[RSCT] Resources for teaching about global warming/Copenhagen

[Sarah Heller McFarlane]

HI Bob- one of my favorite positive message sing-along earth songs was
written by an Oregon songwriter in the early 1980's- it is called "Save Our
Planet," by Neal Gladstone. I did find a link online for the lyrics and CD
info- link is here:
http://www.nealgladstone.com/wd/ng/Lyrics/SaveOurPlanet2.html

Also, I did find it on itunes, albeit a little less folky than the version I
learned initially. Can be a great call and response/sing-along.
Here is a sample of a verse and the chorus:


This is the water celebrate the water
 May you always drink your fill
We can save the treasure if we stand together
And celebrate the water

CHORUS:   Don't think we don't need you we need you
Don't think we can't hear you we hear you
Those who care lift your voices
And join us as we sing
Save our planet keep our planet green

I also love Malvina Reynold's song- "What Have They Done to the Rain."  It
is a bit melancholy, but haunting and beautiful. Might depend on the age of
the youth and how you think they would respond to the message- here is an
example from the lyrics:
Just a little boy standing in the rain,
The gentle rain that falls for years.
And the grass is gone,
The boy disappears,
And rain keeps falling like helpless tears,
And what have they done to the rain?

Link to full lyrics below.
http://web2.wku.edu/~smithch/MALVINA/mr183.htm

I think Malvina is such a treasure to mine. I am constantly amazed at her
strength, her story (including that she started playing guitar and writing
songs in her late forties), and how pertinent her messages still are today.
Another unsung hero to examine ( no pun intended)!

I'm glad you are singing the Garbage song- it is so fun to sing the repeated
garbage refrain!  Enjoy the singing- Sarah


On 12/15/09 6:30 PM, "Bob Peterson" <repmilw at aol.com> wrote:

> Dear friends,
> I am interested in learning from other teachers how they are teaching about
> the Climate Summit. In my fifth grade class we have been approaching it as a
> current event study, interjecting science, math, art, music and some poetry
> writing.
> 
> The three songs that my fifth graders have liked are:
> 
> Battered Earth by Sweet Honey and the Rock (great imagery, students have
> discussed the message and imagery of the song and while listening to it
> several times drawn their own images of the earth running away from the human
> species.)
> 
> Earth Intruders by Bjork (rather intense but kids like it)
> 
> Garbage by Pete Seeger, Steel and Agranoff (3 minutes and 44 second -version)
> the shorter version cuts out the stanza about "stocks and bonds"  Although
> somewhat dated, the song still raises lots of good stuff -- "we're filling up
> the sea with garbage..we're filling up the land with garbage....we're filling
> up our minds with garbage" -- and kids like to sing loudly the refrain about
> garbage, garbage, garbage
> 
> I'd be interested in hearing about other song that people have used.
> 
> I found the 350.org materials very useful -- some great videos... kids are
> examining why some people are arguing that "350 is the most important number
> in the world."
> 
> Also the Story of Stuff is an excellent resource -- available in Spanish too.
> (www.storyofstuff.com)
> 
> I am attaching a time line from the Dec. 7 Nation that I also found very
> useful.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Bob Peterson
> 5th grade teacher
> La Escuela Fratney
> Milwaukee, WI
> editor, Rethinking Schools
> 
> 
> 
> --
> This is a mailing of the Rethinking Schools critical teaching and writing
> listserv. If you would like to subscribe to this listserv send an e-mail
> message with the word "subscribe" in the subject field to
> rs-request at criticalteach.org. The list is open to all Rethinking Schools
> subscribers and focuses on teaching and writing for justice in K-12
> classrooms.
> 
> To unsubscribe send an email message with the word "unsubscribe" in the
> subject field to rs-request at criticalteach.org.
> 
> Check out Rethinking Schools Online at www.rethinkingschools.org.
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> _________
> RS mailing list
> RS at criticalteach.org
> http://mail.criticalteach.org/mailman/listinfo/rs_criticalteach.org