Detailed Sample Task: Stage I

CLB 3 - Writing
Reproducing Information

Global Citizenship

Real-World Task

Select and copy a list of items your family could do to reduce the use of single-use plastic in your home.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Familiarity or experience with basic actions that help the environment such as recycling, reusing and composting at home.
Basic knowledge of environmental issues and consumer responsibility.

Context:

Protecting the environment is an important part of shared Canadian values. Helping learners become aware of how they can participate and take action against climate change is important. In this task, learners will copy priority actions to support the environment as part of a larger theme on Global Citizenship.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Capitalization and punctuation conventions.
Simple imperative forms.
Basic syntax of word order.

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Basic text format of a list (or poster).
Identifying the layout and different parts of standard texts.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Elicit responses from learners about things they do every day to help the environment and why it’s important.
Match visuals of the negative impacts of climate change on the environment to vocabulary words.
Listen to a simple description of the actions one learner did to help climate change in small ways and circle key words and details in each sentence.
Read a simple list of actions Canadians can take to help the environment to identify the gist and specific details. Identify actions you do already and ones you’d like to try.
Reread the list and highlight key words. Look up the keywords in a simple English dictionary and copy simple definitions.
Elicit obstacles to responsible environmental choices such as cost, availability of alternatives and information about the best choices.
Sort various household items into categories of whether items are reusable, recyclable or single use / non-recyclable.
Watch a short video of children making changes at their school to help the environment.
Describe two simple everyday actions a person can take to help the environment to a learner from another class.
Create a short, simple instructor-made story on the topic, and have learners listen as the instructor reads, following with their finger. Have learners repeat after the instructor to match intonation and fluency. Finally, have learners read the story as a group, and then individually. These activities practice vocabulary in context, show relevancy of the language and improve fluency.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Complete an email template to send a message to a family member by copying examples of simple steps they can take  to help the environment, such as taking coffee in a reusable cup, recycling paper, bringing leftovers for lunch in reusable containers, and so on.
Copy actions one can take to help the environment to make a public service poster for the class.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Review a list of actions you can take to reduce the use of single-use plastic in your home, select 3 to 4 items you think are the most important and copy them to create a priority action list.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Different ways that waste is disposed of, including landfill, recycling, and compost
Benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling; regional / municipal differences in what and how items are recycled; curbside pick‐up of landfill, recycling, and compost in many communities in Canada.
Environmental issues are sometimes politicized and could be considered a sensitive topic in some settings. There may also be specific regional issues to consider depending on where you are located.

Digital Literacy Strategies:

Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.

Learners may need to:

Scan online resources to find information

Instructors can:

Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Instructors can:

Use diverse representations of people in all your learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Francophone and of other cultures, and people who have disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
Recognize the importance of environmental responsibility as a part of global citizenship.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Themes related to climate change and resulting devastation can be triggering for learners who have experienced trauma or oppression.

Strategies:

Create a safe and supportive classroom environment by establishing familiar routines, repeated activities, and model friendly and non-evaluative interactions; learners who have experienced trauma often benefit from having routine.
Recognize and respect learners’ right to choose if, when and what they share about themselves and their routines.

Resources

Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:

Invite a guest speaker from the local municipality to demonstrate how to dispose of garbage, recycle items and compost food waste using coloured bins.
Take a field trip to a non-profit organization that promotes actions to protect the environment.
Take learners to a local green space to enjoy the outdoors and reflect on their experience.
Initiate a class or school wide recycle / compost program if one doesn’t exist with learners taking the lead in organizing and collecting waste.

Realia:

Recycling brochures and promotional materials
Alternatives to single use plastics such as grocery tote bags, metal straws, mesh bags for produce, dryer balls, and so on

Units and Modules:

CCLB Multi-level Modules: Caring for the Environment A CLB 3 – 4 Module with Teaching Materials

Lessons and Activities:

Ellii Flashcards: The Environment
Ellii Collection: Environment