Круглый стол Человек и природа ( на английском языке)

Man and nature

Классный час проводится для учащихся 10-11-х классов. Желательно рассадить учащихся вокруг стола, чтобы при обсуждении они видели друг друга.

Классный час начинается с музыкальной заставки (музыка звучит тихо). Ученики читают стихи под музыку.

Р1: (1) The Earth is a garden. РЗ: (3) Helping mother Earth

It's a beautiful place We can peacefully roam

For all living creatures, We all deserve a place

For all human race. We can call our home.

P2: (2) Food is a treasure P4: (4) The warmth of the sun

From the soil and the seas Turns water into rain

Clean fresh air It's nature way!

From the plants and the heels.

T: There are a lot of holidays on our planet, but at the moment, I'd like to mention April, 22. It's a special day all over the world. On that day inhabitants of the Earth celebrate Earth Day. This day is a day when many people show that they care for our fragile planet. The problem is that our planet faces destruction because of acid rains, holes in the ozone layer, too much garbage, all sorts of air and water pollution. It's the day for the people to learn what they can do to preserve the planet. The first Earth Day was held in the USA in April 1970. Earth Day brought the eco-bible into life. Here are some words on the blackboard, you should read them and give their definition in English.

T: Ecology

PI: Study of organisms and environment.

T: Environment

P2: All the surroundings of an organism including other living things, climate, air, waters soil.

T: Acid rain

P3: When harmful gases from cars and power plants release into the air and fall back to the Earth with rain or snow.

T: Conservation

P4: The wise use of the environment

T: Habitat

Р5: An area that provides animals and plants with food, water, shelter. T: Rainforests

P6: Evergreen woodlands that receive at least 100 inches of rain a year, home to more than half of the world's plants and animals.

T: Look at the apple. Imagine it's our Earth. I'm cutting it into 4 pieces. Three quarters (3/4) of the Earth surface is water and only 1/4 is land. (Режется 1/4 оставшаяся часть пополам.) One half of it is habitable. The rest of the land is the deserts, mountains, frozen ice-caps and other places that people cannot live in. (Следующий кусочек режется на 4 части.) Only 1/32 gives us food and shelter. Less than 1% of water is drinkable. What would happen if this part of the world was damaged?

PI: We know a verse and we want to recite it now. Olga, will you begin!

P2: What have they done to the seas, my friend? What have they done to the seas? What have they done to the rivers, my friend! What have they done to the trees?!

PI: Well, they have turned all the seas into mud, my friend! And they have killed all the fish in those seas! And they have poured out their oil and their waste, my friend! Cause they think they can do as they please.

P3: And they have built their cities, And they have made their roads, And they will test their bombs till the world explodes Into millions of little pieces.

P4: What have they done to our land, my friend! This land which is ours from our birth? What have they done to our forests, my friend? What have they done to our Earth?!

PI: Well, they have turned our land into a desert, my friend: A desert of concrete and stone. And they have done this for profit and gain Till they have ruined the Earth that we own And they have built their cities...

P5: What have they done to the sky, my friend?

The sky that is blue and so clean.

What have they done to the sky, my friend?

What have done to the air?

PI: Well, they have poured out their smoke and their fumes, my friend Till you can't see the sun in the sky. And they have poisoned the air that we breath, my friend Till we cough and we choke and we die! And they have built their cities ...

T: A very good verse. I'm glad that you worry about our Earth, that you are В not indifferent to the problem of saving it and I want to discuss with you rather В important problem, from my point of view, «How to live in harmony with the В environment». We have some guests today and I'll give a floor to one of them.

G (гость): Ladies and gentlemen. I'm happy to meet you in Belarus. Let В me introduce you my friends. They are: nuclear scientists from Belarus and В USA, the representatives of the chemical works from Novopolotsk, Greenpeace, В World Wildlife Fund, Ecologists from Belarus, USA, Sweden.

Каждому участнику предоставляется слово. Его слушают, не перебивая, затем задают вопросы по теме выступления, соблюдая этикет: представляя свое имя, страну, после ответа благодарят.

На доске выписаны слова, которые будут встречаться в выступлениях (дан примерный текст выступлений; по усмотрению учителя и учащихся, можно подобрать другой материал, и тогда учащимся предлагаются те незнакомые слова, которые будут встречаться в выступлениях в другом варианте):

due measures - должные меры

by-products - побочные продукты

man depends for his life on - в жизни человек зависит от

an early as the midforties - еще в середине сороковых годов

are falling in pieces - разрушаются

at a rough estimate - по грубым подсчетам

contamination - pollution

Gl: The problem of man and his interaction with environment has now become one of the difficult problems for many sciences not because it is fashionable but because of its great significance for the whole of mankind. We

see at present the signs of ecological imbalance, which may cause a crisis if due measures are not taken.

G2: The air we breathe, the earth we live on and its rivers and seas are becoming polluted with dangerous materials - by-products of man's activities. Man depends in his life on what the biosphere provides: water, oxygen, food, etc. But the biosphere is strongly affected by all sorts of human activities. For example, man creates new compounds, new substances, pure chemical elements which are unknown to the biosphere. They do not belong to the natural cycle of matter. They weaken the capacities of natural processes for self-regulation. Though not changing biologically, we change the environment in which we live. The Russian great scientist Vladimir Vernadsky was the first in the world to realize the necessity for quite a new approach to the biosphere as early as the midforties.

G3: The increasing noise level is a special problem nowadays. We need silence as much as we need fresh air and unpolluted water. Noise does not only do physical damage to the hearer but can weaken his energy and break down his nerves.

G4: Transport is a major source of environmental pollution. Every car consumes many tons of air. Its exhaust gases contain poisonous carbon dioxide which makes difficult the emission of the earth's heat into space. Many cities now are too noisy to live in. Los Angeles in the USA and Osaka in Japan are known to be the air pollution champions among major industrial cities.

G5: Pollutions are not only harmful to health but to buildings as well. Our cities are dying physically. In most city centres some of oldest and finest buildings are falling in pieces. On the one hand, the foundations are being shaken by all the heavy traffic and, on the other hand, the bricks are being eaten away by fumes from the traffic. It is a slow process but it is going on even though you can't see it.

G6: One more aspect of the problem is water pollution. Sea-and river-going ships often pollute sea and river water with various oil products. At a rough estimate, no less than five million tons of oil are discharged into seas and oceans each year and one ton of oil can spread over about twelve square kilometres of the water surface as a fine film which prevents air-water oxygen exchange. One litre of oil makes one million litres of fresh water unfit for drinking. We must stop the contamination of our water-ways which comes from

so many sources: chemical waste from factories, thermal waste from power stations, domestic waste from cities and towns and so on.

T: And now think a little. You can't but agree. Nowadays the protection of the environment is given government support in all countries. During the last hundred years quality of life in most countries improved a lot. We live in a world which is dominated by science and technology. We don't often notice how quickly scientific and technological development enters our life. It's true, they improve our life. But there is danger that we don't recognize at first. Take for example, chemicals containing DDT: a) insects are killed; b) crops are increased; c) people are saved from starving. And what is the reverse side of the medal?

Pupils' answers.

T: Any other examples?

PI: Glue, aerosols (fridges, sprays), pesticides.

T: What are the results of people's careless interaction with Nature?

PI: We have destroyed atmosphere, killed animals, polluted forests, poisoned rivers and lakes, wasted resources.

P2: It's our responsibility to preserve the Earth for ourselves and for the future generations.

T: Comment on: today the situation is so bad that it has become I impossible to have children (some parents have different diseases preventing them from having children);

P1,P2,P3...

T: I want you to remember that you should treat all the people, animals and plants with love and care, respect everybody and everything and you'll be happy. It's our responsibility to preserve the earth for ourselves and for future generations. Now let's work out the solutions which help us to preserve the planet from ecological disaster.

PI: We must live in harmony with Nature, follow its laws.

P2: New installation for atomic power stations and chemical plants is obligatory.

P3: Controlling of level of the contamination of the atmosphere.

P4: Planting new forests.

P5: Hunting rare animals is forbidden.

P6: Qualified specialists in all spheres of national economy.

Р7: Not to waste Nature riches.

P8: To change fuel: oil gas instead of wood.

P9: Solar, wind energy instead of atomic energy.

P10: Using 3 R's (recycle, reuse, reduce).

Pll: Save water. To clear rubbish from lakes and rivers.

PI2: Pick up litter. Put up signs «Please don't litter».

P13: Not to use plastic bags, aerosols to save energy, water.

P14: To start ecological education at school. This suggests ecological activities.

P15: Plant flowers: they attract bees, butterflies.

PI6: Keep greenery fresh.

P17: Plant some seeds to help to save the soil.

PI8: Hand bird-houses and bird-feeders to give food to birds all year round.

PI9: To walk or use bicycle instead of going by car.

P20: To design posters telling people about ecological problems of the day and put them all over the countryside. Such as: don't kill animals, don't destroy houses of animals etc.

В конце урока можно провести тест «Are you a friend of the Earth»? Тест выполняется на отдельных листочках, затем подсчитываются результаты.

1. When you have a bad cold do you blow your nose with ...

a) coloured paper tissues; b) white paper tissues; c) a handkerchief?

2. You are walking along the street. Suddenly you see someone collecting
money for the Friends of the Earth. Do you ...

a) cross the road quickly; b) give them some money; c) give all your money to them?

3. Your socks have holes. Do you throw them away and buy a new pair? a) yes; b) no, I mend them; c) no, I never buy new socks. I knit my own.

4. What do you do with old newspapers, magazines?

a) throw them away; b) give them to recycle; c) I use them to make other things.

5. Your favourite kind of transport is ...

a) a car; b) a bicycle, c) your feet: you walk everywhere.

Key: score 1 - for every a - answer; 2 - for every b - answer; 3 - for every с - answer.

5-8 points. Oh, dear! You don't know very much about the environment.

9-11 points. You know about the problems of the planet, but you can't do more.

12-15 points. You are very concerned with the environment and take it seriously.

PI: It may sound odd to you, but I think that man needs protection and care as much as animals do. People's habits - their homes, towns and cities - must be kept ecologically clean. In the places where people drink poisoned water, eat bad food and breathe polluted air, they suffer from serious diseases and die early; their children are born weak. No medicines prescribed by the doctors can help them. This problem becomes more and more serious with every passing day. The modern way of life when people have little exercise, use cars instead of walking, watch TV for many hours and work with computers is turning them into legless creatures. We have to do something about this.

T: It's a very good conclusion. I think our discussion was very useful for everybody. And I'm sure that you are real friends of our fragile planet. The air we breathe, the soil on which we stand and walk, the water we drink are all part of the environment. It's very important that you should be aware of the most serious environmental problems. If we want our lives to be healthy and interesting, a lot of other creatures and plants need growing space too.