Classrooms and Communities in Cooperation With Corporations & Government: Natural Gas & Creative Conflict Resolution

This unit is intended to be used as an environmental science themed Service Learning Project for sixth to eighth grade middle school students that incorporates reading, writing, math, and social studies content in the context of a real-world contemporary issue – extraction of natural gas. In our era of “inclusive practices,” it is imperative for educators to have opportunities to plan in collaboration and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of every student in the context of inclusive and/or self-contained classrooms to the fullest extent possible. It is pertinent to note that students with or without documented disabilities may accomplish the activities presented in this unit. For example, all students need to demonstrate understanding of principles taught in literacy classes such as summarizing, analyzing, and evaluating among other objectives such as making inferences and reading critically in content areas; therefore, teachers will note that the suggested activities easily lend themselves to being accomplished in collaboration with colleagues from disciplines such as science, language arts, social studies, and/or computer technology. Ultimately, the lessons are designed to encourage teachers and students alike to 1) incorporate technology 2) engage in collaboration and 3) support learning in the context of differentiation. The affective learning outcomes are for students to understand their roles as community stakeholders in the context of researching and designing a community awareness campaign relative to an environmental science issue.