Context

The environment is a subject of extremely high relevance to all of us. It encompasses all living beings and their interaction spaces, including natural and human aspects. Among these aspects, we have geography, the discipline that studies the relationship between space and the beings that inhabit it, including humans and the diversity of natural environments.

Environmental geography is a branch of geographical study that focuses on the relationship between people, society, and the natural world. It seeks to understand how human activities impact the environment and how the natural environment influences the way we live our daily lives.

Understanding this relationship is crucial in today's world, where there is a growing concern for sustainability and environmental conservation. Through the perspective of environmental geography, we can learn about sustainable practices and the need to protect our planet for future generations.

The following project aims to help us better understand the importance of the environment through a didactic and playful approach. Divided into groups, you will have the opportunity to explore the concepts of environmental geography, the role of human action in environmental conservation, as well as the need to maintain sustainability for life on the planet.

To help you prepare for this project, we suggest some reliable sources for consultation and research. Among them are the Ministry of the Environment website, the educational portal Nova Escola, and the Online School Britannica Encyclopedia, which have extensive material on the subject.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: 'Explorers of the Environment - The Importance of Preservation'

Project Objective:

Students should develop a project, in groups of 3 to 5 members, addressing the theme of the environment and nature preservation, using the concepts of environmental geography, human and natural interactions, and sustainability.

Detailed Project Description:

Each group will be responsible for identifying an environmental problem in their community and proposing creative solutions to address this challenge. The problem can range from local water pollution to the destruction of natural habitats.

Students should divide into groups and perform the following tasks:

1. Identify a local environmental problem.
2. Investigate the causes and consequences of this problem.
3. Research existing public policies to address the problem.
4. Propose a creative and viable solution to the chosen problem.
5. Present a work plan for implementing the proposed solution.
6. Create an awareness campaign about the problem and the proposed solution.

Required Materials:

• Computer with internet access for research
• Camera to document the problem (can be a cellphone camera)
• Paper and pens for notes and drawings

Step-by-Step Guide for the Activity:

1. Organize groups of 3 to 5 students.
2. Each group should choose an existing environmental problem in their community.
3. The groups will conduct intensive research, gathering information about the problem, its causes, and consequences.
4. After the research, the groups should propose a creative solution to the identified problem.
5. The groups will create a detailed action plan to implement the proposed solution.
6. Finally, each group will develop an awareness campaign about the problem and the proposed solution, which can be in the form of a video, a slide presentation, a play, etc.
7. All these steps should be documented and described in a final report. The report should include the introduction (contextualization of the problem, relevance and real-world application, and project objective), the development (detailed research, explanation of the activity, methodology used, and results obtained), and the conclusion (summary of key points, lessons learned, and conclusions drawn from the project).

Project Deliverables:

• Final report: should follow the suggested format with Introduction, Development, and Conclusion.
• Awareness campaign: the final product of the campaign should be attached to the final report.
• Action plan: the detailed plan for implementing the proposed solution should also be attached to the final report.

At the end of the project, students will not only be evaluating their knowledge of the environment but also their teamwork skills, time management, communication, problem-solving, creative thinking, and proactivity.