Environment PSAs

The complete lesson plan will take several days.

1. Discuss natural resources with definitions of renewable and nonrenewable resurces, conservation,shortage, pollution, pollutant, recycle, and reuse. The district science book can be used for this. Give and take examples from the students of each definition.

2. Discuss pubic service announcements and show examples if possible. Discuss what makes a good PSA by reviewing the main message, a hook, the effect of spoken words, location, images, action, and props. The Don't Mess with Texas website can be used.

3. With a review of the natural resources lesson, list possible PSA environment topics. Have students select their favorite topic or environment message.

4. Group students according to chosen topics, 3-4 to a group.

5. Give students internet access to research the chosen environment topic. Remind the students that information must be relevant to other elementary students. Research should include definitions appropriate to the topic, the environmental problem, facts, and possible solutions.

6. Remember effective PSA elements from step 2. Assign students to first design on paper a PSA on their environmental topic, keeping in mind the elements of an effective PSA. Remind the students that the target audience is other students, probable younger than them. They should aim to change bad habits for the environment the other students may be practicing. Give a time limit of 30 seconds for the final product.

7. After teacher approves the witten PSA design, students direct and practice the PSA to be filmed.

8. After sufficient practice, students film each other's PSAs.

9. Make the video available to other classes.

10. The PSA designers then create a survey to see if their videos change any bad environment habits. They give the survey to the students who watched their videos.

11. Students analyze their survey results.