A Classroom Companion for

Pacha’s PajamasGrades 3-5

Introduction to the Classroom Companion

Dear Teachers and Parents,

Welcome to the majority! The majority of Americans who trust the science that tells us that climate change is real. The majority of scientists that know climate change is happening, and it is more likely than not a result of human behavior. Climate science is complex, interdisciplinary, and relevant to our every day lives. It is also challenging to understand and can be even more challenging to teach.

Now that you’ve decided to use Pacha’s Pajamas in your classroom we hope you’ll consider using the Classroom Companion. The Classroom Companion has some basic background on climate change science for each lesson. It also offers a structured outline for teaching each lesson. This Classroom Companion is not a comprehensive guide to climate change but it has much to offer you as an introduction to climate science. It is a tool for you to help your students navigate and understand the concepts in the story and how they relate to climate change.

Begin each lesson by reading the designated chapters in the story. Then read the Student Goals and the Science Background for the lesson. Make connections for yourself between the story and the concepts in the Science Background. Next, familiarize yourself with the lesson. Decide how you want to teach the lesson to best meet your students’ needs, abilities, and interests.

Augmented Reality is another way to interact with the story. Consider downloading the app Aurasma to view some of the illustrations through an animated lens (instructions can be found inside the book). You can also view many of the same animations – as well as some additional resources – on Pacha’s youtube channel.

Balance Edutainment and THinc Green have correlated Pacha’s Pajamas and the Classroom Companion to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and some of the English Language Arts Standards of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). How you choose to teach each lesson will ultimately determine how thoroughly you address the standards.

The Classroom Companion is not aligned to all of the NGSS; rather it is aligned to those NGSS that relate directly or tangentially to climate change (as outlined by the Climate

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Change Learning Sciences Research Group at the University of Maryland). While teaching each lesson, you will most likely address other NGSS as well.

Depth and breadth of addressing the CCSS depends on teaching style as well. Each lesson is intended to have constructive discussions where teachers and students ask clarifying questions, engage with other students, and build on shared ideas. These discussions target the Speaking and Listening standards. The Companion provides suggestions for writing, presenting, and publishing students’ work, accompanied by art, audio and visual information, and varied techniques. By expanding on and varying how you assign each piece of the Lesson will determine which of the Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening standards your students address through the Lesson. However, by following the Companion with good, standard pedagogy, you will ensure your students are exposed to the standards listed at the end of each Lesson.

Finally, for all the parents reading Pacha’s Pajamas with their children, there is a special Parents’ Corner for you. You may choose to use the entire Lesson, especially if you homeschool. But many of you may be reading this after school hours. In this case, the Parents’ Corner provides some suggestions to help you have meaningful, constructive, and educational conversations at home not just about science and climate, but also about growing up and coming of age.

Finally, join Pacha’s community. By posting students’ works safely on social media sites and including the suggested hashtags, students can join in an international dialogue with others who share their enthusiasm and concern for their future and the future of the planet.

Still looking to get started? You can find the book on Amazon, and on the website pachaspajamas.com. There you can also find the album, apparel, and find ways to join Pacha’s community.

We hope you enjoy the experience and better understand how we are ALL connected.

Sincerely,

The teams at Balance and THinc Green

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Table of Contents

Lesson 1: Prologue – Chapter 1 4Science Background 4Teachers’ Guide 7Parents’ Corner 10

Lesson 2: Chapters 2 – 3 12Science Background 12Teachers’ Guide 15Parents’ Corner 18

Lesson 3: Chapters 4 – 7 19Science Background 19Teachers’ Guide 23Parents’ Corner 26

Lesson 4: Chapters 8 – 10 27Science Background 27Teachers’ Guide 30Parents’ Corner 33

Lesson 5: Chapter 11 34Science Background 34Teachers’ Guide 36Parents’ Corner 37

Lesson 6: Chapters 12 – 14 39Science Background 39Teachers’ Guide 42Parents’ Corner 45

Lesson 7: Chapters 15 – 17 46Science Background 46Teachers’ Guide 46Parents’ Corner 49

Lesson 8: Chapter 18 – Epilogue 50Science Background 50Teachers’ Guide 51Parents’ Corner 53

Appendices 54A: Track Titles Referenced in the Classroom Companion 54B: Web Addresses for Selected Resources in the Classroom Companion55C: Social Media Campaigns References in the Classroom Companion 57

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Prologue – Chapter 1LESSON 1

Student Goals Read and understand the prologue and chapter 1. Understand weather, climate, and the differences between weather and climate. Understand that living and non-living things change the environment. Some

changes are natural while others are human-made.

Science BackgroundWeather & Climate

What is the difference between weather and climate? Weather and climate are different phenomena. Understanding each and the difference between them is paramount to understanding many of the environmental themes throughout Pacha’s Pajamas. Weather is what it is “doing” outside at any given moment. Sleet, sun, hail, rain, etc. are elements of weather. Weather changes constantly. Today may be warm and sunny while tomorrow may be cold and rainy. Weather is all around us, all of the time. Weather patterns can be predictable. Weather scientists study pressure systems to understand how the weather may change. Their forecasts help us prepare for the weather.

The sun’s energy heats Earth unevenly. Dark spots, like the ocean’s surface, heat up more quickly than light spots, like ice sheets. As the air above these spots warms and cools it changes densities and moves. Warm air tends to rise while cool air tends to sink (warm air is less dense than cold air). The rising and sinking of air of different temperatures is just one way that the air moves. As the air moves, it carries its properties with it: moisture, pollutants, temperature, etc. This creates localized weather.

One example of this happens nearly every day in California. The sun heats the central valley. That warm air begins to rise as the day becomes warmer. As the warm air rises, it leaves a vacuum below where it used be. Cool air from over the cold, Pacific Ocean rushes in from the west to fill the vacuum. As the sun sets and the valley cools, the warm air cools, sinks, and there is no longer a vacuum. Ocean and coastal air ceases to blow in. Consequently, the wind direction is prominently westerly during the day, and wind speeds are highest during the hottest days in the summer, and during the hottest part of the afternoon.

As the air moves over California, it brings weather. Mornings on the coast are often foggy and still. As the wind picks up, the afternoons become clear and windy.

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Source: http://sageography.myschoolstuff.co.za/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/land-and-sea-breezes/Fig0813.jpg

Climate on the other hand, does not change noticeably in the course of a lifetime. For decades if not centuries, climate in a large region remains the same. Words like “tropical rainforest”, “Mediterranean”, or “tundra” describe the climate of a region. Climate prescribes a region’s seasons, general amount of moisture, and overall temperature. Climate is not so much predictable as it is stable. For any region, today’s climate is the same as tomorrow’s, next week’s, and next year’s. As you can see from the map, most of the American southeast is all one color. Alabama, Georgia, Florida and other states have the same climate: “Cfa” or Humid Subtropical. “Mild with no dry season, hot summer.”

Source: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/global/climate_max.htm

Climate is caused by a region’s relationship with the sun. Since the Earth is tilted on its axis different regions receive more or less sunlight throughout the year. Some regions’ amount of sunlight varies greatly, resulting in noticeable seasons. Other

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regions, such as much of the equatorial regions, remain fairly constant – warm and sunny – throughout the year, perhaps with one rainier season.

Climate influences weather. The Humid Subtropical climate will likely see frequent rain and warm to hot temperatures. Thunderstorms are not abnormal. As climate changes, so too does the weather.

Climate does change, but over extremely long periods of time. As the continents move and as the Earth’s orbit changes shape, regional climate changes. An area may become hotter or wetter, for example. The planet may experience ice ages or moderate climes. But these changes happen slowly, imperceptibly, over the course of centuries or eons. The measurable changes scientists have measured in our climate over the past century are alarming. The Earth’s climate is warming, on average, much faster than it naturally should.

Pacha’s Pajamas has many themes, including climate change. Climate change is alarming because of the rapid rate of change happening across the planet, both regionally and globally. Climate is about averages. The average high and low temperatures in an area; the average rainfall in a year over decades; the average length and intensity of a hurricane season over a century. Scientists are seeing extreme deviations and outliers from normal climate averages. This is the alarm bell of climate change.

Fried Platypi & No More Ice CreamAt the end of the prologue, a number of environmental issues concern Pacha.

She and Plat, the dancing, musical platypus, talk about warming rivers and Pacha mentions the ice caps melting. These are all consequences of global climate change. As the average global temperature rises – even by seemingly small amounts – different regions are impacted in different ways. The cool rivers of Australia are one ecosystem that is being affected drastically. Platypuses (or platypi) live in the cool rivers of Australia, protected from the cold-water temperatures by their warm fur. Climate change is heating the rivers and the platypuses are struggling to survive where they once did. One study found that within the next 60 years, 1/3 of the platypuses’ ecosystem could be too warm. (Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/8596068/Duck-billed-

platypus-at-risk-from-climate-change.html) Melting ice caps and a warming ocean are two other consequences of climate

change. As these ecosystems warm and change, they too are threatening the range of survival for many of the organisms living within. Fried platypi and a world without ice cream are less likely to happen due to climate change, but they are very real to Pacha as she worries about the future from a grade schooler’s perspective.

Human Impacts & the EnvironmentAcross all grade levels, many of the NGSS reference the changing environment.

Some changes are natural while others are human-made, or anthropogenic. Both natural and anthropogenic changes can be negative or beneficial for the environment. Many are a result of a changing climate.

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Natural change agents include living and non-living phenomena can occur over an instant or centuries. Wind and water can scour rocks that change shape over decades or millennia. Floods, volcanoes, and hurricanes can change a landscape in an instant. After these changes occur, some organisms rebound while other die or move away. Some natural changes, like forest fires, are drastic but necessary. They clear out dead or diseased organisms and make way for a fresh, new start for others. Dam-building beavers, leaf-cutter ants, and elephants are just a few examples of living organisms that can change both the physical and biological characteristics of the environment. Humans are another example.

Anthropogenic changes can also happen slowly or quickly. Urban development and deforestation are examples of rapid change. Climate change and erosion may be slower to cause change. Reforestation or river reclamation are human-made changes that could benefit an ecosystem and its organisms.

As students walk through their neighborhood, look for examples of all types of changes: natural and anthropogenic; fast and slow; positive and negative; temporary and permanent. Think about how each of these changes will impact the organisms that live there and how the induced changes are sometimes a combination of these causes.

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. As a class, explore the beginnings of the book. Look at the title, the cover, the

authors’ names, table of contents, and image in the prologue. a. What information did you learn about the story just from reviewing this

information? b. What do you think this story is about?

Explore2. Read the prologue, watch the augmented reality version of the image on the first

page or watch the “Meet MC Plat” video on Pacha’s YouTube Channel, and listen to track 1, Pacha’s Theme.

a. How did Pacha feel when she awoke from her dream? Review the things Pacha was upset about when she awoke.

b. Now what do you think this story is about? What do Pacha and Plat mean by “friend platypi” and a world “without ice cream?”

c. What do you think a “Nature Girl” is? Is this a bad thing or a good thing?3. Share the Three Legged Self Literacy Tool:

We are all connected.We have all that we need within ourselves.We can create the world we want to live in.a. What do these things mean to you?

4. Start to keep track of all the characters – living and non-living – that you meet in the story. Also list any animals that are mentioned, even in passing. Keep this list visible, as you will add to it as you read the story.

5. Listen quietly to track 32, Dream Catchin’.

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a. The speaker asks many questions and thought-provoking activities. Ask students to listen and think about these prompts. Share thoughts with classmates. Don’t choose a special friend yet – you will do this later.

Explain6. Read chapter 1, Little Girl, Big Dreams, together. (Be sure to add to the character

and animal list!) Also listen to track 2, Magical Pajamas, and the first minute of track 3, Into the Dream.

7. Look at the images on pages 4-5 of Pacha’s real and imagined environment. Help students understand the two images as they compare and contrast the two.

a. Explore pollution. What are examples of pollution? Where does pollution come from? Why is pollution a problem for humans and for nature? How can humans prevent pollution?

b. Why do you think Pacha has been staying inside so much lately instead of climbing trees and playing outside?

c. Which image looks more like your neighborhood? Draw a picture of your town or city as it truly is and as you would imagine it in your dreams. What are some practices your neighborhood has in place to reduce pollution?

8. On page 3, Pacha talks about the weird weather in her city. Discuss what weather is. Discuss what climate is. Compare and contrast weather and climate.

a. What causes weather?b. What was the weather like for the past week? How do scientists know what

the weather will be like next week? Create a graph or table of the weather for the week. What trends or patterns do you notice?

c. What is your region’s climate? 9. Go on a picture walk of your neighborhood. As you walk, take pictures of evidence of

places where the landscape has been influenced by humans, plants, animals, rain, wind, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, etc. These can be both positive and negative influences.

a. Back in the classroom, review the pictures you took. b. Categorize each picture of change as either natural or human-made.c. For the human-made changes, decide if the change is negative or positive for

the environment. Was the change necessary?d. How can humans prevent change from natural and human-made events?e. What other changes have humans caused that we can’t see? Consider outer

space and the ocean.f. What plants and animals live in your community? What is their relationship

with humans and the human-built environment? How do you think the development of your neighborhood impacted the organisms living there?

a. Review the website http://litterati.org. Click on the “impact” link and navigate the map to your area. Discuss the impact of litter on the environment. Note the places with the most litter.

i. Is this what you would expect?ii. How might you explain the results?

iii. What might be done to prevent litter?

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b. Now click on the “statistics” link. What do you notice about the most commonly found items? Do you think these are the same types of items that would be found in your place? Why or why not?

10. Choose a weather experiment appropriate for the abilities of your class:a. Make Fog (from Weather WizKids):

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-fog.htm b. Make a Cloud (from Weather WizKids):

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-cloud.htm c. Explore the different types of clouds with students. Consider the difference

between fog and smog.11. Explore Pacha’s interactions with her family.

a. Pacha’s family sounds like they speak Spanish and English. Her family is from Peru. They have afro-Peruvian, Quechan, Spanish, and other ethnicities in their heritage.

b. Pacha and her parents talk about Pachamama. You can find more information about Pachamama on page 131. Do you have a cultural story about Mother Nature or a similar persona in your culture?

12. Pacha has asthma. She and her family know that pollution and stress are partly to blame for her asthma. How does Pacha cope with an asthma attack? How does her family help her?

13. Pacha’s pajamas are like their own character in their story. Explore with students the role of the pajamas and why it is special and important that Pacha’s mama gives her the pajamas. How are the pajamas connected to the three legged self literacy tool?

a. Explore the difference between how the pajamas were made and how most of our clothes are made. Check the tags of your clothes and shoes. Where are they from? How do you think they got to you?

Elaborate with Music As you listen to tracks 1 and 32, use what you have! Find and make musical

instruments from around the classroom. Keep rhythm and play along with the music as you listen. Listen to the lyrics and even sing along. What parts of track 1 give a preview about the story you’re about to read?

Elaborate with Mindfulness Take a moment to practice mindful breathing, breathing deeply and evenly without

much effort. o Sit in a chair with your spine straight and your feet planted firmly on the

floor.o Breath in and out through your nose. Feel the breath coming from the back

of the throat. Regulate your breathing in the back of the throat rather than through the nostrils.

o Open your mouth and whisper a soft, natural hhaaa sound while inhaling and exhaling. Listen to the sound. It should feel natural and unforced.

o After practicing, close the mouth and make the same sound and sensation while keeping the nostrils relaxed.

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o Notice the flow of air in the nostrils is light and the suction of the throat regulates flow.

Write a poem, story, essay, or song about a reflective topic:o Have you or a close friend ever been bullied? How did it make you feel?

What did you do about it? What do you wish you could have done about it? How do you think Pacha felt when she went back into her class?

o Pacha has big dreams. What are some of Pacha’s dreams you read about in chapter 1 and heard about in track 2? One of Pacha’s dreams is about being a hero. If you could be a hero, what would you do? Think about realistic, every-day hero activities like Pacha does, rather than focusing on magical powers. Why would you choose this heroic act? How would you accomplish your goals?

o Think about the role of Pacha’s pajamas. Have you ever had a comfort item in your life that holds special powers for you? What were these powers? How did you use your comfort item? How did the powers translate into real life?

EvaluateUse students’ writings and discussion to evaluate students’ understandings of

weather and changes in the natural world as well as their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Consider safely publishing students’ work to social media and school sites. Be sure to include #pacha, #weather, and #climate to engage.

StandardsNGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking &

Listening3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5

3-LS4-3(LS4.C)

4-ESS2-1(ESS2.A)

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.2 W.4.2 W.5.2 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

3-LS4-4(LS4.D; LS2.C)

RL.3.2 RL.4.2 RL.5.2 W.3.3 W.4.3 W.5.3 SL.3.2 SL.4.2 SL.5.2

3-ESS2-1(ESS2.D)

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.3 SL.4.3 SL.5.3

RL.3.4 RL.5.4 W.3.8 W.4.8 W.5.8 SL.3.4 SL.4.4 SL.5.4RL.3.5 RL.5.5 SL.3.6 SL.4.5 SL.5.5RL.3.6RL.3.7 RL.4.7

RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.1. What do you think this story will be about? 2. What are Pacha’s dreams? What are your dreams?3. What is pollution? Where does it come from? How can we prevent pollution?

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4. What is weather? What is climate? What’s the difference?5. Engage in some of the hands-on activities, or weather experiments, for fun and

learning.

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Chapter 2 – Chapter 3LESSON 2

Student Goals Read and understand chapters 2 and 3. Understand natural and anthropogenic changes on Earth and the impact of these

changes. Understand that people can minimize their negative impacts on the environment.

Recognize changes and aspects of interconnectedness in the local community. Understand the concept of global human footprint.

Science BackgroundPlastics in the Ocean

Plastics pose a series of problems in the ocean and come from different sources and in different forms. Most plastic enters the ocean as litter. It may be big (like pieces of fishing gear), medium (plastic bags, water bottles), small (cigarette butts), and even tiny (tiny plastic pellets are called nurdles). Plastic adds chemicals to the ocean water that are harmful for ocean organisms, but also for their predators, including humans. Plastics carry invasive species with them as they drift from their source to new locations. Plastics also harm animals when they ingest or become entangled in the plastic.

Ocean water circulates throughout the ocean basins. Within the basins, some water circulates in gyres, or large circular currents in the middle of the basin. Since plastic pollution often floats, it gets carried to these gyres and remains there for years. These gyres are also sources of food and shelter for many open water ocean creatures.

Some attempts have been made to remove plastic from the ocean. Other measures aim to reduce the amount of plastic that enters the ocean, or even the waste stream in general. Plastic cleanup in the ocean is expensive and inefficient and any recovered plastic still needs to be disposed of properly.

Some attempts at recovering plastic show promise, and recovery is a problem set that is receiving a lot of attention. One particular proposal, The Ocean Cleanup, was developed by Dutch teenager and youth leader, Boyan Slat. Read more about his project on the website: www.theoceancleanup.com.

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The five main ocean gyres.Source: http://www.theoceancleanup.com/the-problem.html

Parasites, Decomposers, and GMOs

“Bugs”, or insects, have their place in the environment. People may not like spiders, cockroaches, or mosquitos, but they are part of an ecosystem and have a role to play. Some insects are pollinators. They help plants reproduce by dispersing seeds and pollen. They act as decomposers by eating dead and decaying plants and animals, and cycling carbon, nitrogen, and nutrients back into the earth. Some insects – and other organisms – are considered parasitic. They consume their prey and, ultimately, harm or kill it. However, even parasites have a place in the ecosystem. They help keep populations under control by spreading disease, for example. Diseases are often spread more readily in highly populated or densely population areas (think of the Kindergarten classroom!). They help eliminate week or injured organisms first, ensuring the strongest pass on their genes. While parasites and pests can be an inconvenience for people, they have an important role to play in our environment.

However, too many pests or pests in the wrong places can be problematic. Litter offers homes for many pests that could bring excess disease to a place or a population that is not strong enough to fight against it. Unhealthy eating habits weaken our immune systems inhibiting our ability to fight diseases. Antibiotics in our food and modified foods also take away our bodies’ abilities to fight diseases.

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A terrestrial food web with decomposers.Source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/155257/decomposer

Genetically modified organisms (“GMOs”) pose a threat to the balance of parasites, insects, and other organisms. GMOs may become resistant to certain pests. Overtime the pests evolve to overcome the GMOs’ resistance. These stronger “superbugs” are in turn resistant to our methods to control them. The balance no longer exists, and pests become problematic in ways society isn’t prepared to combat.

While GMOs remain resistant, the balance is still upset. Consider a field of soybeans or corn. Under normal conditions, the field is home to many animals, including insects and animals that prey on insects. The food web supported by the plants is also in balance. Things live, grow, reproduce, and die, keeping populations in balance and cycling nutrients throughout the ecosystem. Now consider a pest-resistant GMO crop of soybeans or corn. Some or all of the usual insects are absent, and so are the other animals that feed on the insects. Pollination and nutrient cycling are all impacted. The fertility of the land is reduced, and the farmer may not be able to use the field for as long, or my need to add chemicals or pollutants to the field as fertilizer. This is costly for the farmer and for the environment.

Genetically modified corn and soybeans are increasingly finding their way into the American diet, often in the form of corn syrups and soy products. When eaten in excess, these foods are increasing human waistlines and therefore health issues. People process and metabolize these additives and alternatives differently than they do natural, whole foods, which can lead to health issues as well. Finally, the increasing demand for food with corn and soy products in them – bread, processed meat, soft drinks, sauces and dressings, and so much more – are putting more demand on the environment and the resources needed to mass produce monoculture genetically modified crops.

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Gaia and Connections on EarthThe concept of interconnectedness is common throughout many of the Next

Generation Science Standards at multiple grade levels. Interconnectedness is also a theme that runs throughout Pacha’s Pajamas. From a scientific perspective, Earth is home to many interconnected relationships. As indicated in the two sections above, living and non-living things are connected to each other and to the surrounding environment.

Historically, many societies have understood Earth’s interconnected nature and some have attempted to personify it. Pachamama and Mother Earth are two examples. In these examples, a mother figure embodies the life of the entire planet. Gaia is another example. The Gaia principle explicitly views Earth as a living organism. The living and non-living components of Earth are similar to the cells and processes of our bodies: they help the planet process, live, and grow.

Pachamama, Mother Earth, and Gaia all demonstrate the concept that everything on Earth is connected. Because of this connection, the actions of all living beings and groups and the changes of non-living things impact our environment.

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. Discover insects.

a. Ask students what types of animals and birds live in their school environment.

b. Give each student a hand lens and a 100 inch long string or create 12”x12” observation quadrants.

c. Lead students outside and help each student find a place to lay their string in a line or place their quadrant. Give students approximately 15 minutes to observe what lives within the boundaries: either move along the string, looking a few inches on each side or only look within the quadrants. Encourage students to practice patience and stillness. It may take a few minutes to see things moving or for things to move into the area. Students can draw, photograph, and write about what they see.

d. Afterward, ask students which organisms they could identify and which they were unfamiliar with. Ask students what role they think these organisms play in the school environment.

Explore2. Read chapter 2, Trouble in the Waters. Listen to the rest of track 3 and the first 30

seconds of track 4, All Things Can Change.a. Add to the list of characters, living, and non-living things mentioned in the

story. b. Next, start a list of ecosystems or habitats that are mentioned in the story.

Connect the items in the first list to their proper place in this list. 3. Review the story of the whale. Determine where the plastic bag came from. Explore

the life of plastic. How does it get into the ocean? Why is plastic in the ocean problematic? Brainstorm ways that students can prevent plastics from getting into

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the ocean. Some suggestions might be to participate in a beach, river, stream, or watershed cleanup; make sure waste goes into the proper bin instead of ending up on the ground; etc.

4. Go on a Litterati Walk. Start by reviewing your discoveries and discussion from Lesson 1 and the website http://litterati.org. For each piece of litter you recover, discuss where it came from and how it could have been prevented.

a. Photograph each piece of litter with Instagram. Tag the photograph with #litterati, #pacha, and the brand name or any other hashtag that describes what it is (see the list of most commonly found items on http://litterati.org/stats.php).

b. Sort the litter in some manner (e.g. by source, location, or size, etc.). What patterns or trends do you see in the littler you collected? If you had collected litter elsewhere, how might it have changed your results?

c. Look at the map again. Did your posts change the map?5. Review the characters’ concerns expressed in chapter 2 on pages 13-16 (Hum, Jag,

Pebble, and Tree). What is each character’s concern? How are their environments changing? What is the cause of each problem?

a. Recall how the environment can change from the Picture Walk and discussion in Lesson 1. Revisit the conversation. How do changes caused by people affect animals and plants? Ask students to draw a picture of one way humans positively affect plants and animals and one way they negatively affect plants and animals. Include a caption for each drawing.

b. Safely publish the drawings to social media and school sites. Include the tags #pacha, and #sustainabledevelopment.

6. Read chapter 3, Mr. Tick. a. Add to the list of characters, living, and non-living things mentioned in the

story. Add to the list of places where each lives. b. Describe the four spheres of Earth: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere,

and biosphere (see NGSS DCI ESS2.A in grade 5 for more detail). Assign each sphere a color. Identify which sphere or spheres each character is part of. Circle or underline each character with the color that corresponds to that character’s sphere(s).

c. Now that Pacha is in her dream, what is the role of her pajamas? Compare this role to their role before she fell asleep. Look at the pictures of her pajamas in chapters 1-3. What relationship do you see between the pajamas and the characters in the story?

Explain 7. Get to know Mr. Tick and the characters at the Parasite Summit. Help students

understand the chapter. Use the illustration and Mr. Tick’s poster to help students understand how increasing human populations would benefit parasites and how that could become problematic, disturbing balances in nature.

a. Explore parasites. What is a parasite? Why are parasites important? Why are they problematic?

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b. What is the purpose of the New Food Order? Explore what Mr. Tick means by “growing the human footprint”.

c. Mr. Tick focuses on modified corn and soybeans. Ask students to create a list of foods at home that have corn and soy in the list of ingredients. Make a list of the foods and a list of the corn and soy ingredients. Brainstorm alternatives to the corn and soy ingredients. Research what they are used for and determine if they are necessary. Then use cookbooks or the Internet to find recipes to make the same foods without using corn or soy. Some examples to get started may be salad dressing, bread, and ice cream. Try making some of the recipes.

8. Perform an experiment about the decomposition process. (If you are short on time, consider only doing “Part II: Growing Decomposers”.) (http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/education/curriculum/ctl/46module/unit3/lesson2.pdf)

Elaborate with Music As you listen to the parts of tracks 3 and 4 that go along with chapters 2 and 3, think

about how the music makes you feel. How does the music contribute to the story? Choose a song that you know and like. Create a pest meditation or mantra that helps you cope with a pest that may be bothersome to you. Recite your pest meditation or mantra while the song is playing and record the two together. Post the combination to a class website or other forum. Why did you choose the musical piece that you did?

Elaborate with Mindfulness Recall the first leg of the self literacy tool: We are all connected. Think about ways

that “pests” are connected to us and how we are all connected to our environment. How are Earth’s four spheres connected? Explain to students the concept of Gaia.

o Remember that while bugs may seem to be pests or problematic for people, they have a role to play in the environment. Some help keep populations in check. Others are decomposers and turn dead and dying things into soil and recycle nutrients for the environment.

o Explore the relationship between bugs as pollinators, plants, humans, and energy from the sun. Understand the connection between living things and plants and the movement of energy through food.

o Create a speech to represent the parasites and decomposers of Earth. Explain to the audience how they are an important part of the ecosystem and how they can live in balance with the rest of the planet. Explain the need for balance between populations.

The authors use many similes and metaphors in chapters 1-3. Find examples and explain what the authors are trying to say and why they are using similes and metaphors. Keep a list of similes and metaphors and add to it as you continue reading the story.

Evaluate

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Use students’ writings and discussions to evaluate students’ understandings of natural and anthropogenic changes on Earth and the interconnectedness of everything on the planet.

StandardsNGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking &

Listening3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5

3-LS4-3(LS4.C)

4-ESS2-1(ESS2.A)

5-LS2-1(LS2.A)

RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.2 W.4.2 W.5.2 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

3-LS4-4(LS4.D; LS2.C)

4-ESS3-1(ESS3.A)

5-ESS2-1(ESS2.A)

RL.3.2 W.3.3 W.4.3 W.5.3 SL.3.2 SL.4.2 SL.5.2

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 RL.5.3 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.4 SL.4.4 SL.5.4

RL.3.4 RL.4.4 RL.5.4 W.3.6 W.4.6 W.5.6 SL.3.5 SL.4.5 SL.5.5RL.3.5 RL.5.5 W.3.7 W.4.7 W.5.7 SL.3.6 SL.4.6 SL.5.6RL.3.7 RL.4.7 RL.5.7 W.3.8 W.4.8 W.5.8RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10 W.4.9 W.5.9

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.1. What role do Pacha’s pajamas play in the story now that she is in her dream?2. Perform the activities listed in the lesson.

a. How are insects useful and important?b. What changes have people made to your community? Are they positive,

negative, or both?3. What concerns about the environment do the characters express in this section?4. Explore the arguments in support and in defense of genetically modified foods

(GMOs). Where do you stand on the issue?5. Go on a Litterati walk in your neighborhood. Follow the instructions for your child’s

grade level for tracking, posting, and making sense of the litter you find.

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Chapter 4 – Chapter 7LESSON 3

Student Goals Read and understand chapters 4-7. Understand the importance of biodiversity and the threats to biodiversity from

changing environments. Understand the interconnected nature of all of Earth’s habitats.

Science BackgroundClimate Change

Climate change refers to the unprecedented change of Earth’s climate in the present day in age. While Earth’s climate has changed over the history of the planet as a result of natural cycles, this change is happening more quickly and to a greater extent than natural causes would allow.

As energy from the sun reaches Earth, some of the energy bounces off of Earth’s atmosphere, while some penetrates the atmosphere. Some of the energy that penetrates the atmosphere is absorbed, while some gets reflected off the surface of Earth. This reflected energy either bounces off the inside of the atmosphere or escapes. The energy that bounces of the inside of the atmosphere is what keeps Earth nice and warm. Without it, Earth would be too cold to support life. This is called the greenhouse effect. A greenhouse works by letting in the sun’s energy and trapping some of it. A greenhouse is warmer than its surroundings.

The natural greenhouse effect is essential to the survival of life on Earth. Climate change is intensifying the greenhouse effect.Source: http://www.livescience.com/37743-greenhouse-effect.html

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While the greenhouse effect is a good thing – essential, in fact – its effect is becoming intensified. This is climate change. The atmosphere is trapping increasing amounts of energy and heating the planet even more.

The atmosphere is made up of many different gases. Some of those gases are responsible for trapping the energy. Think of a chain-link fence. If you spray the fence with water, some of the water will go through the fence while some of the water will hit the fence. This is similar to the gases in the atmosphere. Energy bounces off some gas molecules; other energy passes through or between them. The major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water vapor. Human activity emits large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane.

Carbon dioxide comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Today, people produce energy primarily from fossil fuels. Since the industrial revolution in the late 1800’s, humans have been producing much more carbon dioxide. The increase in carbon dioxide molecules in the atmosphere has caused an increase in average global temperatures.

While humans produce much less methane than carbon dioxide, it is a more powerful greenhouse gas. Methane is mainly produced in the process of refining oil and gas, from landfills, and from agriculture.

Nitrous oxide is mostly produced through agricultural soil management. The increase in all three gases has coincided with the increase in human industrialization. As more of these gases are emitted into the atmosphere, the planet heats up.

An infographic showing various greenhouse gases, their impact, and their sources.Source: http://earthuntouched.com/greenhouse-effect-causes-consequences-reduction/

Climate Change and Biodiversity

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These few chapters of Pacha’s Pajamas look at biodiversity. Pacha talked about the different areas of the festival and all the many different organisms that should be present at the festival. The importance of the presence of all the organisms at the Nature Festival is analogous to the importance of the presence of all the organisms present on Earth today. This is biodiversity. Every organism has a role to play in its ecosystem and the relationship of these organisms is a delicate balance. Too few worms and roaches in a forest result in a pile of dead and decaying matter that choke the oxygen out of the ground and don’t provide nutrients for new plants to grow. Worms and roaches are good things.

Climate change is affecting the biodiversity of the planet. Warming temperatures threaten many species’ survival in places where they have thrived for many years. As these species die off or relocate permanently, the entire ecosystem may be threatened. One example is seen across multiple ecosystems. Plants are starting to bloom at different times because of changes in temperature, rainfall, or other weather patterns. The animals that rely on their fruit and the pollinators that the plants rely on to reproduce are not changing at the same pace as the plants are. The result is a disconnect in the food chain. Fruit eaters show up to eat and there is no fruit. Flowers bloom and no insects or mammals show up to carry seeds or pollen onward. This type of disconnect could have – and is already having – harmful economic and societal repercussions on humans. Our farmlands depend on these relationships and climate change is threatening them.

The change in the first arrival date of humming birds in Eastern North America. Humming birds arrived earlier in the recent history due to warming temperatures.Source: http://blogs.clemson.edu/discovery/files/2013/02/Courter-et-al.-2013-Assessing-Migration-of-Ruby-Throated-

Hummingbirds2.pdf

We often take these ecosystem services for granted. But once they are no longer available, the cost of engineering the service is often too high a price for us to pay. For example, shellfish naturally clean our waterways. As climate changes, so too does water temperature, and the shellfish die out or settle elsewhere. Waters become murky and contaminated. The cost of cleanup is often prohibitive.

Everyone can work to protect biodiversity. Reducing water use and carbon emissions helps to protect these organisms by decreasing the stress on their habitats and, in the case of reduced emissions, actually helps to bring the global average

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temperature back down. Protecting natural habitats that may be a safe haven for already struggling species is another way to keep ecosystems in tact and help organisms survive.

Water and Carbon FootprintsIn this lesson, different grade levels may be monitoring their footprint, or impact,

on the environment. At the middle grades, students will be measuring their water footprint. This is a measurement of how much water you use. Water is a renewable resource because it moves through the water cycle, gets cleaned, and becomes available for consumption again. (As a matter of fact, there is an absolute finite amount of water on Earth. It’s possible your morning coffee was made with ancient dinosaur urine!) However, as the human population grows, we use up the available, pre-cleaned water at a rate that is too fast for the cycle to work. We are contaminating some water sources to a point where the water is no longer useable. One source is pollutants entering the water stream. Another source is salt from rising sea levels along coastlines. In these cases, humans are actually decreasing the amount of water available for use. By being mindful of and conserving the water we use, we can ensure there is plenty of water to go around.

Carbon footprinting is a measure of your carbon dioxide emissions. These emissions come in many forms. For many of our homes, our electricity and heat is provided from coal, oil, or natural gas. These are all fossil fuels that, when burned, release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to an intensified greenhouse effect. Travelling also produces carbon dioxide. Gas and diesel cars, trains, busses, and planes all use fossil fuels to operate.

What about electric vehicles and alternative energy sources, like wind and solar? Even these low and zero emissions options have a carbon footprint. Electric vehicles that plug in to charge are often using coal, oil, or natural gas (although much less than a traditional engine). All of these alternatives do use fossil fuels in their production. Machines that build them, vehicles that transport them, and any plastics incorporated in their structure all come from fossil fuels. Even if you have solar panels on your roof, you still want to turn your lights off when they’re not in use so you don’t need to add panels or burn through bulbs more often than necessary. Plus, if you don’t use all the energy the panels produce, you can often give the extra energy back to the grid for someone else to use.

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While fossil fuel combustion (graph left) has a much larger carbon footprint than alternative energy production (graph right), alternative energy sources are not without their impact. Every effort should be made to conserve energy.Source: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn_383-carbon-footprint-electricity-generation.pdf

The foods we eat also have footprints and thus contribute to our overall footprints. Electricity production, transportation, and industry combine to produce over ¾ of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Agriculture, however, comes in at a weighty 10%. Growing food for humans and for livestock require intense energy and water inputs. Processing the food and the livestock also contributes emissions. Finally, transporting the food to grocery stores to make it available to individuals also incorporates burning fossil fuels. Eating locally, natural or organic foods that are lower on the food chain help reduce the footprint of the industry as well our own individual footprints.

This graph shows how many tons of carbon dioxide equivalent go into a variety of diets based on different food groups. Source: http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/food-carbon-footprint-diet

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. Read chapter 4, The Maask, and listen to 00:30 – 1:25 of track 4 on the album.

a. Continue adding animals and habitats to the class list. b. Brainstorm ways that the animals are connected. Decide if each organism on

the list is a producer, consumer, or decomposer. Compare relationships between predators and prey. What would happen if some of the organisms were removed from the group?

Explore2. Consider the three legged self literacy tool again:

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We are all connected.We have all that we need within ourselves.We can create the world we want to live in.

c. What does Hum mean on page 27 when she says, “nothing seems natural about nature these days”? How does this relate to the self literacy tool?

d. Re-read Señor’s joke on pages 27-28. What does the first punch line “make me one with every thing mean”? How does this relate to the self literacy tool? What does the second punch line, “change comes from within,” mean?

3. Read chapter 5, The Big Idea.a. Continue adding animals and habitats to the class list, and exploring their

relationships. 4. Review the emotions and concerns that the characters express on pages 29-30.

a. What is each character worried about? Explore the bigger problem of each concern, rather than simply quoting each character.

b. What is meant by, “… the trees are the lungs of the earth, water is the blood of the planet, and the desire to protect the climate…”?

c. How do these changing environments affect the plants and animals that live in them?

5. What happened to Pacha’s breathing when the characters were arguing? How does Pacha calm herself? What do the characters do to help her?

Explain 6. Read Chapter 6, Spirit of the Earth. Listen to the rest of track 4 and the first 00:55 of

track 5, Greatest Festival Ever. a. Continue adding characters and habitats to the lists, and explore their

relationships.7. What is a Nature Festival?

a. How can a festival help the world?b. Do you think the festival will be successful? Why or why not?

8. Explore the concept of conservation. Why is it important to be aware of the resources we use?

9. Have students calculate their water footprint for one week individually. Time showers, teeth brushing, dishes washed, and how many times the toilet flushes. Check the efficiency of appliances to calculate how many gallons of water you use.

a. At the end of the week, record students’ numbers. Create graphs and see if any trends developed over the course of the week.

b. Extrapolate the class’s findings to the rest of the school. Safely publish findings to social media or a class or school website or in a newsletter. Include tips to reduce water usage. Also include the tags #pacha and #waterfootprint.

10. Read chapter 7, Tell the World. List to 0:56-1:27 of track 5 on the album. a. Continue adding to the class list.

11. Ask each student to choose an ecosystem or habitat from which to create a mobile. Choose characters from the ongoing list to make up the living and non-living entities of the ecosystem. Draw and cut out these entities and hang them on a hanger using

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string. As you continue adding to the list throughout the rest of the story, encourage students to add characters they read about if they fit in their ecosystem.

12. Pacha says, “let’s just have the stages divided by natural borders” on page 41. What does she mean by “natural borders”? Compare mobiles and habitats. How is each habitat connected to the other? Why is it important to include so many different stages? What “natural borders” exist in your community between habitats? What habitats exist in your community? How do these habitats and borders support biodiversity?

Elaborate with Music Read Mr. Tick and Eve’s poems (pages 26 and 38 respectively). Discuss the purpose

of each poem in the context of the story.o As a class or in small groups, create your own poem to spread the word

about PACHA JAMMA. Set the poem to rhythm using percussion instruments or items around the classroom. Post the lyrical poem to a school or class website.

Listen to track 13, Horses Don’t See Colors (Like Humans Do).o What does the song mean that horses don’t see colors? How does this track

relate to the concept that we are all connected?o Does this idea relate to any current events going on in your community or in

your country?Elaborate with Mindfulness Recall different ways that Pacha learned to calm herself in these chapters and how

nature helped her. Head outside to a natural setting on a pleasant day. Sit quietly in stillness and practice the mindful breathing learned in Lesson 1. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature around you. If you think you don’t hear any sounds, listen deeper. After a few, long minutes, open your eyes, but remain quiet and still. Look at the trees, grass, clouds, and animals around you.

o In a science notebook or journal, write about how this experience in nature made you feel.

o How could you use this practice or the memory of this experience at a time when you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or panicked?

Read the second paragraph on page 45. What references does the author make to modern technology?

o Read and explore the article The Eagle and the Condor Prophecy at http://www.pachamama.org/blog/the-eagle-and-the-condor-prophecy. How can technology and nature go hand-in-hand? Find the reference to the eagle and the condor on page 35. How does this fit in?

o How can technology and nature go hand-in-hand?EvaluateUse students’ writings and discussion to evaluate students’ understandings of conservation, activism, and biodiversity.

Standards

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NGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking & Listening

3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 53-LS4-3(LS4.C)

5-ESS2-1(ESS2.A)

RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.2 W.4.2 W.5.2 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

3-LS4-4(LS4.D, LS2.C)

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 RL.5.3 W.3.3 W.4.3 W.5.3 SL.3.2 SL.4.2 SL.5.2

RL.3.4 RL.4.4 RL.5.4 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.4 SL.4.4 SL.5.4RL.3.5 RL.5.5 W.3.6 W.4.6 W.5.6 SL.3.5 SL.4.5 SL.5.5RL.3.6 W.3.7 W.4.7 W.5.7 SL.3.6 SL.4.6 SL.5.6

RL.4.7 RL.5.7 W.3.8 W.4.8 W.5.8RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10 W.5.9

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.1. What is the meaning of Señor’s joke? What does he mean by “make me one with

everything”?2. What is a Nature Festival? How can it help the planet?3. Begin to explore climate change. Consider biodiversity by looking at all the

organisms in the story so far and how human carbon emissions are changing those organisms’ habitats.

4. Calculate your family’s water or carbon footprint. How can your family reduce your footprint? Why is this a good thing to strive for?

5. The characters in the story help Pacha calm down and reduce the intensity of an asthma attack. How can you use a combination of what you have within yourself and nature to help you through difficult times?

6. Read the article The Eagle and the Condor Prophecy at http://www.pachamama.org/blog/the-eagle-and-the-condor-prophecy. How can technology and nature go hand-in-hand? Find the reference to the eagle and the condor on page 35. How does this fit in?

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Chapter 8 – Chapter 10LESSON 4

Student Goals Read and understand chapters 8 – 10. Form a basis for climate change concepts. Develop an understanding of conservation and activism. Link efforts, such as

festivals, to a cause. Understand where resources come from and that some resources are in limited

supply.

Science BackgroundRenewable and Nonrenewable Resources

Renewable resources are resources that are in endless supply or can be replenished. Some obvious renewables are solar, wind, and hydropower energy. Water and wood are also considered renewable.

Nonrenewable resources are resources that are finite in supply. Fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and natural gas, will be gone once we use the supplies in the ground that are there today. Metals and ores are also nonrenewable.

Some resources that were traditionally renewable may not be so forever. Water is naturally cycled and can be cleaned and treated manually. Traditionally water has been categorized as a renewable resource. However, at the rate humans are using water and irreversibly polluting and contaminating water, scientists are increasingly considering it nonrenewable. Wood is considered renewable because you can produce more trees at the same rate that you cut them down for use. Like water, however, humans are cutting down trees at an irreplaceable rate. One might consider the polar ice caps and glaciers as renewable resources. They provide a service of regulating climate and supplying a fresh water source as they shrink and expand with the seasons. However, due to climate change, this endless supply of ice may decrease considerably, further altering the climate.

Impacts of Climate ChangeClimate change impacts the environment in many different ways. Some impacts

are more simple, immediate, and obvious while others are quite complex. It is important for students to understand that climate change is more complex than increasing global temperatures. These are some examples of the secondary impacts of climate change. This is not an exhaustive list and may be too complex for some grade levels. Warming seas. The ocean is a huge sink for the sun’s energy. Think about looking

down at an ocean from a satellite image or from a plane. The darkness of the ocean’s vast, open spaces is very effective at absorbing heat. Since the ocean is so vast and constantly shifting with its currents, it is also effective at dissipating that heat. However, as more of the sun’s energy is trapped the ocean absorbs ever more heat. As the temperature of the ocean increases, it influences weather patters and the habitats of many organisms, including corals.

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Source: http://oceanbites.org/sea-ice-and-albedo-should-we-be-worried/

Rising sea levels. When something receives more energy, or heats up, it expands. As the ocean warms, the water expands. Warming melts ice caps and glaciers. Much of the ice that melts drains into the ocean. The combination of expanding sea water and increased meltwater in the ocean results in rising sea levels. Some low lying coastal areas as well as entire islands and island nations are threatened to be underwater in the next 10-100 years. Other low-lying areas are threatened with seawater intrusion as rising ocean water gets into freshwater aquifers and ground water systems. Higher sea levels also mean higher high tides. High tides and storms cause increased flooding and damage to coastal zones as sea level rises.

Source: http://strangesounds.org/2013/11/if-all-the-ice-melted-scary-maps-show-effects-of-rising-water-level-around-the-world.html

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Increased number and severity of extreme weather events. As the planet heats more and differently than it has in recent geologic history, weather patterns are affected. Warming ocean temperatures drive stronger hurricanes and thunderstorms. Hotter days lead to longer, more intense droughts. Large-scale patterns like El Niño and monsoon seasons are impacted driving more intense rains, winds, and droughts.

Source: http://www.nrdc.org/health/climate/extreme-weather.asp

Another challenge of climate change is its evasive evidence. One can’t say that a single off-the-charts hot summer in one city is the result of climate change. Scientists look at large scale patterns to identify evidence of climate change so they can better understand the implications. Indicator species are one example of these studies. Indicator species are organisms that respond in a way that is indicative of change. As climate changes in some areas, frogs have been noted to “disappear”. Scientists now look at the health of frog populations in these areas to determine the health of the ecosystem. Indicator species are the scientific canaries in the coal mine.

Ai Wei Wei’s Bird’s NestPACHA JAMMA’s festival stadium is designed in the likeness of the 2008 Olympic

opening ceremony stadium in Beijing, China, also known as The Bird’s Nest. Ai Wei Wei was the original designer of the stadium. Later, Ai Wei Wei withdrew from the project

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and denounced and regretted joining the project. Ai Wei Wei’s objections come from a human rights perspective against the Chinese communist party. His action in designing and withdrawing from the stadium project combined with his other social justice art efforts are examples of using creativity for a purpose, much like PACHA JAMMA itself.

Climate change is also tied to the stadium and the 2008 olympics. China is one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide in the world, a greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. At times, the smog in Chinese cities is so bad it is hazardous to human health and constantly visible in the air. For the 2008 Olympics, China took measures to move coal-fired plants and move other major polluters out of the city limits or demanded they shut down for weeks leading up the event in an effort to clean the air. Only some of these efforts were permanent and had little to no effect on reducing emissions in the long term.

While much social and environmental injustice is wrapped up in the iconic Bird’s Nest, it can also be a symbol to remind us of how we can and should change.

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. In small groups, head outside to the schoolyard, park, or wooded area. With local,

natural resources, devise a plan to build a shelter. Break into teams, leaders, and different tasks. Construct the shelter out of naturally occurring materials, without harming any living things (use broken branches off the ground rather than taking them off trees). If a natural place is not available, use objects from the classroom or home.

a. What was the structure of your group? Did you have a leader? “Workers”? Teams? How did you choose them?

b. What worked well in building your shelter? What didn’t work well? c. What resources were easy to find? Which resources were in short supply?

How did you manage without these resources?d. How could you have built a stronger, better shelter?

Explore2. Read chapter 8, Greatness is Hard Work, and listen to 1:25-2:35 of track 5, Greatest

Festival Ever.a. Add new characters and habitats to the mobiles as applicable.

3. Señor “popped-up with another great idea, saying that the whole festival should be about CHANGE!” (page 49-50).

a. Review the difference between weather and climate and then introduce climate change. Explain the greenhouse effect and its importance, but also the problem with an intensified effect or global warming.

b. Many students struggle with the idea of a problematically warming planet when they live in a place with long, cold winters. Help students understand that the planet is warming on average, as a whole. Winter will not go away any time soon. Review the concept of calculating averages. Remind students that if the temperature is rising on average some places may get colder while others get warmer.

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c. Another side effect of climate change is changing patterns and more or more intense extreme weather events. Find examples of extreme events in the news or in your area. (Think of the “flood of the century” that happens significantly less than 100 years since the last one.) Explain to students that human demand on the environment is causing the climate around the world to get warmer. A changing climate makes it hard for plants and animals to survive in ways they are used to.

d. Explore ways that plants, animals, and humans are changing as a response to climate change. Focus on the positive aspects:

i. Conservation of natural resources (like recycling, composting, carpooling, and turning off lights)

ii. Some plants and animals are adapting – moving to new locations or changing their behavior.

e. Pacha noticed on page 50 that the festival grounds were so diverse they could support all the different plants and animals of the world.

i. How is a changing environment problematic for so many of these plants and animals?

4. Read about the renewable resources used to power the festival on page 52.a. What are renewable vs. nonrenewable resources?

5. As characters start arriving to the stadium, “the entire planet came – except for the humans” (page 54).

a. Why is it important for humans to be part of the festival, and part of the solution for climate change?

b. How was your experience building a shelter similar to the experience of the characters as they built the stadium? How was it different?

c. What are some examples of renewable and nonrenewable resources that were used in the process of building the stadium?

d. What are examples of renewable and nonrenewable resources and energy in your home and school?

6. At the end of chapter 8, recall your experience building the shelters. How was your experience building a shelter similar to the experience of the characters as they built the stadium? How was it different?

Explain 7. Read chapter 9, Welcome to PACHA JAMMA!, and listen to the rest of track 5.

a. Add any new characters and habitats to the mobiles as applicable. 8. Read and listen to Wilder’s welcome speech for the festival.

a. What are the “tough times” and why are the characters “struggling to survive”?

b. What “change” is Wilder talking about?9. Listen to track 6, Welcome to PACHA JAMMA, and review Pacha’s emotions and

speech as she opens the festival. a. Recall the second self literacy tool: “We have all that we need within

ourselves”. How do Pacha’s pajamas help her? How much of the pajamas’

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energy and motivation come from the pajamas and how much comes from Pacha’s own inner strength?

b. What signs of leadership did Pacha demonstrate as she kicked off the festival? What do you have within yourself to be a strong leader?

10. Read chapter 10, Message in a Bottle.a. Add any new characters and habitats to the mobiles as applicable.

11. At the forest stage, Pacha meets “guardians” working to limit human activities in nature.

a. What does it mean to be a guardian or a steward? Of the environment?b. How can people continue to enjoy spending time in nature without harming

the environment?Elaborate with Music There are a lot of activities – like games and contests – happening at PACHA JAMMA

that may not seem conservation or change oriented. o Listen to tracks 7 and 8.o Create new lyrics to track 8 or create your own song or wrap to explain ways

that you are connected to nature. Listen to track 20, Frog Talk.

o Frogs are indicator species, as seen at the River State on page 66. Explore why indicator species are important to science and relevant to climate change.

o In what ways is Avalon Thiesen a youth leader? o How can music be a powerful way to get a point or a message out?

Elaborate with Mindfulness Look again at the message Pacha found in the bottle. She remembers that the black

and white symbols represent Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are ancient symbols for balance. Placed together, they form a complete circle. In each half, there is a small portion of the other embedded.

o Explore the relationship between Yin and Yang and the balance in nature.o In your science notebook or journal, write about ways that climate change

and other changes affect the balances in nature. At the end of chapter 10, Tree says to Pacha, “Don’t just do something, sit there!”

How is this different than what most people say? How can not doing something be productive? What does “being mindful” mean to you? Write about it in your science notebook or journal.

EvaluateUse students’ writings and discussion to evaluate students’ understandings of basic climate change concepts and conservation.

StandardsNGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking &

Listening3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5

3-LS4-3 4-PS3-2 5-LS2-1 RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.2 W.4.2 W.5.2 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

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(LS4.C) (PS3.A, PS3.B)

(LS2.A)

3-LS4-4(LS4.D, LS2.C)

4-ESS3.A(ESS3.A)

5-ESS2-1(ESS2.A)

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 RL.5.3 W.3.3 W.4.3 W.5.3 SL.3.2 SL.4.2 SL.5.2

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.4 RL.4.4 RL.5.4 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.4 SL.4.4

RL.3.7 RL.4.7 RL.5.7 W.4.9 W.5.9 SL.3.5 SL.4.5 SL.5.5RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10 SL.3.6 SL.4.6 SL.5.6

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.1. How is climate change affecting balance in nature?2. How can a festival with all its activities make a difference for a cause like climate

change?3. How does Tree help Pacha at the end of chapter 10? What are some ways nature

has helped you, too?

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Chapter 11LESSON 5

Student Goals Read and understand chapter 11. Understand additional impacts of climate change. Explore ways that human activities exacerbate problems associated with climate

change. Establish ideas about how people can help mitigate climate change.

Science BackgroundClimate Change Issues at PACHA JAMMA

The impacts of climate change impact different parts of the world and different environments in a variety of ways. Previous lessons touched on a few of these impacts. Below are additional impacts and how they affect the habitats that Pacha visits at PACHA JAMMA in chapter 11. Use this information to help form and lead the discussions and activities in the Explain and Explore portions of this lesson. At the Ocean Stage, the participants are concerned about oil spills, overfishing, and

ocean plastic. Oil spills are not a result of climate change. However, emissions from the use of fossil fuels like oil are contributing to climate change. As fossil fuel companies look for more fuel to extract, they increase the risk of accidents, such as oil spills. Oils spills can be challenging and costly to clean up and can be irreversibly damaging to ecosystems. Overfishing is also not a result of climate change. However, changing climate and ocean temperatures threaten many species of fish. These threats combined with humans’ increased fishing efforts have greatly reduced the number of fish in our seas. See lesson 2 for ocean plastic issues.

At the Savannah Stage, the participants are concerned about poaching and disappearing species. Like overfishing, poaching is not a result of climate change, but human activities put increased pressure on already threatened species. Others are disappearing species. They are moving from their normal environments or going extinct because they cannot adapt to a changing climate.

At the Tundra Stage, the participants are concerned about glacier tracking and changing weather. Glacier tracking is an important practice to measure changes in ice cover in glacial areas. As global temperatures warm, glaciers retreat. Under stable circumstances, glaciers expand during the cold months and shrink during warmer months. In this natural cycle, some warmer years show more shrinking than other years. To see if a large amount of shrinking is normal or extreme due to climate change, scientists must track a glacier’s patterns. Changing weather was addressed in previous lessons.

At the Forest Stage, the participants discuss reforestation, forest guardians, and disappearing species. Reforestation and forest guardians are efforts to combat deforestation – a result of human logging, mining, and farming activity. This stress combined with the stress of changing weather, temperatures, and rainfall threatens

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forests and jungles as well as the organisms that call them home. Like the savannahs, disappearing species are a problem here as well.

At the River Stage, the participants are concerned about indicator species, water impurity, and damming. Indicator species were addressed in Lesson 4. Water impurity and damming are both human activities that put added stress on the environment. Climate change does have an impact on water around the world, however. Warming waters, changes in freeze-and-thaw patterns, reduced rainfall, and increased flooding contribute to changes in the planet’s water systems. Reduced snowmelt and rainfall reduce stream and river flow in many areas. Some fish, like salmon, require full, flowing waterways to migrate to their spawning, mating, or feeding grounds. Increased flooding brings silt, sediment, and pollutants into waterways harming wildlife and freshwater supplies. Damming can change environments sometimes for the worse, despite providing emission-free energy. Upstream the waterway floods while downstream areas see a drastic change and reduction in available water. Dams can also disrupt nutrient flow. While not direct contributors of climate change, dams can exacerbate climate change challenges.

At the Grassland Stage, the participants are concerned about pollination. Climate change impacts on pollination were addressed in Lesson 3.

At the Alpine Stage, the participants were concerned about conservation. Alpine environments are particularly sensitive. Harsh weather means short growing and feeding seasons for many organisms (many Alpine organisms have stunted growth or rely on long periods of dormancy). As climate changes, changing temperatures will impact already delicate balances. Changing weather patterns can disrupt relationships and dependencies as well. Studies have found some organisms are adapting to a warming climate by moving up in latitude or in elevation to stay with the colder temperatures. In the Alpine environment, many organisms are already living as far “up” as they can and have nowhere to go.

At the Cultivated Lands Stage the participants were concerned about air pollution, water contamination, soil contamination, genetic engineering, and global warming. The cultivated lands are the lands used for agriculture, mining, quarrying, as well as human living spaces like cities and towns. Air pollution includes all the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. It also includes other particulate matter that poses challenges to human health. Particulate matter can also impede photosynthesis in some plants. Soil contamination can occur from over-fertilization, pesticide use, and herbicide use, as well as spills, such as chemicals from farms or factories. Like other issues raised, the human activities that lead to soil contamination can exacerbate the problems posed by climate change, such as desertification. Water contamination, genetic engineering, and global warming have been addressed in previous lessons.

At the Desert Stage, participants were concerned about desertification, mining, and erosion. Desertification occurs as a region’s climate becomes dryer, one impact of climate change in some regions. As an area loses its moisture and fewer plants can grow and survive, the moisture in the soil also evaporates. This is an example of a positive feedback loop. Erosion is also connected to desertification. Mining is a

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human activity that tends to cause pollution, on the ground, in the water, and in the air. Some mining activities and processing of mining products are high carbon and mercury emitters, further contributing to increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

At the Jungle Stage Pacha meets the “Primates for PACHA JAMMA”. While concerns aren’t expressed here, jungles face many of the same challenges as forests. Furthermore, Pacha has made the connection between primates and humans many times throughout the story. Humans need to be a part of the solution as they have been the source of the climate change problem. Track 10, Wake Up Everybody, ties into the importance of humans as part of the solution.

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. Look at the image on pages 72-73.

a. What observations can you make about the image? b. What similarities do you see between the class’s mobiles and this image?

What differences do you notice? Explore2. Read chapter 11, Lay of the Land.

a. Add any new living and non-living components to the mobiles as applicable. Include any information from the image on pages 72-73 as well as what is written in the text.

Explain 3. As you read, make a list of the different stages that Pacha visits. Identify the habitats

where the different stages are. Combine what you read with what you see in the image on pages 72-73.

a. Identify the boundaries between the different habitats. Are these boundaries realistic? Why or why not?

b. Identify the living and non-living characteristics of your mobile in the image on pages 72-73. Which stage would the plants and animals in your mobile belong to?

4. Listen to track 32, Dream Catchin’, again. Invite students to choose an action stage that interests them the most. From that stage and habitat, have each student choose an animal “special friend” as track 32 indicates. Students will be doing a final project on this animal or habitat, so it will be their special friend for the rest of the story, not just for the night. Save student responses as students will build on them.

a. Start connecting with your animal by creating a collage card or drawing of it in its habitat.

b. Have each student present their animal to the rest of the class. Include the name of the animal’s habitat, the Action Stage they belong to, and how that Action Stage’s habitat connects to and interacts with its naturally bordering habitats.

c. Present how one issue relating to climate change or changes in their habitat that are challenging that animal and habitat.

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d. Have the rest of the class respond with ways that the animal and/or its habitat could be helped.

e. Have each presenter share why they chose that animal. f. Safely publish the totem collage cards and drawings to social media and

school sites using #pacha.Elaborate with Music As a class, listen to track 18, Hip-Hop-Opotomus.

o Sing along with the track. Add your own verses. Listen to track 10, Wake Up Everybody. Why is it important for humans to be a part

of the climate change solution? Listen to the lyrics of each verse. What problems and solutions can you identify in this track?

Elaborate with Mindfulness Re-read the last paragraph in chapter 11. Recall your discussion of “mother earth”

from lesson 1. Pachamama is part of many cultures around the Andes. Pachamama is similar to figures in other cultures such as Gaia and Mother Nature.

o In students’ science notebooks or journals, or in small group discussions, share what Pacha’s mama meant when she said “we are all stardust becoming aware of our connectedness”.

o Research other “mother earth” figures from other cultures. Research and share their stories.

EvaluateUse students’ writings and discussion to evaluate students’ understandings of the challenges facing the environment due to climate change and how humans can prevent further disruption or contribute to solutions.

StandardsNGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking &

Listening3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5

3-LS4-3(LS4.C)

4-ESS2-1(ESS2.A)

5-ESS2-1(ESS2.A)

RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.2 W.4.2 W.5.2 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

3-LS4-4(LS4.D, SL2.C)

4-ESS3-1(ESS3.A)

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.2 RL.5.2 W.3.3 W.4.3 W.5.3 SL.3.2 SL.4.2 SL.5.2

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 RL.5.3 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.3 SL.4.3 SL.5.3RL.3.4 RL.4.4 RL.5.4 W.3.6 W.4.6 W.5.6 SL.3.4 SL.4.4 SL.5.4RL.3.5 W.3.7 W.4.7 W.5.7 SL.3.5 SL.4.5 SL.5.5RL.3.6 W.3.8 W.4.8 W.5.8 SL.3.6 SL.4.6 SL.5.6RL.3.7 RL.4.7 RL.5.7RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.

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1. Review the issues raised at each action stage. As you do so, identify the action stage in the image on pages 72-73. Help your student understand the issues.

2. Listen to tracks 18, Hip-Hop-Opotomus. Sing a long with the chant and add your own verses.

3. Choose a “special friend” as track 32 indicates. Perform some of the thoughts and meditative practices included in track 32.

4. Read the last paragraph in chapter 11. What did Pacha’s mama mean when she said “we are all stardust becoming aware of our connectedness”? Choose a clear night to stargaze. Consider a friend or relative in a different state or country. They are seeing the same stars. How are we all connected and how are we connected to the universe?

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Chapter 12 – Chapter 14LESSON 6

Student Goals Read and understand chapters 12 – 14. Understand how human activities impact the environment of other organisms. Acknowledge that some weather events are naturally more extreme than others.

Some of these events are extreme due to climate change. People can brace for but not prevent the impacts of extreme weather and natural hazards.

Science BackgroundMonkey Trap

Monkey traps do not catch monkeys. A monkey trap is a phrase used to describe an idea or concept that has given positive results in the past but is now blinding and distracting.

There are many examples of this problem outlined in Oliver Burkeman’s article (http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/14/how-to-avoid-monkey-trap-oliver-burkeman ) . Even simpler models have been floating around social media recently. Try this example, and then ask your students to try it.

Your monkey-trapped brain probably tried to scan the numbers first. But if you escape from the monkey trap, your brain can look for a mistake outside of the number line before reading through the numbers.

Pacha becomes momentarily caught in a monkey trap in chapter 12. Her brain tells her that shiny things are good and have value. Yet by holding on to the shiny thing physically and to that mental image of value, she puts herself in danger. If she can move beyond the traditional way of thinking, she will be able to save herself. (Ultimately, her

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PJ’s help her overpower her mental need for shiny objects and she saves herself by letting go!)

The monkey trap is in full play with climate change. People are trapped by their old and current ways of thinking. They cannot imagine a new way of living or a new solution to a problem. Energy use is one example. Reliance on energy is the monkey trap. Rather than finding ways of reducing energy demand, we are finding new ways to produce energy that allow us to remain as dependent on energy as ever. As Burkeman states, “we’re so rigidly attached to a certain notion of progress that we can’t let go when it turns against us.” Escaping the monkey trap would be to consider a new way of thinking about our need for energy. Perhaps we don’t need energy as much or as badly as we thought we did?

Consider sharing Burkeman’s article with students and asking them to think of other monkey traps that have trapped them or society.Answer: The mistake is in the word, not in the numbers. “Mitsake” is spelled incorrectly!

A Brief History of Climate Change Science and SkepticismThe basis for understanding climate change began in the 1800s when a scientist

named John Tyndall first understand the essential concepts behind the greenhouse effect. Tyndall recognized the greenhouse effect’s implications on climate (as explained in lesson 3). He even indicated that fluctuating levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could affect global climate. Tyndall’s work led to some of the first climate models with regard to increased CO2 in the late 1800s. The numbers were often inaccurate (remember there were no computers yet), but the trends were spot on: increased CO2 in the atmosphere could increase global temperature.

Jump ahead nearly 100 years to the mid 1900s. In 1958 Charles Keeling began recording the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Known as the Keeling Curve, the graph of the data has become a staple in measuring how much CO2 is in the atmosphere. Keeling’s famous graph had and has many important implications for climate change science. Perhaps most importantly, Keeling’s graph helps link climate change to human activity. CO2 concentration in the atmosphere rises in conjunction with human carbon dioxide emissions and with global average temperatures.

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The Keeling Curve from April 6, 2015 showing current CO2 concentration. Source: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/programs/keelingcurve/wp-content/plugins/sio-bluemoon/graphs/mlo_full_record.png

As early as the 1970’s, an era that is often recognized as the birth of the environmental movement, climate change began to receive serious attention. Reports from the World Meteorological Organization, the National Research Council, the US Department of Energy, and other organizations began expressing concern around climate change.

In 1988 the IPCC, or International Panel on Climate Change, formed. The IPCC was established by the United Nation’s Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization. The IPCC’s role is “to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential…impacts.” It is a non-partisan, international group. It does not do science. Rather, it reports on the findings of scientists at regular intervals through Assessment Reports.

Through the work of climate scientists and reports by organizations such as the IPCC, by the end of the 20th century, a scientific consensus had been established that climate change was an environmental threat and that human activity was more likely than not the cause of climate change. Even political leaders were beginning to address how to adapt to and or mitigate climate change.

Yet, skepticism remained. Many climate change historians have pinned the seed of climate change skepticism on the George C. Marshal Institute. In the 1970s and 1980s, a small handful of individuals working at the think tank had successfully campaigned for the tobacco companies and against the Soviets in the Cold War using campaign strategies of “unsettled science” and “doubt mongering”. They claimed that the science around the topics was unsettled; scientists disagreed; there was no consensus; and it would be premature for governments to step in. They used this tactic to bolster support for the tobacco industry’s claim that smoking was not harmful. They also used these arguments to foster support for improved and increased nuclear capability in the US to fight the Soviets. These campaigns had been so successful that with the tobacco fight behind them and the cold war over, they began attacking

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environmental “extremism”, to include climate change science. These individuals were scientists, but they were not climate, nuclear, or cancer scientists. Their ties to the industry were hard or impossible to trace. Because of this, they gained credibility among the general public who could not see their true motives.

Since Tyndall’s work in the 1800s, climate models have become stronger and more accurate. Socially, there remains some debate about the cause and impact of climate change. However, in the scientific community among climate scientists, there is no debate over the cause of warming. The vast majority of climate scientists agree that climate change is caused by human activity.

The fifth and most recent IPCC Assessment Report, released in 2014, states that global climate change is “extremely likely” to have been predominantly caused by “anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions” since the pre-industrial era. This means that human activities are undoubtedly causing climate change. Contradictions to the science lie in a few, powerful individuals with loud voices and without the proper background to make their claims.Source: Oreskes, N. & E. Conway. Merchants of Doubt. Bloomsbury Press. New York, NY. 2010.

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. Read chapter 12, Monkey Traps.

a. Add living and non-living things to your mobiles, as applicable.2. Listen to track 9, Occupy PACHA JAMMA, spoken by Ta’kaiya at Earth Summit.

a. Who is Ta’kaiya speaking on behalf off? What is her message?b. Help students understand the vocabulary words and the issues raised. c. How are these issues related to your “special friend” and its habitat?d. Recall the third piece of the 3 Legged Self Literacy Tool: We can create the

world we want to live in. How is this message reflected in track 9?e. What does Ta’kaiya mean by “our priorities are to the land and water. We

need to change or there will be no future”?f. How is PACHA JAMMA addressing the last two sentences in this track?g. Visit the Youth LeadeR website (http://www.global.youth-leader.org) and

consider taking action that is appropriate for the class. 3. At the end of chapter 12, Pacha gets stuck in a monkey trap. Explore the figurative

meaning of monkey traps.a. How do Pacha’s pajamas help her?b. How can people get caught in monkey traps? What are some examples?c. How can you escape a monkey trap?d. How do human monkey traps relate to climate change?

Explore4. Read chapter 13, The Storm.

a. Add any new living and non-living things to your mobiles.5. What did Pacha and Plat discover deep in the caves? Look at the pictures of Mr.

Tick’s presentation in his lair on page 93. Help students understand the increase in human population and the increase in parasites.

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a. Explain to students that 10,000 years ago, humans were a small part of the planet. 90% of the mammals on the earth were wild. Today, humans make up 90% of mammals on earth. Ask students to consider the impacts of this change. If there are not a lot of humans but a lot of wild animals, there are plenty of resources for all the humans and the animals. If there are a lot more humans, there may not be enough resources to go around, and the amount of waste would also increase. (For more background on the subject see: http://postgrowth.org/the-bomb-is-still-ticking/)

Explain 6. Listen to tracks 15 and 16, Faux News and Stormy Weather.

a. What words do the authors use to describe the storm? How does this compare to today’s weather?

b. Storms happen naturally in nature. Why were the animals so afraid of this storm?

c. In track 16, Kaaliya wants to see “… the sea calm the clouds”. How are the sea and the clouds connected? How could the sea stop the storm?

7. The authors and track 15 calls this storm a “superstorm”.a. What are some ways that scientists know when and what kind of weather

events to expect?b. How do scientists know if a weather event is normal or abnormal?c. What are the natural hazards that your totem animal’s Action Stage habitat

faces?d. What are extreme weather events relating to climate change that affect your

habitat? What impact will those events have?8. Record and Observe Weather

a. As a class, choose a severe weather event to research in your area (tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, floods, etc.). Choose a variable to record. (number of occurrences, category, length, severity, etc.). Create a bar graph representing the data over the last 10 years.

b. What conclusions can you draw from your graph?c. Choose a second event to compare to the first. Add the data to the bar graph

you already created. d. Compare and contrast the data. Draw conclusions.

9. Natural Hazard Experimenta. Assign groups of students different natural hazards, like severe wind or rain,

floods, and mudslides. Give each group materials to build and test a solution to prevent damage from their natural hazard. (For example, all students may have a plastic tub with sand and a spray bottle. Solution items may include popsicle sticks, toothpicks, clay “bricks”, string, etc.)

b. Help students evaluate how well their solution worked and how they might improve the solution. (One example: students may build a house on the sand out of legos, blocks, or clay. Next, they pour water around the base of the house to represent flooding. They see how well their building withstands flooding and erosion, and then can rebuild the building in a different manner

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and try again. Another example: students place small scraps of paper or light seeds in an area of dirt. They then plant “trees” or popsicle sticks around the field of seeds as a wind block. Using a fan they can see how well their tree stand prevents erosion and soil loss.)

10. Read chapter 14, A Song of Hope. a. Add any new living and non-living things to your mobiles.

11. On page 95 Pacha compares humans to parasites. Do you think humans are like parasites? Why or why not? Re-read the second paragraph in chapter 14 to help form your argument.

12. In chapter 14, all the animals come together to rebuild the stadium and bask in the feeling of repair after the storm.

a. Think of your totem animal and the climate change issues it and its habitat are facing. How could a team work together to help or save its environment?

Elaborate with Music Listen to tracks 11, 12, and 14 (Butterfly Life, Coyote News Network, and I Found My

Music). o Why are these tracks included in the album? How do they relate to the

characters and the issues at the festival? Listen to tracks 17, 19, and 23 (Jungle Work, Use What You Got, and We Are All

Connected). o How are we all connected? Brainstorm ways that humans are connected to

their environment. Chapter 14 is titled A Song of Hope. Make a nature orchestra similar to the one

Pacha experiences on page 96. Make a simple beat and then direct kids to add their own sound from nature to the beat. Direct the orchestra by taking sounds in and out. Record and safely publish the class’s song of hope to social media and school sites using the tags #pacha and #natureorchestra.

Elaborate with Mindfulness Listen to track 22, Sir Elephant. Consider how Sir Elephant looks at problems as

opportunities. Write about a time you helped to respond to a problem or crisis. What role did you play? What challenges did you face? Were you and your group successful in responding? Why or why not?

In chapter 14, the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdom create a beautiful mandala to represent their friends that they lost during the story. Think about the things that you are grateful for in your life. Every day, ask one student to share something that they are grateful for and keep a list of their responses. Once everyone has shared, ask students to choose an item from the list and create a mandala to represent it. Photograph the mandalas and safely publish them to social media and a school site using the tags #pacha and #gratitudechallenge.

EvaluateUse students’ writings and discussion to evaluate students’ understanding of human impacts on the environment of different organisms.

Standards

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NGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking & Listening

3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 53-LS4-3(LS4.C)

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.3 W.4.3 W.5.3 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

3-ESS2-1(ESS2.D)

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.2 SL.4.2 SL.5.2

3-ESS3-1(ESS3.B)

RL.3.4 RL.5.4 W.3.8 W.4.8 W.5.8 SL.3.3 SL.4.3 SL.5.3

RL.3.7 RL.4.7 SL.3.6 SL.4.6 SL.5.6RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.1. What is a monkey trap? How is climate change a monkey trap?2. How can you tell if a weather event is “natural” or a result of climate change? What

can people do in the face of extreme weather and natural hazards?3. Listen to Ta’kaiya and Avalon Thiesen in tracks 9 and 20, respectively. Do some

research on the Internet about their efforts. What do you think a youth leader is?4. Look at the images in Mr. Tick’s lair. How does the change in human and parasite

populations impact the balance of nature? Read the article The Bomb is Still Ticking… to help facilitate this conversation. http://postgrowth.org/the-bomb-is-still-ticking/

5. Watch the trailer for the movie Planetary (http://www.lawrenceellis.net/Vimeo-Planetary/) and listen to tracks 17, 19, 22, and 23 (Jungle Work, Use What You Got, Sir Elephant, and We Are All Connected). How do these media reinforce the idea that we are all connected to each other and to the universe?

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Chapter 15 – Chapter 17LESSON 7

Student Goals Read and understand chapters 15, 16, and 17. Raise awareness for the need to conserve a specific habitat. Understand the results of some insects seeing some colors differently.

Science BackgroundInsect Vision

Like horses, insects also see differently than humans do. Adult insects have compound eyes. Each eye is made up of multiple lenses. Contrary to popular belief, however, this does not mean that each eye sees multiple images of the same thing. Instead, each lens picks up a slightly different aspect of the whole image the insect is looking at. The image is not as clear as what we see. Rather, imagine looking at a very blurry picture of a flower. You may miss some of the detail, but you could probably identify it as a flower.

Bees, and some other insects, have three types of cone cells in their eyes. (Cones see color. Rods see light.) Bees’ cone cells see shorter wavelengths of light than humans do. This means that they often cannot see red at the long end of the color spectrum, but they can see ultraviolet light at the short end of the color spectrum. Flowers’ colors and patterns may look different to bees.

Source: http://apisuk.com/Bees/2011/02/pollination-how-flowers-appear-to-bees/

The implications for climate change science are important. Changes in climate will dictate where different types of plants can grow. If the range of plants and their pollinators changes separately, new plant-pollinator relationships may fail if the plants are the “wrong” color or the “wrong” pollinator is present.

As humans use biological tactics to adapt to and mitigate climate change, this is another characteristic of organisms that must be taken into consideration when planning out a changed environment.

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. Read chapter 15, Stop, Rock and Roll!. Listen to track 25, Rock Nation.

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a. How does a famous person, like Mr. President or Ruby, increase energy at a festival or for a cause?

b. Listen to track 26 It’s all Love.Explore2. Read chapter 16, Use What You Got.

a. How does Pacha overcome the wasp attack?b. Pacha learned from her Papa that bees can’t see red. Explore with students

the different ways that insects see thing things around them. c. While Pacha uses the wasps’ vision as a tactic to save the festival, there are

other practical applications to insect vision. Discuss some of the things from the Science Background with students.

d. Insects’ vision is biologically different from our vision. In an earlier lesson, students discussed that horses don’t “see” colors. Begin a discussion about how everyone and everything sees the world differently. Consider biological differences as well as cultural and experiential “lenses” that shape our view of the world. How can we see through someone else’s eyes? What is the benefit of looking at life with someone else’s perspective?

3. Explore insect vision.a. Create “insect eyes” using red cellophane paper. Create glasses out of pipe

cleaners, cardboard, and the cellophane paper. Ask students to hypothesize about how the glasses will affect their vision.

b. Take a walk in a garden while wearing the glasses. Ask students to observe red and pink flowers, accent items, or, in the absence of garden items, any red or pink items around. Look at other colored items as well.

c. Have students discuss their observations with a partner and take notes about what they observe. What looks “normal”? What looks different through the glasses? Take the glasses on and off to compare insect vision and human vision.

d. As a group, discuss the observations and the hypotheses. Ask students to share why some flowers might be red.

4. Setup and observe the insect vision experiment.a. Place two sheets of red paper and two sheets of black paper in laminate or

sheet protectors to protect them from water. b. Prepare a concentration of sugar water that is 1 part sugar and 3 parts water.

Pour the sugar water into two small shallow bowls. Pour plain water into two other shallow bowls. Label the bowls.

c. Tape the protected colored paper onto a table or flat area outside that will not be disturbed for a few days. Place one bowl of sugar water on a black sheet and one bowl on a red sheet. Place one bowl of plain water on a black sheet and one bowl on a red sheet.

d. Ask students to hypothesize which bowl will get the most visitors. e. Observe the bowls without disturbing them over the course of a week.

Observe which insects come to which bowls and how often.

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f. Make a plan for observing the bowls. Choose set times each day to view the bowls and count how many visitors are present. Record the data in a table. From the data, create a bar graph to compare the different bowls. Ask students to draw conclusions from their observations, data, and graphs. Compare observations and hypotheses.

Explain 5. Read chapter 17, The Final Dance.

a. Add all new living and nonliving characters from chapters 15, 16, and 17 to the mobiles.

b. Exploring the meaning of the llama’s speech on page 114.6. Listen to track 27, Les Flamingos. What do the flamingos mean by “making the world

a better place is going to take ALL OF US, including the hairless apes”?7. Ask students to recall their totem animal and its action stage. Remind students that

by now they know many of the plants and animals that live in the habitat. They know that animal’s specific habitat and the larger environment. They also understand the relationships between the living and non-living things there. They know some of the issues that the habitat faces due to climate change and human activity. They may have explored some of solutions to the problems already.

a. Tell students that they are now the leader for that action stage. Help students organize and review all the information they have researched, collected, discussed, and written about the action stage, its habitats, and it occupants.

b. Ask students to consider this information and create an action plan to promote change and conservation in their habitat.

i. What are the issues facing the habitat?ii. What is already being done to protect the habitat?

iii. What further needs should be addressed?iv. What tactic (festival, campaign, law) should be used to protect the

habitat?c. Ask each student to write a speech to announce the issue. Include

inspirational messaging to convince others that each habitat needs help from others. Consider additional campaign efforts:

i. Posters or flyers to promote the effort.ii. Online posts on social media (with #pacha) and class or schools

websites.iii. Give the movement or effort a name.

d. Ask each student to present their speech or campaign to the class.i. Consider B-Rock President’s speech in track 25 and the tactics he

used to garner support.Elaborate with Music Listen to track 19, Use What You Got track 28, Pacha’s Dance.

o Look at the pictures of Pacha’s dance on pages 118 and 119 and watch the Evolution of Dance video from the augmented reality or the YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBDHZJxFaxk).

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o As a class or in small groups, coordinate a dance or performance to track 19 or a new version of an evolution dance. Consider including a message about climate change and protecting the environment.

o Record the dance and safely publish it to social media or school website including #pacha and #evolutiondance.

Elaborate with Mindfulness Review pages 104-105 where Pacha struggles with festival attendees losing

motivation in the cause. Ask students to reflect how to keep the attention and motivation of individuals when there is hard work to be done or little “perceived” personal reward.

In this section, Pacha overcomes the wasp attack and stands up to Mr. Tick right before her final performance. Plat sings track 19, Use What You Got. How is Pacha’s newfound strength an example of her using what she has and the third leg of the Three Legged Self Literacy Tool “we have everything we need within ourselves”?

o Plat refers to this as a unique gift, something that everyone has. Ask students to reflect on what they’re unique gift or inner strength might be.

EvaluateUse students’ writings and discussion to evaluate their understandings of human efforts of conservation.

StandardsNGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking &

Listening3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5

3-LS4-3(LS4.C)

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.2 W.4.2 W.5.2 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

3-LS4-4(LS4.D, LS2.C)

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 RL.5.3 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.2 SL.4.2 SL.5.2

RL.3.4 RL.4.4 RL.5.4 W.3.6 W.4.6 W.5.6 SL.3.3 SL.4.3 SL.5.3RL.4.7 RL.5.7 W.3.7 W.4.7 W.5.7 SL.3.4 SL.4.4 SL.5.4

RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10 W.3.8 W.4.8 W.5.8 SL.3.5 SL.4.5 SL.5.5SL.3.6 SL.4.6 SL.5.6

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.1. Which action stage and its issues from the story are most interesting to you? Why?

Design a campaign to garner support for the action stage and its inhabitants. Consider posting the effort to social media with #pacha.

2. Perform the two insect vision activities. How do you think climate change could be problematic with regard insects’ vision?

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Chapter 18 – EpilogueLESSON 8

Student Goals Read and understand chapter 18 and the epilogue. Plan, execute, and evaluate a conservation project.

Science BackgroundPositive Trends in Climate Change and Conservation

There are many success stories to share with students around climate change mitigation and adaptation. Below are just a few examples. Progress in International Cooperation. The world’s two largest carbon emitters are

the United States and China. Many scientists think that without action on the part of these two nations, most other nations will not budge on emissions regulations. In 2014, for the first time the presidents of the US and China made an agreement to reduce emissions together. While the details have yet to be determined, this verbal agreement is a big step for climate change.

New Science Education Standards. With the release of the Next Generation Science Standards in the United States in 2013, educators will be required to teach about climate change in the classroom upon adopting the standards. Not only is climate change mentioned, general education about human impact on the environment is explicitly addressed. Teaching students about the implications of their actions is a big step toward environmental stewardship.

Green Ribbon Schools. The United States Department of Education has begun recognizing schools on an annual basis for being a leader in sustainability. The program recognizes three pillars: (1) reduced environmental impact and costs; (2) improved health and wellness; and (3) effective environmental and sustainability education. National recognition for a school’s green efforts indicate increased awareness of and value in sustainability across the board.

IPCC Reports. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) produces reports every few years. There have been 5 Assessment Reports issued to date, and in each publication the recognition of climate change and anthropogenic causes of climate change has increased. Some of the phrasing from the 2014 Fifth Assessment Report includes:

o “Human influence on the climate system is clear”o “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal”o “[Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions’] effects, together with those of

other anthropogenic drivers, have been detected throughout the climate system and are extremely likely to be the dominant cause of the observed [global] warming since the mid-20th century.”

o “Changes in many extreme weather and climate events have been observed since about 1950. Some of these changes have ben linked to human influences, including a decrease in cold temperature extremes, an increase in warm temperature extremes, an increase in extreme high sea levels and an

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increase in the number of heavy precipitation events in a number of regions.”

This AR5 also recognized the need to both mitigate and adapt to the risks and changes associated with climate change. This language, at such a high level, backed by so many international scientists, speaks loudly about the reality of climate change and our current situation, strengthening the argument for action.

Source: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/syr/AR5_SYR_FINAL_SPM.pdf

Grassroots Efforts. Grassroots efforts in response to climate change and awareness have grown to new heights. While there are many, some are extraordinary. 350.org’s efforts are exemplary and indicative on the growing support for climate conservation. 350.org works to spread the message to keep CO2 emissions low – preferably at less than 350 parts per million in the atmosphere. Started in 2008, 350.org is now in almost every country in the world raising support through online campaigns, organizing, and mass public actions. The rapidly growing organization is indicative of the support behind climate change attention. ACE, or Alliance for Climate Education, is another organization that is growing by leaps and bounds. They have reached nearly 2 million students through school assembly programs since 2009. They boast a contingent of over 4,000 student leaders and nearly 350,000 students that have taken action on climate change. Earth Guardians and Kids vs. Global Warming are two other examples of youth standing their ground and taking action against climate change.

Sources: 350.org; acespace.org; www.earthguardians.org; and www.imatteryouth.org

Teachers’ GuideEngage1. Read chapter 18, Who I Really Am.

a. How does the audience react when Pacha removes her mask? b. How do the characters accept Pacha as a human being?

Explore2. Recall the 3 Legged Self Literacy Tool. How is each leg expressed in this chapter?

a. We are all connected.b. We have all that we need in ourselves.c. We can create the world we want to live in.

3. On page 125, Pacha says, “It’s only a few human ideas that are the root of these problems.” What does she mean by this? What are “these problems”? Which ideas do you think are causing the problems?

Explain 4. When Pacha awoke from her dream something had changed within her. What was

the change? Ask students if they have awoken feeling changed, renewed, or invigorated. How did you feel? What did you do about it?

5. Brainstorm conservation efforts from a variety of the Action Stages that students developed based on their totem animal. Choose one to focus on.

a. Create a song, poem, or poster about the conservation efforts that are needed to protect the chosen Action Stage habitat.

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b. Perform the conservation effort as class to other classes and record and safely publish to social media and post to a school website. Include #pacha and #bethechange.

6. Read the epilogue.a. How has Pacha transformed? What is she doing differently than before?b. What happened when Pacha saw her classmates litter? c. On page 129, Pacha says “Not to mention that hamburgers and other

factory-farmed meat are causing so much of this crazy climate chaos around the world!” Help students link this back to the carbon, water, and waste footprints of their food. Recall the water tracking they did. How is this relevant?

7. As a class, choose a final, culminating conservation action to take. This can be an effort at the school, within the larger community, or an action done remotely that benefits an area represented by the Action Stage chosen above. For an eager class, you may engage in more than one effort. Some to consider:

a. Engage in the Plastic Challenge for a month. Each day, a different student can be the leader for the challenge, asking students to share their efforts and challenges.

b. Organize a pajama flash mob or We Are ALL Connected dance party to raise awareness for an effort. Perform the action at school or in your community. Safely publish the performance to social media and a school site. Include #pacha and #weareALLconnected.

c. Organize and participate in a beach, park, stream, or street cleanup. Consider integrating Litterati and doing a post cleanup analysis with recommendations to stop litter in the area based on the analysis. Or use the garbage to make art and safely publish on social media using #pacha and #litterati.

d. Begin a composting program at your school to collect cafeteria food waste.e. Campaign for Meatless Mondays. Safely publish the recipe and a report of

what you ate using #pacha and #meatlessmonday.f. Make or collect reusable bags to distribute to students and their families.g. Join the Youth-LeadeR global community.

Elaborate with Music Ask students to recall all the tracks on the album and listen to any that were not

explored in class. o Students can discuss or write about their favorite track. Why did they like it?

How does it connect them to the story? What does it add to the story?Elaborate with Mindfulness Ask students to think about their experiences with the class’s conservation efforts.

How does this compare to Pacha’s experience at PACHA JAMMA? Ask students to consider Pacha’s interaction with her classmates in the epilogue. Ask

students to write about or discuss the following situations:o Have you ever had to confront a bully? How did it make you feel?

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o Have you ever approached someone for doing the wrong thing, like littering, and asked them to stop? What did it take for you to approach them? What was the result? What, if anything, would you do differently next time?

Re-read Jag’s speech on the top of page 124. Ask students if Nature has rights, why or why not. Read Does Nature Have Rights? in the Fun Facts to add to the discussion.

Lead students in a class breathing exercise. Ask them to close their eyes and practice the mindful breathing they have learned. Then read the last paragraph on page 124 through the first full paragraph on page 125 (“’Sometimes I think we forget that there are many humans who are making the change! … the howl of the wolf, the spirit of Pachamama.’”), slowly and meditatively. Ask students to slow their monkey minds and reflect on their connectedness to each and to their surroundings.

EvaluateUse students’ writings and discussion to evaluate students’ understanding of the importance to practice and engage in conservation efforts.

StandardsNGSS Climate Change CCSS Literacy CCSS Writing CCSS Speaking &

Listening3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5

3-LS4-4(LS4.D, LS2.C)

5-ESS3-1(ESS3.C)

RL.3.1 RL.4.1 RL.5.1 W.3.3 W.4.3 W.5.3 SL.3.1 SL.4.1 SL.5.1

RL.3.3 RL.4.3 W.3.4 W.4.4 W.5.4 SL.3.4 SL.4.4 SL.5.4RL.3.4 RL.5.4 W.3.7 W.4.7 W.5.7 SL.3.5 SL.4.5 SL.5.5RL.3.10 RL.4.10 RL.5.10 W.3.8 W.4.8 W.5.8 SL.3.6 SL.4.6 SL.5.6

Parents’ CornerAs you read this section with your child, here are some ideas to inspire thoughtful conversation.1. Why is it important that Pacha represented the humans at the Nature Festival?2. Conduct a conservation effort at home or in your community. How can your family

and other reduce their impact and contribution to climate change?3. How did Pacha feel when she awoke from her dream? How was she transformed?

Have your dreams ever inspired you?

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Appendix ATrack Titles Referenced in the Classroom Companion

Track # Title Lesson

Chapter

1 Pacha’s Theme 1 Prologue

2 Magical Pajamas 13 Into the Dream (00:00-1:00)

(2:00-end)12 2

4 All Things Can Change (00:00-00:30)(0:30-1:25)(1:25-end)

233

246

5 Greatest Festival Ever (00:00-0:56)(0:56-1:57)(1:27-2:35)(2:35-end)

3344

6789

6 Welcome to PACHA JAMMA 4 97 BBCanenomes 4 108 Nature Superhero 4 109 Occupy PACHA JAMMA 6 12

10 Wake Up Everybody 5 1111 Butterfly Life 612 Coyote News Network 613 Horses Don’t See Colors (Like People Do) 3 714 I Found My Music 615 Faux News 6 1316 Stormy Weather 6 1317 Jungle Work 6 1418 Hip-Hop-Opotomus 519 Use What You Got/Platypus 6, 720 Frog Talk 4 1021 Water Baby22 Sir Elephant 623 We Are All Connected 624 Pacha Jammin’25 Rock Nation 7 1526 It’s All Love 7 1527 Les Flamingos 7 1728 Pacha’s Dance 7 17

29(Hidden)

My Lil Homies

30(Hidden)

? (Melia – Upload videos and photos to pachaspajams.com)

31(Hidden)

Foodlandia

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32 Dream Catchin’ (Melia) 1, 5 Epilogue

To see lyrics to some of the album tracks, visit: http://pachaspajamas.com/nature/lyrics/

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Appendix BWeb Addresses for Selected Resources in the Classroom Companion

Title Link Lesson(Grade)

Type

Lyrics to Pacha’s Pajamas album

http://pachaspajamas.com/nature/lyrics/

Duck-Billed Platypus At Risk From Climate Change

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/8596068/Duck-billed-platypus-at-risk-from-climate-change.html

1 Article

Litterati – A litter free world

http://litterati.org/ 1, 2 Website

Make Lightning http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-make-lightning.htm

1 (K-2) Activity

Make Fog http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-fog.htm

1 (K-2; 3-5) Activity

Make a Cloud http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-cloud.htm

1(3-5) Activity

Make a Breeze http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/funstuff/2859/weather-experiments/

1 (6-8) Activity

The Ocean Cleanup http://www.theoceancleanup.com/ 2 WebsiteScavengers and Decomposers

http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/education/curriculum/ctl/46module/unit3/lesson2.pdf

2 Activity

Carbon calculators Simple: http://www.parkcitygreen.org/Calculators/Kids-Calculator.aspxModerate: http://footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/Advanced: http://footprint.stanford.edu/documents/CalculatorPrep.pdf

3 (6-8) Activity

The Eagle and The Condor Prophecy

http://www.pachamama.org/blog/the-eagle-and-the-condor-prophecy

3 Article

Do Races Differ? Not Really, DNA Shows

http://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/science/082200sci-genetics-race.html

3 (6-8) Article

Chile Desert Rains Sign Of Climate Change: Chief Weather Scientist

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/27/us-chile-weather-idUSKBN0MN2N520150327

4 (6-8) Article

Youth LeadeR http://www.global.youth-leader.org 6 WebsiteDon’t Get Caught In The Monkey Trap

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/14/how-to-avoid-monkey-trap-oliver-burkeman

6 Article

The Bomb is Still Ticking…

http://postgrowth.org/the-bomb-is-still-ticking/

6 Article

Planetary Trailer http://www.lawrenceellis.net/Vimeo- 6 Movie

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Planetary/Evolution Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=TBDHZJxFaxk7 Animatio

n350.org http://350.org 8 WebsiteACE (Alliance for Climate Action)

https://acespace.org 8 Website

Earth Guardians http://www.earthguardians.org 8 WebsiteKids vs. Global Warming http://www.imatteryouth.org 8 Website

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Appendix CSocial Media Campaigns Referenced in the Classroom Companion

Tag Lesson#pacha ALL

#weather 1#climate 1

#hundredinchhike 2 (K-2, 3-5)#[insects] 2#litterati 2, 8#[litter] 2

#sustainabledevelopment 2#wastediversion 3 (K-2)#waterfootprint 3 (3-5)

#carbonfootprint 3 (6-8)#natureorchestra 6

#gratitudechallenge 6#evolutiondance 7

#bethechange 8#weareALLconnected 8

#meatlessmonday 8

Please remember to post students’ work safely on the Internet.

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