Raise Awareness I

Awareness raising is very powerful, because it educates people about topics which are new to them and encourages them to participate in bringing change. Raising awareness is getting the "word out." It is when a person or group brings attention to a concern or issue with the intent of gaining supporters. It is one of the most basic forms of advocacy (getting support for a cause) because the first step in creating change is to let people know that a problem exists and how they can help.  

Your team will create a National Awareness Campaign to educate the public about a major environmental issue in the U.S. Instead of inventing your own solution, you will:

1. Identify and research a national environmental issue.

2. Examine and present at least two viable solutions proposed by experts.

3. Make an argument for which solution is the best using a claim, evidence, and reasoning.

4. Create an engaging national awareness campaign to inform the public.

5. Include a map & discussion to highlight the issue’s impact.

6. Pitch your campaign in a professional presentation to compete for a $1 million grant to fund national awareness efforts.

The winning team’s campaign will be hypothetically awarded $1 million in funding!

Step 1: 

Form Your Team (2-4 Students) & Issue Selection

• Create a campaign name (Example: “Clear Skies Initiative” or “Save Our Water”).

• You will be assigned to a team and one of national issue to address, such as:

  1. Climate Change Impact

  2. Plastic Pollution in U.S. Waterways

  3. Deforestation and Its Effect on American Wildlife

  4. Renewable Energy Solutions for a Greener Future

  5. Water Scarcity and Conservation in the U.S.

  6. Air Pollution and Public Health

  7. Food Supply Shortages (Food Insecurity)

  8. Endangered Species (plants or animals)

  9. Ocean Acidification (Increased Carbon Dioxide absorption leads to harmful effects)

  10. Overfishing (Depleting fish populations due to excessive commercial fishing)

Step 3: 

Choose the Best Solution & Create a Strong Argument

Your team must decide which one of the two solutions is the most viable and create a persuasive argument to support your claim.

Your argument must include a solid claim backed with credible sources of evidence, and reasoning. For example if you are researching air pollution, you might argue:

• Claim: Switching to renewable energy is the best way to reduce air pollution.

• Evidence: Studies show that wind and solar energy cut carbon emissions by 80%. Citations are needed. 

• Reasoning: Unlike carbon taxes (which rely on public compliance) or urban tree planting (which takes decades to be effective), renewable energy is a proven, immediate solution that can be implemented nationwide.

Step 6: 

Include a Map & Discussion

Each team must include a map in their presentation that:
✔ Identifies where the problem is most severe in the U.S.
✔ Shows trends or data related to the issue (Example: CO2 levels, deforestation rates, drought-affected areas).
✔ Illustrates where proposed solutions have been or could be implemented.

Map Discussion (Part of the Presentation) - Your team will:

• Explain what the map shows and why it matters.

• Discuss how the issue affects different U.S. regions.

• Show where solutions are being implemented or could have the greatest impact.

Example: If your project is about plastic pollution, your map could highlight the top 10 states with the most polluted waterways. If your project is about air pollution, you might show major U.S. cities with the highest pollution levels.

You may want to screen capture a map, use Google Sheets Maps, or Google MyMaps.  Here is a link to the Google Sheets Map activity we did in early March.

Each team will present to the class as if they are pitching to a panel of donors (teachers, peers, or invited guests). The best awareness campaign will be hypothetically awarded $1 million in funding!

Who will create and present the strongest argument with the most "sense of urgency?"