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NYS Content Area Standard

Health, PE, Home & Careers, Standard 3: Elementary Physical Education: become discriminating consumers of fitness information, health-related fitness activities in their communities, and fitness and sports equipment
 Title: Leave No Trace
Grade Level: 4th

Author: Thea Moruzzi, Adirondack Mountain Club

Email: adkinfo-outreach@northnet.org

 Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
___ Natural History
___ Human History
___ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
_X_ Health, Recreation & Life Skills

Investigative Question or Issue: What is the Leave No Trace code of ethics, and how can we use it in the field?

Challenge:  
Students will divide into 7 groups.  Once divided, the teacher will assign one of the 7 LNT principles to each group.  Each group will present a skit relevant to a real-life outdoor experience illustrating their assigned principle to the rest of the class.  Students will also create a poster defining their assigned LNT principle. 

Quality Standards:

Each group will utilize props for their skits. The props will help create the outdoor setting for the activity  the actors will be performing. Every member of the group must participate in the skit. Each group will include a poster with the title LNT principle and at least 3 detailed examples/sub-principles. Illustrations and pictures will be required on the posters, to give examples of positive and negative actions regarding their group's topic. Students will be required to submit a draft skit and poster to the teacher and have practice time for the skit.
                                                                                                              
The 7 Leave No Trace principles are:
1.)  Plan ahead and prepare:
check a map and know where you are going.  Let someone know where you are going and what your plan is.  Bring plenty of food and water.  Wear warm clothes in layers(not cotton-it makes you cold!)  including warm hat, gloves, raincoat, and a sturdy pair of hiking boots.
2.)  Travel and camp on durable surfaces:
Stay on the trail.  Do the Rock Walk!  Use marked campsites.
3.)  Dispose of waster properly:
Pack it in, pack it out!  Pick up any litter found on the trail.
4.)  Leave what you find:
Observe only!  Don’t pick plants.  Leave natural and historical objects where you find them.  Don't build any structures.
5.)  Minimize campfire impacts:
Use camp stoves for cooking and candle lanterns or flashlight for light.  Build fires only where allowed and use established fire rings.
6.)  Respect wildlife:
Watch animals from a distance.  Do not pick them up and do not feed them.
7.)  Be considerate of other visitors:
Move over to the side of the trail when you meet someone going in the opposite direction.  Keep voices low in order not to scare the animals or interfere with someone else's experience.  Take breaks off to the side of the trail.                                                                                                                                                                

Adapted for the Adirondack Curriculum Project from the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC ©ACP 2002

   Product Quality
Checklist
Date: ________                                                                     Class Period: ________
Product Author(s):

 
 Product Title/Name:
Leave No Trace
Evaluator Name(s)
 
 Observed Standard/Criteria
Possible
Points
Rating
  Each group will accomplish the following:
  
  
 
• Work cooperatively to plan their skit and create their poster.
  10  
 
• Submit a draft of their poster (should be creative, colorful, neat, easy to understand,and include pictures)
 10
  
 
• Practice their skit prior to performing
 10
  
 
• Create appropriate props for their skit that help illustrate the outdoor environment
  10
  

• Complete poster on time
 10

• Perform skit for the class (should take no longer than 5 minutes)
 20

Both poster and skit will:
 		   

• Clearly illustrate the assigned Leave No Trace principle and at least 3 detailed examples/sub principles
 20

• Feature both positive and negative actions
 10




 
TOTALS
  100  

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