In Juggling the Earth’s Resources we use humor and theatrical skills to teach elementary school students about environmental science.  Juggling balls represent atoms and molecules.  Audience volunteers help enact the water cycle.  A shredded newspaper magically recycles into a new newspaper.

There is so much information in the show that teachers have asked us for an outline of the ideas presented.  So here it is–Juggling the Earth’s Resources without the tricks and funny stuff.  (For a sample of how we make it entertaining, see the video clips.)

PART 1:  THE ENVIRONMENT, ATOMS, AND MOLECULES

• Our environment consists of the land, the water, the air, and all of the living things on Earth.
• There are dangers to our environment.
• Everything in the world is made of tiny particles called atoms.
• Atoms combine into groups called molecules.

PART 2:  THE WATER CYCLE

• The molecule H20 (two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom) is water.
• The water cycle has four phases:

1. Evaporation—water stops being a liquid and goes into the air as water vapor
2. Condensation—water vapor collects into tiny droplets that form clouds
3. Precipitation—when the drops get heavy enough, they fall from the clouds as rain, snow, or sleet
4. Accumulation—water on the ground collects into increasingly larger tributaries that eventually flow into the ocean where the cycle repeats

• ENVIRONMENTAL DANGER: When we use water, other things get in it (water pollution).  Water treatment plants get rid of some of the pollution.
• Pollution can flow through rivers into the ocean.  In the worst case, pollution can get into the clouds and come down as acid rain.
• Solutions to the dangers to our water supply:

1. We need strong laws that keep people from polluting water.
2. We need better methods of water treatment to clean the water.
3. We can all help by not wasting water.

PART 3: THE OXYGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE CYCLE

• The molecule CO2 (one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen) is carbon dioxide.  The molecule O2 is the gas oxygen.  Oxygen and carbon dioxide move in a cycle between animals and plants.
• When we breathe in oxygen (O2), it combines with atoms of carbon in our body and comes out as carbon dioxide (CO2).  Plants take in carbon dioxide, keep the carbon, and emit oxygen, completing the cycle.
• ENVIRONMENTAL DANGER: When things burn, the fire turns oxygen (O2) in the air into carbon dioxide (CO2).  Most of the energy we use is created by burning things.
• Examples of fuels we burn to create energy:

1. Gasoline
2. Coal
3. Natural Gas
4. Oil

• Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.  Greenhouse gases act like a blanket around the Earth trapping some of the rays of the sun and keeping the Earth warm.
• When we burn things to make energy and put more carbon dioxide in the air, we  increase the blanket of greenhouse gases and trap more of the heat of the sun (global warming).
• If the temperature of the Earth goes up too much, the ice at the North and South Poles could melt, levels of oceans could rise, and climates could change.  Most climate scientists think climate change is happening now.
• Solutions to the dangers to the oxygen and carbon dioxide cycle:

1. Conserve energy (turn off lights, car pool, use more energy efficient products)
2. Use sources of energy where we do not burn fuels (solar and wind energy for example)

PART 4:  REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

• When your trash gets hauled away, it goes to a landfill.  We can keep from filling up the landfill by learning to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
• REDUCE:  Plan ahead so you have less garbage.  One way is to buy products with less packaging.
• REUSE:  Examples of ways to reuse—

1. Packaging from other products can sometimes be reused.  For example, a plastic butter tub can be cleaned and used to store leftovers.
2. Plastic bags from the store can be reused.
3. Old clothing can be donated for reuse instead of thrown away.
4. Use plates and utensils that can be washed and reused instead of single use paper or plastic products.
5. Use cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers.

• RECYCLE:  Things that can be recycled include (but are not limited to)—

1. Plastic
2. Glass
3. Aluminum
4. Paper

• Recycled materials get made into new products.
• To complete the recycling cycle, we need to buy products made from recycled materials.
• Look for the recycling symbol to find products made from materials that can be or have been recycled.