Respect for our Environment

Today I'm linking up with Maria at Be the Difference to share a way that I teach respect in my classroom.


On Earth Day we talked about not only respect for each other, but also respect for our environment.

I used the book, Just a Dream, by Chris Van Allsburg.  It is about a little boy, Walter, who litters and thinks recycling is a waste of time.  When his friend gets a tree for her birthday he thinks it is a ridiculous gift.  Walter thinks the future will be full of wonderful technology and exciting inventions.  He wishes to visit the future and one night his wish comes true - in his dreams.  Unfortunately, Walter doesn't see the world exactly like he'd imagined it.  When he wakes up, and returns to the present, he is changed.

This is a great book to talk about how a character evolves throughout the story.  Walter develops respect for his environment and his friend who planted the tree.

I typed up a few  short response questions that I used with my students after discussing the book during our Socratic Circle.   Enjoy!