1. Introduction to environmental management Day#3. Lesson plan
Boost Your AICE Environmental Management Exam Success with Effective Teaching Strategies
To help your students excel in their exams, it’s essential to employ effective teaching strategies that engage, inform, and inspire them. In this post, we’ll explore strategies for teaching key objectives in the AICE Environmental Management syllabus, including the water cycle, Earth’s atmosphere, the ozone layer, and the natural greenhouse effect.
Objectives
- 1.4 Water Cycle
- 1.5 Layers of the Atmosphere
- describe the stages of the water cycle
- interpret and draw diagrams representing the water cycle
- state the major components of the Earth’s
atmosphere - describe the structure of the Earth’s
atmosphere - describe the ozone layer and outline its role
- outline the natural greenhouse effect.
Vocabulary
- Open system: A system in which material can either be lost or gained
- Closed system: A system in which material is neither being created or lost
- Through-fall: Rain that falls through the leaves and branches of plants
- Stem-flow: Rainfall that reaches the ground in a forest by draining down the trunks of plants
- Through-flow: The lateral transfer of water downslope through the soil
Bellringer
- Bell ringer#3
- Alternative: Define sustainability.
Lesson Outline
- Start the day with Bell ringer#3
- continue with an engaging hook to capture your students’ attention. Show a short, captivating video clip of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or floods, and ask your students what they think causes these phenomena. This will spark curiosity and provide a natural segue into discussing the water cycle and Earth’s atmosphere.
Lecture/Notes –Lecture (Chapter 1 PPT – slides 15 -25)
- Describe the stages of the water cycle and interpret and draw diagrams representing the water cycle (slides 15 -19)
- Describe the major components of the Earth’s atmosphere, the structure of the Earth’s atmosphere, ozone layer and greenhouse effect (slides 20 – 25)
- Use Guided Notes – This year, I’m using Version B Guided Notes with my students, as I’ve noticed they benefit from having more structured support during class.
- It features fill-in-the-blank prompts for key vocabulary and concepts, making notetaking faster and more accessible, especially for English language learners or those with processing difficulties.
Activity – The water cycle and the Atmosphere – fill-in-the-blank activity
- Engage your students with the Water Cycle & Atmosphere Fill-in-the-Blank
- Fill-in-the-blank Water Cycle diagram with word bank
- Fill-in-the-blank Layers of the Atmosphere diagram with word bank
- Project: Students use a one piece of blank/copy paper and follow the directions to complete the assignment:
A. On one side title your page “The water cycle” do the following:
•make a diagram of water cycle and write the definition for all the stages.
B. On the other side title the page “The Atmosphere” do the following:
• make a diagram of layers of the atmosphere and label it (should be about half the page). Include the following: stratosphere, troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, ozone layer, greenhouse gases, clouds.
- Exit ticket
- If you opt to have students complete their notes using the Student Guided Notes format during your lecture, then use the bellringer as the exit ticket activity in class.
- If you opt to have students complete their notes using the Student Guided Notes format at home (homework), then use the following exit ticket activity:
- Practice Questions 1-3 page 54-55 (Coursebook)
By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only make your AICE Environmental Management lessons more engaging but also improve your students’ understanding and retention of key concepts. As a result, you’ll see higher exam passing rates and more confident, knowledgeable students ready to tackle environmental challenges. Embrace these methods, and watch your classroom transform into a dynamic learning environment.
Enhance your teaching toolkit with these strategies and set your students on the path to success in AICE Environmental Management. Happy teaching!
Homework – high level/flipped classroom
- Version A – For High-Level Students:
Ideal for independent or advanced learners, this version requires students to copy all notes by hand as homework before class. This flipped-learning approach helps students come to class prepared, freeing up time for application activities, discussions, and AICE-style practice questions.
More lessons…
