April 22, 2020 Earth Day

What is Earth Day? Watch the video below. Do not do the suggested Earth Day Challenge at the end this morning. Though, you are welcome to do it during the afternoon. In the video, he said that the original Earth Day "also laid the groundwork for lots of other things." He mentions three Acts afterwards. Name them below. Who is Greta Thurnberg? Greta is a teenage climate activist leading a worldwide protest movement. Despite her young age, she has worked hard to make politicians open their eyes to the climate crisis. The 17-year-old Swede has become the face of a new generation of environmental activists. She has drawn large crowds with her appearances at protests and conferences over the past two years.In 2018, Greta helped start "Fridays for Future" by protesting outside Sweden's government offices every Friday. She inspired people across the world to follow her lead in their countries.Last year at the United Nations Greta told members, "We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you?"She was named Time magazine’s 2019 “Person of the Year,” and was also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize two years in a row. Quite an accomplishment for a 17 year old!If you've never seen Greta before, you will quickly notice how passionate she is about her cause. "Our House is on Fire" - Greta Thunberg's Earth Day Call to Action In this video, released just yesterday for Earth Day 2020, Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future climate change campaign marks World Earth Day with a dramatic video.This video is figurative (obviously). "Our House is on Fire" is a metaphor for something. As you watch the video, think: What is the "House" and what is the "Fire" in real life? What do the house and the fire represent? In order to understand the message she is conveying, you must understand this metaphor. What is the metaphor? Click on the dots below to tell me what the fire and the house represent in Greta's call-to-action video. Earth Climate Crisis What is the Message? In less than three sentences, explain the message of her call-to-action video. Write in complete sentences. Opinion Some people call Greta's approach "climate alarmism."Alarmism is excessive or exaggerated alarm about a real or imagined threat. In the news media, alarmism can be a form of journalism where reporters hype a story to exaggerate small risks.What do you think about this campaign? Do you think Greta's approach is necessary or extreme? Fully explain your choice. Give me reasons. Brainstorm Today you are going to write your own Earth Day poem. Watch the following two videos for inspiration. His Epic Message Will Make You Want to Save the World | Short Film Showcase Watch the whole video. It starts with some sad realities, but ends with positivity, leaving the watcher with hope. You may want to take this same approach with the poem you write today. Nature is Speaking Your Passion If you had to take on an Earth Day cause, what would it be? If you had to advocate, or be an activist, for an issue, an animal, or a problem, which would you choose?Think about:things you'd like to save,actions you'd like others to change,information you'd like others to know.What would you advocate for and what would your message be? Share it below.Note: You must click "send" to submit your discussion question response. You are also welcome to read and respond to responses from your classmates. Just as we always promote in class, communicate respectfully. When you are done, don't forget to click the "turn in" button.