Environmental Laws Timeline Activity
Students will have to select 25 environmental laws in American history from a much larger list. Their goal is to produce their own timeline of American environmental law history to present to the rest of the class. In doing so, they will develop critical thinking and analytic skills and articulate the importance of the Rule of Law to protecting the environment.
Environmentalism Then and Now
This PowerPoint presentation uses modern environmental images juxtaposed with historic images and facts, and then asks students: Is Going Green new? While it is clear that environmentalism and the environmental movement, even environmental law, are historic, it is worth discussing how today’s movement is different from the past. Today there are stricter laws, policy initiatives, social networks, and new technologies.
Exxon Valdez
This unit is comprised of many parts highlighting the Exxon Valdez story, including a photograph presentation, maps, personal stories, and Supreme Court documents. Individual parts may be selected or combined for use in the classroom depending on classroom needs. The entire unit is designed to teach students about the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and its impact on the environment and larger society. Students learn that seemingly isolated incidents—in both time and place—affect larger areas for years beyond the event. The Exxon Valdez disaster affected all of the United States as victims came from every state, and continues to impact America today, as seen in the recent Supreme Court decision.