form to another Science Fair. “I suggested we take a diesel-engine vehicle and convert it to run off biofuel,” Jon remembers. alternative something that is able to 8 Biofuel is a gasoline alternative made from vegetable oil. Jon, substitute for (or take the place of) another thing Doug, and Laura wanted to show the advantages of biofuel. Studies show that it’s cleaner for the air than gasoline. It’s also easier to get without depending on other countries. And it’s cheaper! “Most vegetable oils are under 75 cents a gallon, compared to the $2.50 to $3.00 a gallon nationally for gasoline,” says Jon.

A bus for teaching 9 Jon and his friends decided to buy a used school bus and convert it to run

134 | Literacy Navigator Dirty Job, Great Rewards Lesson 27

on biofuel. Now Jon’s idea has become something bigger than a science experiment.

10 “Our ultimate goal is converting our town’s school buses to run off biofuel,” he says. Biofuel can power a diesel engine without much conversion.

11 “It’s not like you need to make a whole new engine,” Jon explains. “It’s not a very complicated process. It’s one that we can do as students, and one that the average citizen can do.”

12 Since biofuel is made from vegetable oil, the group can reuse frying oil from their school cafeteria. They can also get oil from local restaurants.

13 “The oil would go to the landfill otherwise,” says Jon. “It’s a great way to reuse materials that would just be thrown away.”

14 To buy a bus and convert it, the group needed some money. Last summer, Jon applied for a BRICK award from Do Something, an organization that promotes community service. John got the $500 award:

15 “It was a simple application process, but it has tremendous rewards,” he remembers.

A plan for the future 16 Jon has seen the rewards of getting involved. He’s a solid member of the school community, and he plans to stay that way. “I think I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” he says. “Since I was little, I’ve always admired teachers, I think being one would be really fun. I’ve been so involved with school, I can’t imagine having a job outside of school.”

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 135 Dirty Job, Great Rewards

17 One teacher who has inspired Jon is Jeff Boyce. Mr. Boyce is the adviser for the Environmental Club.

18 “He’s a great teacher,” says Jon. “It’s wonderful to have an adviser to help you lead a whole group of students in achieving something this big. The club definitely wouldn’t be possible without him.”

19 It wouldn’t be possible without Jon, either. But as he points out, “You don’t have to be the one with the idea. It’s great just to get involved, to be part of something.”

136 | Literacy Navigator Dirty Job, Great Rewards Tracing Pronouns to Referents

Highlight the pronouns in the passage below. Use a pencil to draw arrows from the pronouns to their referents.

1 Looking for a rewarding activity? This dedicated teen says you might want to get your hands dirty. It’s Friday afternoon, and school’s out. What will you do for fun?

2 For Jon Russell, the answer is easy. He and his friends spend Friday afternoons sorting trash from their school’s recycling bins. They act as volunteer janitors, and they save resources.

3 “It’s not the best activity, to go trash-packing,” says Jon with a laugh. “But it’s enjoyable.”

A club for change 4 Jon has made recycling enjoyable. When he was a freshman at Scarborough High School in Scarborough, Maine, he started recycling at school. At that time, only six students were involved. They couldn’t cover the whole school, but they did their best. More students wouldn’t choose to stay after school on Fridays, but Jon and his friends did— and had fun!

Lesson 27 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 137 Reading Passage for Lesson #

Reading # Title Reading Passage for Lesson #28

ReadingTackling the# Title Trash

1 Not many people would spend their free time picking up other people’s litter. But Chad Pregracke has spent most of the past five years doing just that along the Mississippi, Ohio, and Illinois Rivers.

2 Why?

3 Chad grew up in a house alongside the Mississippi. He loved to fish and camp on the river’s wooded islands. That’s when he first noticed the junk dotting its shoreline. Many other boaters and campers used the river, too. Unfortunately, some of them didn’t care where they threw their trash.

4 Spring floods added to the clutter. When flood waters went down, they left behind everything from tin cans to 55-gallon steel drums, from tires to TV sets.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 139 Tackling the Trash

5 “It was getting worse every year,” Chad says. “And nobody was cleaning it up.”

6 In May of 1997, Chad came home from college for summer vacation. As usual, he was disgusted by the junk that littered the riverbanks near his hometown of East Moline, Illinois. But this time, instead of wondering why someone else didn’t clean it up, he decided to tackle a few miles of shoreline himself.

7 With only a flat-bottom boat, a wheelbarrow, and a sturdy pair of gloves, he motored up and down the river. Whenever he spotted trash, he pulled to shore and picked it up. When his boat was full, he took the load to a landfill. Chad even took pictures of the junk he hauled away. “I thought it might be fun to see how much trash I could pick up,” he says.

8 Soon the riverbanks near his hometown were litter-free. And Chad tarp a sheet of protective, was hooked. “I really enjoyed it,” he says. “I could see the results waterproof material usually made of plastic or day after day. It made me feel good to help my community.” So he canvas kept going, sleeping under a tarp each night.

9 But Chad’s money was disappearing fast. Food, gasoline for his boat, landfill charges, and film costs were gobbling up his resources. He wondered if others would help support his cleanup.

10 First Chad talked to government agencies like the National Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. While happy about his work, they didn’t have much money to donate.

11 So Chad called area businesses. He explained about growing up beside the river, the mess it had become, and his determination to clean it up. Most companies wouldn’t help either. But finally one company decided to lend a hand. Chad got his first small grant and the encouragement he needed to find others to help as well.

140 | Literacy Navigator Tackling the Trash Lesson 28

12 Chad began visiting other companies in person and found that his careful record keeping paid off. People couldn’t help being impressed by his enthusiasm or by the pictures of the junk he’d already hauled away. The next year, Chad received enough money to finish his summer’s work with several volunteers to help him. In two years he raised enough money to buy two more boats and hire five helpers for the next summer.

13 In 1998, Chad’s goal was to clean 1,000 miles of shoreline. Beginning in northern Iowa, he and his crew slowly worked their way south. Their final destination was St. Louis, Missouri. Along the way, Chad had to receive permission from each town to pile his junk in a parking lot or field. When he finished each area, he trucked the trash to the nearest landfill.

14 As the hot summer wore on, the work became more difficult. The farther south they traveled, the more trash littered the shore. One mile of shoreline was so full of old tires, it took more than a month to clean—one small boatload at a time. Sheltered only by tents and tarps, Chad and his crew battled mosquitoes and summer storms. By summer’s end only Chad and one helper remained on the job. When cold weather forced them to stop, they were just fifty miles from St. Louis.

15 Chad didn’t spend the winter months catching up on sleep. He needed to raise more than $100,000. Part of the money would go toward finishing his work near St. Louis. The rest would fund his next project, cleaning the 270-mile shoreline of the Illinois River.

16 Chad also traveled from town to town. He spoke at schools, churches, and town halls. He shared his story with community groups, conservation clubs, and Scout troops. He asked them to help keep the river clean.

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17 People were eager to help. Someone even offered him a used houseboat for free. There was only one catch: it was resting on the muddy bottom of the Illinois River. “It was a real mess,” Chad remembers. “The most totally trashed thing you’ve seen in your life.” headquarters the main office of a 18 After a lot of repair work and elbow grease, The Miracle became business or organization the crew’s floating home and headquarters—a big step up from tents and tarps.

19 In 2000, Chad began hosting community-wide cleanup days in cities along the Mississippi. “I want to get as many people involved as possible,” he says.

20 Toward that goal, Chad encourages individuals and community pledging promising to do groups to participate in his Adopt-a-Mississippi-Mile program, something pledging to keep a mile of shoreline litter-free.

21 Chad did return to college in 2001 and received his associate’s degree. But for now, Chad is devoting himself to the river, and cleaning it up has taken over his life.

22 But he doesn’t mind one bit. “I work with good people who have become my best friends,” he says. “I love it.”

142 | Literacy Navigator Tackling the Trash Writing a Summary

Write a summary of “Tackling the Trash.” Remember that a summary: • Restates the main idea in a new or interesting way • Includes the important details, and excludes unimportant ones • Has a conclusion that restates the main idea • Is a shorter version of the original

Lesson 28 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 143 Reading Passage for Lesson #29 Writing a Summary (continued)

ReadingProtecting # Title Our Planet

144 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 28 Reading Passage for Lesson #29

ReadingProtecting # Title Our Planet

1 Earth Day is celebrated the last week of April. People get together to do something good for the planet. Read about a teen who helped clean up her community.

2 Have you heard about the problems with the environment? People are cutting down the rain forest to grow crops. When the trees disappear, rare animals die. They lose their homes and food. Some experts also say the Earth is heating up like a giant greenhouse. What turned up the heat? Dirty air created by the burning of fossil fuels in factories, homes, and cars. These are a few of Earth’s many environmental problems.

3 In 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated. Since then, millions of people have worked to protect their planet. Teens across the country are getting involved and making a difference. What are they doing? They’re recycling paper so that natural resources like trees aren’t wasted.

4 Teens are recycling paper and cans in school. They are also removing trash from beaches to keep them clean.

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5 Eighteen-year-old Jessica Farrar is doing her part, too.

A special place 6 J.C. Lake, three miles from Jessica’s home in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, is special to her. She grew up swimming and boating there. “It’s my favorite place in our entire town,” Jessica says.

7 But two years ago, Jessica learned that the town had closed the beach. “Now it’s just an empty lot,” Jessica explains. Her grandmother used to give swimming lesson at that beach. Jessica wanted to turn things around. Thanks to everything Jessica learned as a Girl Scout, she knew a few things about how trees help the environment.

8 “I wanted to make the lake look better,” Jessica explains. “I also realized the bank was eroding. The best way to naturally fix erosion is to plant trees to hold the soil in place. Planting trees also draws more wildlife to the area. And it enriches the soil.”

From small seeds 9 Jessica made a difference by planting trees where the old beach use to be. With help from state forester David Johnson, she studied the soil types at the lake. She made a Tree Planting Plan and got permission from the Park Board and the Tree Board. David Johnson donated trees to the project.

10 “He also provided tools and taught us how to plant the trees,” Jessica says.

11 In early April 2002, Jessica and four helpers went out to J.C. Lake. They dug 118 holes and filled the holes with

146 | Literacy Navigator Protecting Our Planet Lesson 29

tiny trees. The job took four hours. Once the trees were planted, Jessica worked to keep them healthy. She watered them. She tore away weeds. She marked them with orange flags to protect them.

12 Jessica knows that not all of the trees will survive. Weeds will kill some. Even humans could harm them. Still, Jessica is looking forward to watching the trees grow.

13 “In five years, I hope many of them grow up above the weeds and stand strong,” she says. “In 10 years, I want to see a beautiful area where everyone in the town can come and fish and have a picnic.”

14 Many teens are motivated to help clean up and get involved in environmental issues. They want to live on a planet that’s beautiful. They want to breathe clean air and drink safe water. And they want their kids and grandkids to be able to enjoy all of these things, too.

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 147 Video for Lesson #29 Venn Diagram VideoOverview # Title of Earth Day Chad Both Jessica

148 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 29 Video for Lesson #29

VideoOverview # Title of Earth Day

Earth Day Projects

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 149 Lesson 30

Culminating Project Lesson 30

Culminating Project

Environmental Citizenship Culminating Project 1. Think about the problems in the environment. Brainstorm ways that you and others might help solve these problems. Select one problem and one solution to research. 2. Research the problem for facts that will help you convince others that something must be done. You can also research facts that will show others that your project or plan is a good solution. 3. Outline the project or action plan so you can give reasons why it will help the environment and how it can be done. Presentation Options

Once your project or plan of action has structure: • Option 1: Write a letter to the principal or the PTA president. • Option 2: Write a speech to deliver at a school assembly, or a meeting of the student government or PTA. • Option 3: Write a letter to the newspaper, the mayor, or the town council. What to include in Options 1, 2, and 3: • First, write an introduction that states what the problem is in the environment. • Second, state your opinion about what should be done to help solve the problem. • Next, explain your project or plan of action in clear terms, and give reasons why it should be done.

• Give some supporting facts or details and link them to the reasons. • Finally, explain to your audience how the project will help the environment and then ask them for their support.

Photos opposite, clockwise from top- left: © iStockphoto.com/Sander Kamp; © shutterstock.com/Stephen Aaron Rees; © iStockphoto.com/Debi Bishop; © iStockphoto.com/Sasha Radosavljevic; © iStockphoto.com/Josef Friedhube; © iStockphoto. com/Andrey Kravchenko

Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 151 Culminating Project (continued)

More Project Ideas

• Do research to find out how growing a garden helps the environment. Plant a garden at school or at home. Share produce from the garden with a local food bank. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. • Write letters to local politicians encouraging them to support policies that support clean air and water and effective use of natural resources. • Find out how plants keep homes healthy. Grow plants in your own home. Create a booklet to encourage others to do the same. Decide what information to include in the booklet and how you will get the booklet published. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. Distribute the booklet. • Make a plan to start a recycling program at home or school if you don’t already have one. Research all of the steps you would need to take to put the plan into action. What permissions would you need? What materials? Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. • Plan a clothing drive to keep usable clothes from going into the trash. Research how to conduct the clothing drive and the organizations that might want the clothing you collect. Write letters to the appropriate parties to get permissions and to carry out collection and delivery of the clothes. • Research new ways to save water at home and in public places. Create a checklist of ways to save water. Decide what information to include in the checklist and how you will get the checklist published. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. Distribute the checklist. • Research new ways to save energy at home and in public places. Create a checklist of ways to save energy. Decide what information to include in the checklist and how you will get the checklist published. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. Distribute the checklist.

152 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 30 Culminating Project (continued)

• Talk to your friends about the importance of doing your part to ensure we have a clean, safe, and healthy environment. Make arrangements to speak at a school assembly. • Read more about saving the environment. Write a book about what kids can do to save the environment. Decide what information to include in the book and how you will get the book published. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. Distribute the book. • Make a movie that shows kids what they can do to keep the environment healthy. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. Arrange to show the movie to a group at school. • Organize a trash pick-up day for your school or a community building. Research all of the steps you would need to take to make such an event a reality. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help. Conduct the trash pick-up. • Find out how global warming is affecting plants and animals. Create a mural to show the dangers of global warming or solutions for stopping it. Determine whose help and permission you will need to complete the project then write letters to secure their help.

Lesson 30 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 153 Project Planning Sheet My project is project My Background knowledge … Research question Where I think can find the information New information

154 | Literacy Navigator Lesson 30 Opinion Rubric for Culminating Project

Directions: Use this rubric as a guide as you write your opinion. A good opinion piece will have all these elements.

My Opinion 4 3 2 1 Introduces the topic The opening The opening tells The opening is There is no opening in the opening engages the reader what the piece is unclear. statement. and tells what the about. piece is about. States an opinion The opinion is The opinion is stated The opinion is There is no opinion stated clearly and it and it connects unclear or it does stated. connects to the topic to the topic of the not connect to the of the piece. piece. topic of the piece. Gives reasons for the Three or more Two reasons support One reason supports No reasons support opinion reasons support the the opinion. the opinion. the opinion. opinion. Uses facts and Many facts and A few facts and Facts or details do There are no facts or details to support details support details support not support the details. the reasons the reasons for the the reasons for the reasons for the opinion. opinion. opinion. Stays on topic and The opinion piece The opinion The opinion piece The opinion piece is uses connecting stays on topic with piece uses some does not use off topic. words to link connecting words connecting words connecting words opinions and that link opinions but includes and sometimes reasons and reasons, and some unrelated wanders off topic. uses information information. directly related to the topic. Provides a closing The closing restates The closing restates The closing does not There is no closing. statement the opinion in a new the opinion. restate the opinion. and interesting way.

Lesson 30 Foundations: Comprehending Texts—Level A | 155

A Reader’s Comprehension of the Texts

my notes

This Student Reader is full of information about the environment and what it means to be a responsible environmental citizen. You will read about water, soil, air, and other resources that Earth provides. You will read and talk about the natural world and learn how to protect it. Writing about what you read is important. That is why this section called “My Notes: A Reader’s Comprehension of the Texts”—or “My Notes” for short—is here. Use these note pages to answer short questions, define words, or jot down interesting facts about what you read. The writing you do in My Notes is just for you. It will not be graded or collected, and it is yours to keep. Write in My Notes every day to practice vocabulary, think about new ideas, and consider how one reading connects to the next. You can use these notes to prepare for a lesson, write a paper, or do a project. Remember that writing—even taking a simple note—will help you to remember and understand what you read.

My Notes on “What Is Environmental Citizenship?”

Refer to pages 1–2 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Reasons why people should learn about the environment:

2. Why taking care of the planet is good for humans:

3. Parts of the ecosystem that are becoming polluted:

4. Groups who should take environmental citizenship seriously:

N2 lesson 2

My Notes on “What Is Good Citizenship?” and “Good Citizenship and Community”

Refer to pages 3–6 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Some responsibilities citizens have:

2. Consequences (definition):

3. Democracy (definition):

4. Things people can do to protect the environment:

N3 lesson 3

My Notes on “Time to Volunteer”

Refer to pages 11–12 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Number of plastic shopping bags used each year worldwide:

2. Ingest (definition):

3. Some harmful aspects of plastic bags:

N4 lesson 4

My Notes on “Climate and Weather”

Refer to pages 15–16 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Weather (definition):

2 Climate (definition):

3. Types of precipitation:

4. The seasons are considered:

N5 lesson 5

My Notes on “Climate Change: What It Is …” and “What’s Up with Global Warming?”

Refer to pages 19–22 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Greenhouse effect (definition):

2. Another name for Earth:

3. CO2 stands for:

4. Possible results of global warming:

N6 lesson 6

My Notes on “Can We Change the Climate?”

Refer to pages 25–27 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. During the Industrial Revolution, more and more of these were used:

2. How the use of machines and fossil fuels changed the daily lives of most people:

3. The two fuels most power plants use to make electricity:

4. Source of methane:

N7 lesson 7

My Notes on “So, What’s the Big Deal?”

Refer to pages 29–32 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Scientists think that in the next 100 years, global temperature might increase between 4 and _____ degrees F.

2. Habitats and ecosystems depend on a balance of these three things:

3. Examples of ecological disturbances:

4. Possible effects of rising sea levels:

N8 lesson 8

My Notes on “We Can Make a Difference!”

Refer to pages 35–38 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Landfill (definition):

2. The symbol for recyclable:

3. Explain how small efforts can make a big difference in the environment:

N9 lesson 9

My Notes on “Nine Things You Need to Know about Global Warming”

Refer to pages 41–46 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Number of people on Earth:

2. Number of kids on Earth:

3. El Niño (definition):

4. CO2 stands for:

N10 lesson 10

My Notes on Review of Lessons 1–9

Refer to page 47 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. How productive talk improves discussions:

2. Some connecting words:

3. Choose one of the nine animals from the last lesson, and explain why it might become extinct:

N11 lesson 11

My Notes on “What Is Groundwater?”

Refer to pages 49–51 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Explain where the water table is:

2. Aquifer (definition):

3. Causes of groundwater pollution:

4. Saturation (definition):

N12 lessons 12 and 13

My Notes on “Kids Can Protect Groundwater Too!”

Refer to pages 53–55 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Common household items that pollute groundwater:

2. Hazardous (definition):

My Notes on “Water Worries” and “Be Water Wise All Week”

Refer to pages 57 and 59–61 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Number of people worldwide without access to safe drinking water:

2. A few easy ways to save water:

N13 lessons 14 and 15

My Notes on “Pollution Patrol”

Refer to pages 63–67 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Slough (definition):

2. How to tell if a fish is unhealthy:

My Notes on “Underground Adventure”

Refer to pages 71–75 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. How weather affects soil:

2. How roots help the soil:

N14 lesson 16

My Notes on “Clean Air and Dirty Air”

Refer to pages 77–80 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Pollutants (definition):

2. Environment (explanation):

3. Some causes of smog:

4. The two kinds of ozone:

N15 lesson 17

My Notes on “Clean Air and Dirty Air”

Refer to pages 80–86 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Source of particulate matter:

2. AQI stands for:

3. AQI (definition):

4. EPA stands for:

N16 lessons 18 and 19

My Notes on “What Is Renewable Energy?”

Refer to pages 89–90 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. The source of fossil fuels:

2. One reason renewable energy is not used all the time:

My Notes on “Wind Power”

Refer to pages 93–95 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Speed the wind must blow in an area to have a useful wind farm:

2. Height of the tallest turbine:

N17 lessons 20 and 21

My Notes on “Hydropower”

Refer to pages 97–98 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. How rushing water affects the turbine in a hydroelectric dam:

2. The rotating turbine powers this:

My Notes on “Solar Power”

Refer to pages 101–103 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Important conductor in solar panels:

2. Number of American families that use solar power to get electricity:

N18 lessons 22 and 23

My Notes on “Sun-Powered Speed” and “Catching Some Rays”

Refer to pages 105–108 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Maximum speed of solar-powered cars:

2. How hot a solar-powered oven can get:

My Notes on “Geothermal Energy”

Refer to pages 111–113 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. The temperature of the Earth four feet underground:

2. Location of the world’s largest geothermal plant, and the number of homes it can power:

N19 lessons 24 and 25

My Notes on “Biomass Energy”

Refer to pages 115–117 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Number of homes 150 tons of biomass can power:

2. Some sources of biomass:

My Notes on Review of Renewable Energy

Refer to page 119 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Five renewable energies and their natural source:

2. Name of the process that uses solar energy to make electricity:

N20 lesson 26

My Notes on “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”

Refer to pages 123–131 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Waste (definition):

2. Kinds of packaging to look for:

3. Vermiculture (definition):

4. Some new products made from recycled goods:

N21 lessons 27 and 28

My Notes on “Dirty Job, Great Rewards”

Refer to pages 133–136 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. How (and why) Jon uses cooking oil:

2. Within a year Jon’s volunteers grew from 6 to _____.

My Notes on “Tackling the Trash”

Refer to pages 139–142 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. How Chad helps the local environment:

2. How Chad’s work is like the students’ concerns about the slough:

N22 lesson 29

My Notes on “Protecting Our Planet” and “Overview of Earth Day”

Refer to pages 145–147 and 149 in your Student Reader to help you complete these notes. 1. Things that happen when people cut down the rain forest:

2. Ways that Jessica’s project relates to Chad’s project:

3. “Leave no trace” (explanation):

4. Month and day of Earth Day:

N23 lessonCredits 30

My Notes on the Culminating Project

Use this extra space to jot down ideas or take notes while planning your project.

N24 Credits Credits

Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following for Scholastic Inc. copyrighted material: “Sun-Powered Speed” from SCHOLASTIC NEWS, Edition 4, October 24, 2005. “Dirty Job, Great Rewards” from SCHOLASTIC Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. ACTION, April 3, 2005. Copyright © 2005 by Scholastic Inc. “What is Good Citizenship?” and “Good Citizenship and “Protecting Our Planet” from SCHOLASTIC ACTION, April 26, 2004. Community” by Marie Bender from Good Citizenship Counts. Copyright © 2004 by Scholastic Inc. Reprinted by permission. Copyright © 2003 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. Used by permission. Weekly Reader Publishing “Time to Volunteer” from Weekly Reader News Edition. Copyright Alliant Energy © 2007. Special permission granted by Weekly Reader, published “What is Renewable Energy,” “Wind Power,” “Hydropower,” and copyrighted by Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights “Solar Power,” “Geothermal Energy,” “Biomass Energy,” reserved. Used by permission. and “Catching Some Rays: Building a Solar Oven” from www. alliantenergykids. com. Copyright © Alliant Energy. Note: Every effort has been made to locate the copyright owner Used with the permission of Alliant Energy. of material reproduced in this component. Omissions brought to American Water Works Association our attention will be corrected in subsequent editions. “Be Water Wise: 7 Ways in 7 Days” by the American Water Works Association. Copyright © American Water Works Association. Reprinted by permission. The Field Museum Excerpts from “Soil Properties” and “Factors that Affect Soil” from www.fieldmuseum.org. Copyright © The Field Museum. Used by permission. Content is sole property of The Field Museum and cannot be reprinted without written permission from The Field Museum. Groundwater Foundation “What Is Groundwater?” and “Kids Can Protect Groundwater Too!” from www.groundwater.org. Copyright © 2008 The Groundwater Foundation. Reprinted with permission from The Groundwater Foundation. Highlights for Children, Inc. “Tackling Trash” by Jill Esbaum from Highlights for Children. Copyright © 2002 Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Used by permission. National Geographic Society “9 Things You Need to Know About Global Warming and How It’s Affecting Animals and the Environment” by Ruth Musgrave from National Geographic Kids. Copyright © 2007 National Geographic Society. Used by permission. National Wildlife Federation “What’s Up With Global Warming?” by Gerry Bishop. Reprinted from the January 2007 issue of Ranger Rick Magazine®, with the permission of the copyright owner, The National Wildlife Federation®. “Pollution Patrol: Children Help Clean Up Polluted River Near Portland, Oregon” by Anna Mearns. Reprinted from the March 1994 issue of Ranger Rick Magazine®, with the permission of the copyright owner, The National Wildlife Federation®.