ceciro2005@[Link].

ar 25 May 2025

ENGLISH THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATION
EDITED BY ANITA LIE, GEORGE M. JACOBS, SUSAN AMY AND MARLA LISE

PUBLISHED BY PEACHEYPUBLICATIONS LTD 2025

ceciro2005@[Link] 25 May 2025

ENGLISH THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Edited by Anita Lie, George M. Jacobs, Susan Amy and Marla Lise

Published by PeacheyPublications Ltd 2025

© Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

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FOREWORD Here is a poem about hope from the 19th century poet Emily Dickinson.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
We are hopeful that the youth of the world can lead us to change the way that we
treat the earth. Thus, environmental education need not be full of gloom. It can be
full of hope, full of the joy that comes from working together toward a common goal.
Thank you for using this book and for joining us on this journey of hope and joy.

Creating the first edition of English via Environmental Education was a lot of fun.
English teachers from Indonesian universities in Java and in eastern Indonesia
gathered at an Environmental Education center in a beautiful setting outside of
Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city (please see the map of Indonesia). Each
teacher was to write a lesson for the book based on environmental issues near
where they lived.

The goal was to create a course book that could be used by first-year non-English
major students at universities around Indonesia. Indonesia is a giant country
consisting of more than 17,000 islands, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the
Indian Ocean. The largest and most famous Indonesian islands are Sumatra,
Borneo, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, and Papua. Indonesia’s population is the
fourth-largest in the world, approaching 300 million people. While the national
language is Indonesian, many other languages are spoken, and a wide variety of
cultures co-exist.

In terms of environment, Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia and has a mostly

tropical climate. Indonesia’s rainforests are the largest in Asia and a vital resource
for everyone on the Earth. The rainforests are also home to many thousands of
animal species including Sumatran tigers, pygmy elephants, rhinoceros, and

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orangutans. Many organizations in Indonesia and from abroad work to protect the environment
there, and environmental education is taught in Indonesia’s schools.

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WHY A NEW EDITION OF ENGLISH VIA ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATION?
Four reasons:

1. We think our book is special. Most books that talk about the environment only try to raise student
awareness of environmental issues, such as deforestation and global warming. Our book also tries to
involve students and teachers in taking positive action to protect the environment. Positive actions can be
at the individual level, such as adopting a greener diet or reducing the use of plastics. Other positive
actions can be at the societal level, such as changing laws or getting governments to promote renewable
energy.

2. The new edition is free online. Anyone, anywhere with wifi can download it at no charge. This way, more
students can use the book. Previously, we have successfully worked with a British education company,
PeacheyPublications - [Link] – who offer resources to teachers of English and
other subjects. They produce online resources in cooperation with the British Council and others.

3. An online book can be used outside Indonesia. To make this easier, we have tried to make the book
understandable for people outside Indonesia. Too many resources for learning English talk only about
settings in native English countries. With English as a global language, we want to expand the settings for
learning English.

4. The new edition of English via Environmental Education contains an Answer Key. This makes the book
usable for self-study by anyone who wants to improve their English and to learn about and protect the
environment. In fact, we have added three new lessons to the book in order to broaden the book’s
coverage of environment issues.

Thank you for using English via Environmental Education, a book dedicated to future generations of humans
and all our fellow Earthlings.

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INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION

Like Frogs in a Pot of Water

Two hypothetical situations about frogs in a pot of boiling water are often used as a cautionary tale about
change. If frogs are placed in boiling water, they will instantly jump out for survival. If they are placed in
lukewarm water that's slowly heated, they will gradually get adjusted to the increase in temperature until it is
too late to do anything. Soon, the water is boiling, and the poor frogs are dead.

The story suggests that people, like frogs, can become complacent and fail to recognize or react to gradual
but dangerous changes amidst vast environmental destruction. The comfortable world we have lived in is
worsening at an amazing speed. Corporations and others are cutting down forests, depleting the soil,
extracting minerals and energy, endangering plant and animal species, creating and dumping toxic waste,
and destroying marine resources. While all this is happening, we humans are like the frogs—ignorant of, or
indifferent to, the devastation that will kill us and others.

In Students’ Hands

The survival of life depends on the environment. This is certainly true in Indonesia, where the once beautiful
islands were rich in a wide variety of life forms. Now more than ever, it is essential that students empower
themselves and others with the knowledge and commitment to address the urgent environmental issues.
People need to believe that together we can make a difference.

The Book

This book is the fruit of a cooperative project to increase the level of environmental awareness,
understanding, concern, skill, evaluation ability, and participation of university students in Indonesia and
elsewhere while also improving English proficiency. Environmental issues provide worthwhile content for
language learning. Rather than simply being English practice, this book gives particular emphasis to the
actual participation of students and others to protect the environment.

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CONTENTS
1. What Is Environmental Education - Modal Verbs 14
This lesson explores what Environmental Education (EE) is, including six EE objectives:
awareness, understanding, concern, skills, evaluation, and, most importantly, participation. By the
end of this lesson, students will have greater awareness of what EE is, will better understand how
EE is done in the other lessons in the book, know how they can be a part of making EE happen.
Anita Lie, Ed.D. - Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya, Indonesia

2. Ariel Saves the Sea - Commas 23

This lesson explores the impact of humans on the seas and the beings who live there. It does this
by telling a famous children’s story and recounting actions by real-life students. By the end of this
lesson, students will have ideas and experiences regarding what they can do to protect the seas
and their inhabitants.
Julia Eka Rini, [Link]. - Universitas Kristen Petra, Surabaya

3. Save the Fishes - Prepositions 31

This lesson explores unsustainable fishing practices. It does this via a reading, content-based
grammar activities, and communicating with people in the fishing industry. By the end of this
lesson, students will be better prepared to act on behalf of fishes.
Drs. Syahrir Mappe, M.A and Dra. Nurnia, M.A. - Universitas Haluoleo, Kendari

4. Protect Coral Reef Ecosystems - The Main Verb and Its Subject 39
This lesson explores why coral reefs are endangered. It does this by reading passages, reading
comprehension activities, and content-based grammar activities. By the end of this lesson,
students will be better prepared to act to protect coral reefs.
Jenny Pakasi - Universitas Sam Ratulangi

5. Garbage Collectors - Simple Present Tense 47

This lesson explores people who collect usable items that others have discarded. It does this by
providing readings about these people and encouraging students to interview such people or
organizations in their communities. By the end of this lesson, students will be better prepared to
act to reduce waste.
Drs Syahrir Mappe, M.A. - Universitas Haluoleo, Kendari, Sulawesi, Indonesia
George M Jacobs - Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation, Singapore

6. Let’s Get Our River Back - Simple Past Tense 57

This lesson explores community efforts to protect the environment. It does this by sharing the
story of such an effort on behalf of a river in Indonesia. It also introduces a powerful Indonesian
term—gotong royong—which means cooperation among a community of people. By the end of
this lesson, students will be better prepared to act to conserve water and protect water resources.
Dr. Emalia Iragiliati Sukarni - Universitas Negeri Malang

7. Protect Our Forests - Adjectives and Adverbs 64

This lesson explores the importance of forests and why they are disappearing. It does this with
stories about flooding caused by deforestation and the sad lives of animals after their forest
homes have disappeared. By the end of this lesson, students will, we hope, be keen to act to
protect forests and their inhabitants.
Etty Hoesein, MLS - Universitas Pattimura, Ambon

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8. Save Our Rainforests - Noun Formation 73

This lesson explores rainforests once again, as this is such an important global issue. It does this
by suggesting many pro-forest actions, both individual and societal-change, that students can
promote. By the end of this lesson, students will be better able to lead actions on behalf of forests
and forest dwellers.
Maryanti E. Mokoagouw, [Link]. - Universitas Negeri Papua, Manokwari

9. Sasi: A Traditional Preservation Culture - Gerunds 80

This lesson explores Sasi, a traditional practice that protects the environment. It does this through
recalling stories of traditional practices found in the Moluccan Islands. Students research
traditional practices in their communities. By the end of this lesson, students will be better
informed about the importance of traditional practices, and (we hope) they will be motivated to
keep these practices alive.
Leonora Saantje Tamaela - Universitas Pattimura, Ambon

10. Water, Water Everywhere - Cause-Effect Relationship 88

This lesson explores the importance of water. It does this by sharing stories about floods in
Indonesia. It also highlights the efforts made by some Indonesian organizations to prevent floods.
By the end of this lesson, students will be better prepared to organize events around mitigating
flooding.
Drs. Jusuf Ibrahim, MTESL. - Petra Christian University

11. Air Pollution - Tenses 97

This lesson explores air pollution and how modernization has contributed to it. It does this by
students exploring air pollution in the past and present. They also design their own project to see
the consequences of air pollution where they live. By the end of this lesson, students will be
strongly prepared to act against polluting activities.
Dr Lubna Algadrie - Institut Teknologi Sepuluh November (ITS), Surabaya

12. Global Warming - First Conditional 104

This lesson explores global warming and greenhouse gases. It does this through exploring how
the earth gets energy from the sun and how car-free days can reduce emissions. Students then
organize an event to slow global warming. By the end of this lesson, students will be better
equipped to consider how their actions can reduce global warming.
Yuliana - Petra Christian University

13. Climate Change - Connectors 111

This lesson explores climate change and how greenhouse gases affect our planet. Students
explore ways their school can slow climate change. By the end of this lesson, students will be
better prepared to act against climate change, speak about the effects it has on human lives,
and know how to encourage companies that are doing a good job to keep going.
Anita Lie, Ed.D. - Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya, Indonesia

14. Alternative Energy - Passive Voice 118

This lesson explores alternative energy sources and why some people believe they are better
fuels when compared with petrol. It does this by exploring the pros and cons of alternative

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sources such as ethanol. By the end of this lesson, students will have a better level of readiness in
writing formal letters to officials to encourage them to act on important topics like this one.
Hendra Tedjasuksmana - Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya

15. The Expanded Rs - For example and alternatives 125

This lesson explores the various Rs that are involved in preventing waste such as, refusing,
rethinking, repurposing, respecting, reusing, and recycling. It does this by exploring ways
students can integrate these habits into their lives and that of their families. By the end of the
lesson, students will be better positioned to act to prevent waste.
Marla Lise - The EcoChapter, Singapore

16. Environmental Heroes - Topic Sentences 132

This lesson explores climate activism and the stories of heroes that are working to mitigate climate
change, global warming, and challenge unlimited growth. It does this by telling stories about
famous climate activists and their goals. By the end of the lesson, students will be better
equipped with ways to stand up for the environment by greening their school, reducing
consumption, and protecting others who are suffering from climate change.
George M Jacobs - Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation, Singapore

17. Environmental Justice - Vocabulary 139

This lesson explores what environmental justice is and how it affects people from different
communities. It does this by exploring ideas of human rights and how people from indigenous
and marginalised communities can be affected and treated differently. Then, students conduct a
beach clean-up, environmental action campaigns, or praise and suggestions workshops. Then
students conduct a beach clean-up, environmental awareness campaigns, or praise and
suggestions workshops. By the end of this lesson, students will be better prepared to act on
behalf of environmental justice.
Meng Huat Chau - Zhejiang International Studies University

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GETTING STARTED
This chapter helps you understand how the book
and the lessons are structured.
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GETTING THE PARTS OF THE LESSONS

STARTED This book has 17 lessons. Here are the parts of the lessons. Not
every lesson has every part, and sometimes the parts appear in
different orders. Of course, you are free to modify lessons as you
see fit. Also, please note that the book has an Answer Key. The
Answer Key might make it easier for students to work alone or in
groups without your direct involvement. On the other hand,
students will not learn if they just copy from the Answer Key.

Title
The title of the lesson highlights an environmental issue or
conveys an important message about the environment.

Language Focus
This tells you what your students will learn about the English
language, such as grammar, writing, or punctuation.

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Did You Know …?

This part introduces information about the environmental topic of the lesson, thereby expanding on
the title. This is a kind of pre-reading activity to encourage your students to remember what they
might already know, as well as building new knowledge.

Get Ready for Action

This introduces the action on behalf of the environment that students may want to take part in toward
the end of the lesson.

Before You Read

As with Did You Know …? this section prepares students for the reading passage.

Now Find Out More

Students read to learn more on the lesson’s topic from the reading passage. This knowledge is
crucial to the actions students may take later in the lesson. Comprehension questions may follow the
reading, and the reading will also contain multiple instances of the lesson’s Language Focus, so that
students can learn language features in context.

How English Works

This part of the lesson provides explanations and examples of the lesson’s Language Focus. Your
students likely studied this earlier in their education, but the review provided here may be useful, and
it may save you from needing to do a mini-lecture on the Language Focus.

Peek and Seek

Students look at the reading passage to find items connected to the lesson’s Language Focus. In this
way, students develop their ability to notice specific language features. Such noticing can be a first
step toward learning, and noticing fits learning in context.

Think and Talk

We hope students enjoy discussing important environmental topics with their classmates. In this part
of the lesson, students practice their speaking and listening, whereas much of the rest of the lesson
consists of reading and writing.

Practice Makes Perfect

In this part, students get more practice with the lesson’s Language Focus. Additional practice is often
useful, because students seldom learn something from only one exposure.

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Think and Write

Here, your students can reflect on the lesson’s environmental theme. Reflection is a valuable tool in
language learning and life generally. When writing, students can use what they learned in the
Language Focus.

Take Part
This is the most exciting part of each lesson. Your students need to consider what they and their
classmates can do to protect the environment. As their teacher, you may also want to take part.
Additionally, other teachers and classes can also get involved. (Please note that students must not be
pressured to take any action that might cause them discomfort. Alternatives can be offered.)

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LESSONS
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WHAT IS Anita Lie, Ed.D. - Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya,

Indonesia
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION? EE Aims: In this lesson, the environment aim is that students will
understand what is environmental education (EE), including EE
objectives. With this understanding, later in the lesson, in the
Take Part section, students have a chance to teach EE to other
students. Flexibility is needed as to who and what they [Link]
watchword is “Every little bit helps.”

Language Aims: The lesson’s language focus is modals. Many

learners, even advanced learners, struggle with modals. Thus,
patience is needed. The Peek and Seek activity may be
something different for many students, but we think it can be fun
and effective. So, please help students learn how this type of
activity works. After a few lessons, they should quickly adapt to
it.

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DID YOU KNOW?

In 2021, the United Nations issued the Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development.
The declaration urged everyone to “Learn for our planet: act for sustainability.” The goal is that
environmental education (EE) should be included in all levels of education as a key element, not as a
minor part. All levels means from early childhood to tertiary and adult education, including technical
and vocational education and training. Also, EE involves more than learning; it also involves doing on
behalf of the environment.

GET READY FOR ACTION

You will be reading The Six Objectives of Environmental Education. After reading and discussing the
passage, you will have a chance to carry out a project with your classmates. In this project, you will
share what you have learned about environmental education with other students outside your
class/school.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. Students and teachers make a list of elementary or high schools nearby your college/university or
other English classes in your university.
2. Ask a classmate, “What does the term ‘environmental education’ mean to you?” Be ready to share
your partner’s answer with the class.

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Six Objectives of Environmental Education

Awareness - This objective means that people should be aware of environmental problems. For
example, people must be aware of polluted rivers and the dangers that contaminated water from
polluted rivers can cause.

Knowledge - This objective means that people must have a basic understanding of the environment,
environmental problems, and humans’ critical role in causing and solving environmental problems.
For example, people should know about the causes of polluted rivers and possible actions they
might take to clean up rivers.

Attitude - This objective means that environmental protection would be stronger if people have a
desire to solve environmental problems. For example, people should care about deforestation and
want to take action to prevent it.

Skills - This objective means that people should have the ability to solve environmental problems.
Ability includes language skills as well as scientific and technological skills. For example, language
could be used to write materials informing people about the risks of pesticide use. Similarly, language
could be used to persuade people to take action to decrease pollution.

Evaluation Ability - This objective means that people can decide what is probably the best thing to
do to help the environment. While everyone will agree that we must do something to save the
environment, there may be disagreement about what exactly to do. For example, would it be best to
close down a factory and cause people to lose jobs in an effort to lessen air pollution?

Participation - This objective means that people should take action to solve environmental problems.
The above five objectives will amount to nothing if people do not translate their awareness,
knowledge, attitude, skills, and evaluation ability into action, either through some concerted project or
through daily practices.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

English has verbs called modals. Among the modals are: can, could, may, might, must, should, will,
and would. Sometimes, they are also called auxiliary verbs or helping verbs.

Modals are different from other verbs in several ways:

1. We usually use modals with other verbs, not alone in a sentence.

2. We do not change the form of modals. For instance, we do not add an ‘s’ to the simple present
tense of a modal verb or an ‘ed’ to the simple past tense of a modal verb.
3. Also, we do not add –ed/-ing/-s/-es to the main verb that follows the modal verb.
4. We normally do not use ‘to’ after modals. For example, we can say, “He wants to go to the park”
but not, “He must to go to the park.”

should
would
must be tired/sleepy/excited.
I/you/he, can be studying hard.
etc. could protect the environment.
may go/play/leave.
might
will

More Examples:
• The city government should forbid factories from throwing their industrial waste into the river.
• We would appreciate it if you drove less to reduce air pollution.
• We must warn the villagers not to drink the contaminated water.

PEEK AND SEEK

Review the reading passage above. Work with a partner. Take turns to underline each modal verb.
Before you underline, ask your partner if they agree. The first sentence is done as an example.

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THINK AND TALK

Work with a partner. Take turns to ask and answer the following questions based on the reading
passage.

Discuss your answers with each other and be ready to report your discussion (not just your own
ideas) to the class.

1. Do you think environmental education is very important? Why or why not?

2. Which of the six environmental education objectives would be the easiest to achieve? Which would
be the hardest to achieve? Why?
3. Think of one environmental problem. For that problem, how can each of the six environmental
education objectives be achieved? In other words:
a. How can we help people become aware of the problem?
b. What knowledge should people have about the problem?
c. How might we convince people to be concerned about the problem?
d. What skills would be useful for overcoming the problem?
e. What might be some possible solutions to the problem? What are the pluses and minuses of
each solution?
f. What can people do to help solve the problem?

4. Form groups of four and number yourselves #1, #2, #3, and #4. This will be your Home Team.
Introduce yourself to your other Home Team members and mention one thing you like about yourself.
a. Person #1 - Write one problem about increasing people’s awareness and knowledge about
environmental problems (Objectives 1 and 2).
b. Person #2 - Write one problem about helping people have the attitude and skills needed to
solve environmental problems (Objectives 3 and 4).
c. Person #3 – Write one problem about helping people evaluate solutions to environmental
problems (Objective 5).
d. Person #4 – Write one problem about helping people participate in solving environmental
problems (Objective 6).
e. Get together with two or three other people who have the same number. This will be your
Expert Team.f. g.
f. In your Expert Team, share and discuss problems regarding your environmental education
objective(s). Suggest solutions to those problems.
g. Return to your Home Team and share the problems and solutions you discussed in your
Expert Team.

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Choose the first example of each of the eight words you underlined in the passage Six Objectives of
Environmental Education. Complete the table by writing in the subject and verb that the word goes
with. The first one is done for you.
Modal verb Subject Main verb
Can
Could
May
Might
Must
Should people be aware
Will
Would

Activity B
Fill in each blank with one of the three verbs in the parentheses. The answer to the first one is
underlined. After you finish, check your answers with a partner.

We must (1) …. (appreciate/leave/protect) our environment for our own future and for the future of the
other animals on this planet. Therefore, we are carrying out this environmental project as part of our
English class. According to the project plan we made in our English class, we should (2) ….
(appreciate/cooperate/obey) with a partner school in the project. We can (3) …. (leave/recycle/throw)
paper and other materials to help protect the environment. Besides helping the environment, the
project could also (4) … (be/have/make) a lot of fun.
You may (5) … (disagree/oppose/wonder) why we are doing environmental education in English
class. Actually, the environment is important to all of us. If we do not protect the environment, some
day, we humans and other animals might not (6) …. (have/to have/will have) a place to live. By using
our time in English class to help protect the environment, we will (7) … (forget/gain/lose) a good
reason for using English.
We would (8) …. (appreciate/cooperate/leave) it if you could help us in this project. Should you (9)
…. (agree/decide/like) with our proposal, please contact us. We will (10) …. (are/be/to) looking
forward to hearing from you. Thank you for considering this.

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TAKE PART
The class forms groups of four. Each group needs a number, 1, 2, 3, or 4. There can be more than
one of each group. In other words, there can be three Group #4s. Embark on the group project to
achieve the six objectives of environmental education.

Preparation:

• Group 1: Task 1: Visit one or two nearby schools. Find out whether the principals, teachers, and
students have concerns about the environment. (An alternative would be another English class at
your university). Task 2: Write a message inviting the school to be a partner in environmental
education. Explain what your class plans to do with the partner school (read instructions for other
expert groups). A sample message is provided at the end of this lesson. Feel free to modify the
message or write your own message.
• Group 2: Task 1: Design and produce a couple of posters listing the six environmental education
objectives. Use attractive illustrations. Task 2: Prepare a presentation in English about
environmental education.
• Group 3: Prepare a set of criteria to evaluate the success of this environmental education project
your class is doing with another school or class. Parts of the project that need to be evaluated are:
posters, presentations, choice of partner schools, invitation letters, and coordination work.
• Group 4: Coordinate the work of Groups 1-3 and link them with the partner school. Examples of
coordination work are sending the invitation letter to the partner school, meeting an English teacher
at the school, scheduling the English class for the presentation of Group 2, making a schedule for
the other expert groups to carry out their tasks, and arranging for the transportation.

Action:

• Group 1: After you have found a partner school, write an invitation letter or email to get their
permission. Ask Group 4 to help you send the letter/email.
• Group 2: Display the best posters in the most strategic spots in the partner school and deliver the
presentation about environmental education in an English class.
• Group 3: Assess the other groups’ work based on whether you think it will achieve the six UN
environmental education objectives.
• Group 4: Arrange for the transportation on the appointed date and take the other groups to the
partner school. When the project is completed, write and send a Thank You letter/email to the
partner school. A sample is provided at the end of this lesson. Feel free to modify the letter/email or
write your own.

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Sample Invitation Letter/Email

Environmental Education Project Team
The Name of Your School
Jl. Street Address
Your Town, Zip Code
Dd/mm/yyyy

The Name of Partner School/Class

Jl. Street AddressYour Town, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. School Principal/Class Teacher:

Our English class is planning an environmental education project and would like to invite your school to be our
partner in this project. Specifically, we would like to do the following:
1. display environmental education posters in your school/class;
2. deliver a thirty-minute presentation on environmental education in an English class (of any grade) in your school/
class.
We would really appreciate it if you could give us the opportunity to carry out this project. Should you agree to be
our partner school/class, please inform us of the most convenient time to put our posters on display and to deliver
the presentation in your school/class.

Sincerely yours,

Team Coordinator

Sample Thank You Letter

Environmental Education Project Team
The Name of Your School
Jl. Street Address
Your Town, Zip Code
Dd/mm/yyyy

The Name of Partner School/Class

Jl. Street Address
Your Town, Zip Code

Dear Mr. or Ms. School Principal/Class Teacher:

It was a great delight for us to carry out our environmental education project in your school/class. You have helped
us greatly in our efforts to share the responsibility of taking care of our environment. Thank you very much for your
kind assistance and cooperation.
We hope to continue to cooperate with your school/class in the future.

Sincerely yours,

Team Coordinator

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THINK AND WRITE

In your journal, write your responses to the following questions. You may choose instead to write
about other topics connected to the lesson. If possible, use modal verbs in your responses.
1. How did you like the activities in this lesson?
2. How did you like your group? Did you cooperate well?
3. Suggest one or two things to improve the quality of your group work.

Exchange your journal with a partner and review your partner’s writing. Use the following Journal Peer
Review Checklist. You may also use the checklist to review your own writing. Is everything clear?

Journal Peer Review Checklist

• Is there anything you would like to know more about?

• What is the purpose of this piece of writing? Will it accomplish its purpose?
• What is the best sentence or paragraph? Why is it good?
• Is there anything you can learn from this piece of writing that can help you become a
better writer?
• Each lesson in this book has a language focus. Is the lesson’s language focus used in
this piece of writing?
• Any suggestions for changing the vocabulary?
• Any other ideas for improving this piece of writing?
• Any suggestions to help the writer gain further understanding of the lesson?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• This UNESCO website talked about Education for Sustainable Development which is slightly
broader that Environmental Education:
[Link]
• Green Teacher magazine, based in Canada, has been appearing for many years. Full of many
resources: [Link]
• Dr Jane Goodall is a famous scientist and environmentalist. The Jane Goodall Institute has Roots &
Shoots, its youth arm. [Link]
• The Nature Conservancy is an international organization that protects against overdevelopment.
Their youth curriculum page is called Nature Lab:
[Link]

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ARIEL SAVES THE Julia Eka Rini, [Link]. - Universitas Kristen Petra, Surabaya

SEA EE Aims: The two readings in this lesson talk about creative
performances: a ballet and a puppet show to teach about people
caring about sea creatures. The creative arts are powerful tools
in EE. Plus, students can combine creativity and language
learning. In this lesson’s Take Part, one option invites students to
create and share their own story. It is important that you, the
teacher, are not the only audience for students’ creative work.
Help them find ways to share, the wider the better. Another Take
Part option for students is to join a clean effort. They may need
help finding one. You and other teachers can help, even if it is
only cleaning school grounds.

Language Aims: The lesson’s language focus is on a tricky

piece of punctuation: commas. This book uses U.S. rules for
commas, but any set of rules are fine, as long as students are
consistent. As with other elements of language, there are many
possible correct ways to speak and write. The meaning of
students’ ideas will always be most important.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Like human beings, sea animals and plants also need a clean and healthy environment to live in.
Human beings often contaminate the seas and thus destroy the sea creatures. A few concerned
individuals and groups decided to help build awareness and take action to protect the animals and
plants in the sea.

GET READY FOR ACTION

You will learn what those concerned individuals and groups did to protect the environment. You will
also read a story about Ariel, the Little Mermaid who helped save the sea creatures. If you can
remember or make up a story about protecting the environment, you can help make little children
aware of the importance of environmental conservation. Or, you can also take part in an exciting
project to clean up beaches.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. Look at a globe or a map of the world in an atlas. Pay attention to the areas that show land and
water, including oceans, lakes, and rivers. Our planet Earth is sometimes called the Blue Planet.
From the globe or map, can you see why?
2. Find a partner and get two glasses of plain water. Into one glass, you will pour some black ink or
other black liquid, such as soy sauce, and stir. Ask your partner which glass of water he/she would
like to drink. Why?

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Save the Sea

(1) An Indonesian tanker ship carrying toxic (poisonous) chemicals overturned off Malaysia’s
southern Johor state on its way to Kalimantan, Indonesia. (2) Toxic chemicals from the ship killed
thousands of fishes and other animals living in the water. (3) If the families of the animals killed by the
chemicals from the ship could talk to us, they would probably ask us to stop polluting the water. (4) In
their eyes, pollution is a crime.

(5) Elles School of Ballet decided to educate the public about the need to protect the water. (6)
Supported by their ballerina students and their parents, they created a ballet performance Ariel, the
Little Mermaid, Save the Sea, a story about protecting the animals who live in the water. (7) This story
was originally created by Hans Christian Andersen, an author from Denmark who lived between
1805-1875. (8) Since then, the story has been used and changed by many others. (9) For instance,
Disney made a movie entitled The Little Mermaid.

(10) Mermaids are female creatures who are half fish and half human. (11) In the story told by the
young Indonesian ballerinas, Ariel helped lobsters, salmons, jellyfishes, and other water animals
whose parents had been captured by sailors in a fishing net. (12) When Ariel and her sisters tried to
free their friends, they also got caught. (13) They began to cry. (14) Their tears hardened and turned
into pearls.

(15) When the greedy sailors saw the pearls, they tortured Ariel and her sisters in order to get more
pearls. (16) Fortunately, a storm came. (17) Ariel and her sisters managed to escape from the sailors,
and the cruel sailors were trapped in the sea.

(18) Later, the sailors were helped by dolphins to go back to the shore and the peaceful life of the
sea was restored. (19) One of the lessons of the story is that the creatures of the water are good to us
humans, so we humans should be good to them, too.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Commas are an important type of punctuation, but they can be confusing. The famous British author
Oscar Wilde once wrote, “I have spent most of the day putting in a comma and the rest of the day
taking it out.” One reason why commas are confusing is that different rules are used in different
countries. Here, we will explain four U.S. rules for comma use.

1. Items in a series
For example:
• Ariel helped lobsters, fishes, crabs, and shrimps. Water becomes polluted when people throw
garbage, spill petroleum and chemicals, and use harmful fishing methods.

2. After introductory words, phrases, and clauses

For example:
• Words - However, some people do not care about environment.
• Phrases - After a long vacation, he was amazed at what happened to the environment.
• Clauses - Because he has worked hard to save the endangered species, the government gave
him an award.

3. Before and after words, phrases, and clauses inserted into the middle of a main clause.
For example,
• The sailors, for example, were greedy.
• Ariel, whose father was a king, cared about nature.
• Ariel, Disney’s loveable character, is well liked by both children and adults.

4. Between two independent clauses (clauses that could be sentences on their own) joined by
and, but, yet, or, for, nor, so.
For example:
• And - Ariel was afraid, and she went to her father to ask for help.
• But - In the beginning, Ariel’s father hated humans, but, in the end, he learned that some
humans were good.
• Or - Are you going to help save the sea, or are you going to wait for others to act?

PEEK AND SEEK

Circle all the commas that you find in the reading passage. Count the commas you have circled. Ask
a partner how many commas they circled. If your numbers are not the same, please check each
other’s work.

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THINK AND TALK

1. True or false?
a. If you drink four glasses of toxic water each day, your health will improve.
b. The ship that spilled chemicals into the water was going to the Malaysian state of Johor.
c. The fishes said to people, “Please stop polluting the water.”
d. The story of the little mermaid was originally written by Walt Disney.
e. Jellyfishes and salmon were caught in a fishing net.
f. When Ariel and her brothers tried to help other animals, they too were caught in the net.
g. When a storm came, Ariel was able to get away from the sailors.
h. The sailors were saved by dolphins.

2. One lesson of the story performed by the Indonesian youths is that we should be good to the
creatures of the sea. What might be another lesson of the story?

3. The Little Mermaid is a story from Denmark. Can you think of any stories from other countries about
protecting the environment?

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Complete the table:
a. Write out the sentence from the passage that matches the number in the left column.
b. Write the number of the rule from HOW ENGLISH WORKS that explains how commas are used in
the sentence. In sentence #11, two rules are used.
The first one has been done for you.
Sentence # Sentence Comma rule
3 If the families of the animals killed by the chemicals from the 2
ship could talk to us, they would probably ask us to stop
polluting the water.
4
7
8
9
11
12
16
17
19

Activity B
First, read the next passage one time to understand it. Then, read it again and put either a comma or
0 (no comma) in each blank.

One day while playing (1) _____ Maryam, a 10-year-old girl (2) ____ was upset to find plastic litter
scattered (3) ____ around her beautiful green village in Tambakrejo. That night, the Shadow Puppet
Master performed a play about a wise village in which the elders taught everyone (4) ______ to
reduce, reuse (5) _____ and recycle garbage.

Reduce, reuse (6) ____ and recycle are known as the 3 R’s. Reduce means that we should reduce
the amount of things we use. For instance (7) _____ instead of buying canned drinks, we can drink
water. Reuse means that we should use things more than one time. For example, we can buy a water
bottle of water (8) ____ we can refill the bottle hundreds of times instead of throwing it away. Recycle
(9) _____ means to send old materials to be made into new materials of the same type. An example
of recycling (10) ____ is sending old newspapers to be made into new newspapers.

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Inspired by the puppet story, Maryam decided to start a program to encourage all the kids in the
village to practice the 3 R’s. In the program, the children performed puppet shows, gave
demonstrations of how to reuse old things (11) ____ and set up recycling containers. In the end, the
children’s efforts succeeded (12) ____ and (13) ____the village held a parade to celebrate. All the
music for the parade (14) ____ came from musical instruments that the children had made from used
plastic (15) _____ and wood.

TAKE PART
Choose one of the following projects:
1. Remember a folktale and children’s story about protecting the environment, or you can create your
own story. Make the story into a play or puppet show for children. Find a class or other group of
children for whom you can perform your story. Try to combine teaching the children about the
environment with teaching them a bit about English.

2. Every year in September, people in many countries all over the world, including Indonesia,
participate in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). During ICC, people pick up trash from
beaches. This trash is dangerous to animals who can die if they accidentally eat it or get caught in
it. Write an information brochure about what the ICC is and why people should participate. Use the
brochure to organize students and others to participate. If you cannot participate in the
international event in September, choose another time, or organize a campaign to clean up
beaches on another day.

3. How do the fishing industry and the shipping industry contribute to the problem of waste in the
world’s oceans and on the world’s beaches?

THINK AND WRITE

1. Think about folk tales and children’s stories that you know. Are there many animals and plants in
the tales and stories? When you were a child, what was one of your favorite folk tales or children’s
stories about animals or plants?

2. Write a journal entry retelling that story of your childhood favorite. When you finish writing, look
back at how you used commas. Was it correct? Compare stories with a partner.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Background information on the original story of The Little Mermaid:

[Link]
• A UNESCO website about ocean plastic pollution:
[Link]
• A World Wildlife Fund website about overfishing: [Link]
• A four-minute subtitled video that explains evidence for the view that fishes can feel pain:
[Link]

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SAVE THE FISHES Drs. Syahrir Mappe, M.A and Dra. Nurnia, M.A. - Universitas
Haluoleo, Kendari

EE Aims: In EE, we humans need to be humble. Yes, we have

done some incredible feats during our time on the planet, such
as the internet and our ability to grow huge amounts of food. At
the same time, we should care about the other species of
animals with whom we share the planet. This lesson focuses on
the trillions of marine animals. Are there environmentally-friendly
ways to capture fishes for humans to eat? In Take Part, students
have five options for actions, and then in Think and Write, they
use journals to think about the topics in the lesson.

Language Aims: Prepositions, the lesson’s language focus, is

maybe the most difficult part of English for non-native speakers.
Thus, we should be kind if learners are not perfect. Also, in the
lesson, you may notice two fairly new wrinkles in English: “fishes”
and “fishers.” Fishes, not fish, emphasizes that each fish is an
individual. Fishers, not fishermen, is like fire fighters, instead of
firemen.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Some fishers use harmful methods to catch fishes. Eventually, these dangerous methods will only
lead to the fatal destruction of the fish environment and thus also harm the fishers as well as the
consumers themselves.

GET READY FOR ACTION

This lesson offers several projects to promote safer fishing techniques. In addition, you will also be
encouraged to think of and try other alternative eating habits.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. Look at the table below. What do you know about fishing? Write what you know first in column “K”
of the K.W.L table.
2. Then, share your knowledge with your partner.
3. Each pair then finds another pair to form a group of four, and each person shares their knowledge
again. Make a copy of the table format on a large piece of paper and write your group’s ideas on
this.
4. Make sure everyone in your group is ready to present your group’s knowledge to the whole class.
5. Next, each person in the group thinks of two questions they have about catching fishes. You can
write your questions in column “W” of the K.W.L. table.
6. Now you can read the passage about catching fishes on your own. After reading, write three things
that you have learned from the reading in column “L” of your own table. Some of your questions
may not be answered from the text. If there are some things you wanted to find out in the “W”
column and did not find out, transfer these to the “L” column. Later on, you can do some research
to get more information on your unanswered questions.
7. You will use the information from the K.W.L. table in the project later in this lesson.

K.W.L. Table

W – What we want to find L - What we have learned and still

K - What we know
out want to learn

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Environmentally Friendly Fishing

In the past, fishers in southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia used to catch fishes with environmentally-friendly
fishing methods. Cotton nets and fishing rods, for example, have been used for decades to catch
fish. But today, much of the equipment many fishers use to take the fishes from the ocean affects the
sustainability (ability to survive or keep alive) of marine life, such as small fishes, coral reefs, and
plankton (very small plants and animals).

Over the past few years, cyanide, dynamite, and large trawl nets have been used by fishers to catch
a large amount of fishes such as groupers, napoleons, sea basses, tunas, and parrot fishes. These
methods have contributed greatly to severe destruction of the coral reef.
A shoal is a group of fishes who swim together. Dynamite fishing means that dynamite is thrown into a
shoal and everyone is killed instantly. Dead fishes float to the surface and are collected and sold in
the markets in the cities of Kendari, Makassar, and Manado. It is a quick way to earn money, but
many fishers do not understand that in a few years time, they will kill most of the fishes, and thus,
their own jobs as fishers will be lost forever.

So, what can we do to protect the marine life in our ocean? We must try to educate the local fishers
so that they understand that they are destroying their own livelihood and their children’s future. One of
the NGOs (non-government organizations) in Kendari, conducted a pilot community education
project in the fishing village of Lagasa on the impact of the harmful methods of catching fish. It also
aimed to introduce better fishing methods.

This NGO provided environmentally-friendly fishing equipment for a group of ten fishers. Some of the
grouper they caught were sold at the market, and the rest were kept on fish farms until there was a
demand for them at the market and the prices were high. The technique they used for keeping fishes
on the fish farms was to tie the fishes with a three-meter nylon rope and tie the other end to a wooden
stick planted into the seabed.

Another environmentally-friendly technique the fishers learned to catch fishes such as tunas and
anchovies was a boat with lights, or rompong in the local language. This rompong is equipped with
electric lamps which can attract fishes at night. As the fishes gather near the lights, the fishing net,
which is hung under the boat, is pulled up to the surface of the water. The fishes inside are then
sorted; only certain fish species are taken out of the water to be sold. All the other sea creatures the
fishers can’t sell are released into the sea. In this way, only certain fishes are collected, and the
sustainability of marine life is improved.

If you would like to learn more about the marine environment, read the next lesson on coral reefs.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

A preposition is a small word used with a noun or pronoun. It is usually placed before the noun or
pronoun to tell us something about the word. Prepositions can tell us about time (in, over, at),
direction (to, into, from, out of), and place (in, at, inside). Direction means that there is some
movement toward or away from the noun or pronoun. Here are some examples:
• In - The fishers go to sea in the evening. (to = direction, in = time)
Tunas in Kendari market are inexpensive. (in = place)
• Over - Over the last few months, the number of fishers who catch fishes with cyanide has
decreased sharply. (over = time)
• At - At night, fishers go out to catch anchovies. (at = time; out = direction)
• To - Pak Agus usually ties the fishes with a nylon rope to a wooden stick. (to = direction)
The dead fishes float to the surface of the water. (to = direction)
Note: Be careful of ‘to’. This word can also be part of a verb. For example: The fishers use cyanide
to catch large fishes.
Here, ‘to’ is not a preposition, but part of the verb. If you are not sure, check to see if the word
which follows ‘to’ is a noun (thing or person) or a verb (action word).
• Into - The fishers climb into their boats every evening and set off to sea. (into/to = direction)
Many fishes swim into the nets, but only the tunas are taken out of the water. (into/out of = direction)

PEEK AND SEEK

Underline these prepositions in the passage: in, at, over, to, into, under, and inside. See how they are
used to show time, place, and direction. If you are not sure, you can discuss their use with your
partner.

THINK AND TALK

Work with a partner. Take turns to ask and answer the following questions based on the reading
passage. Discuss your answers with each other and be ready to report your discussion to the class.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
2. Why do some fishers use large trawl nets, dynamite, and cyanide to catch fishes?
3. What will happen if the fishers continue to use large trawl nets, cyanide, and dynamite to fish?
4. What did the NGO do to motivate fishers not to use cyanide, dynamite and large trawl nets to
catch fishes?
5. According to the text, which types of fishing equipment are more friendly to the environment?
6. What did the fishers do to limit the supply of fishes in Kendari’s market?
7. According to the text, what type of fishes can be kept on fish farms?

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Work with a partner. Use one table for two people. Take turns to fill in the table with the different uses
of prepositions. One example of each type of preposition has been done for you.

Prepositions of Time Prepositions of Place Prepositions of Direction

at night In Muna Regency from the market

Activity B
Read the passage again once, noticing all the underlined prepositions. Then work with a partner.
Your partner will read the passage slowly to you. Whenever your partner comes to an underlined
preposition, instead of saying the preposition itself, your partner will make a sound like ‘hmhm’.

Example:
Partner: The fish are sold – ‘hmhm’ - the market.
You: in
Partner: That’s right!

You tell your partner the correct preposition that goes in place of ‘hmhm’. Your partner will then tell
you if you were right. After your partner has read half the passage, you read the second half of the
passage to your partner. Then, read the first half to your partner and after that, your partner reads the
second half to you.

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Activity C

Fill in each blank below with the correct preposition.

1. Where will the fishers throw the dynamite? They will throw it ____________ a school of fish.
2. How long have the fishers been using cyanide, dynamite, and large trawl nets to catch fishes?
They have been using them _________ the past few years.
3. Where do they sell the fishes? They sell the fishes ____________ the market in Kendari.
4. What will happen if they still insist on using cyanide and dynamite for fishing? They will destroy the
coral reef __________ a few years’ time.
5. We must do what we can to protect the marine life __________ the ocean.
6. Where is the NGO located? It is located _____________ Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi.
7. Where do the fishers live who are raising grouper fishes? They live ____________ the village of
Lagasa.
8. How do they raise the grouper fishes? They tie them ______________ a wooden stick.
9. Why do they use electric lamps to catch fishes? Because the electric lamps can attract fishes
__________ night.
[Link] are fishing nets on a rompong boat? They are hung ____________ the rompong.

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TAKE PART
Work in groups of four to do one of the following tasks. To complete them, you may need to ask other
people, do research in the library, or on the Internet.
1. Discuss whom you can talk to in the fishing industry or the government (that is, influential people,
such as owners of a large number of boats or people in the Fishing Department of the Ministry of
Agriculture) about harmful fishing practices. Prepare a letter or other form of communication to
send to these people or a spoken presentation to deliver to these people to ask for information and
express your concern. If it is a spoken presentation, make sure everyone in your group presents
something. Report the results of your presentation to your class, or if you send a letter, email, etc.,
let the class know if you receive a reply.
2. What are some good alternatives to eating fishes? We can help protect fish populations by
changing our eating habits. On the internet, find a reliable information source on nutrition. Find out
about soya bean products, such as tofu and tempeh. Are they good substitutes for eating fishes?
Prepare a written or oral presentation of your findings and suggestions on eating fewer fishes. For
example, you could do a skit or an advertisement. Present it to your family, another class, etc.
3. Prepare for an interview with the fish sellers in your local market about the types of fishes they buy
and where they come from. Ask them if they know how the fishes are caught (of course, you may
find that they really have no idea how the fishes are caught). Prepare a talk for them in which you
explain to them about environmentally-friendly and unfriendly ways that fish are caught. You will
need to use pictures, because not all the fish sellers may be able to read. Report your interview
information to your class.
4. If you live near a fishing area, interview some fishers about harmful practices. You will need to
prepare your questions first before you go to speak to them. You may like to ask them how their
parents and grandparents fished. Ask them if they know what the fishing equipment of these earlier
generations looked like. Maybe you can ask if they know about alternative fishing practices.
5. See if you can find some traditional fishing equipment or pictures of such equipment. Make an
exhibition in your university on the subject. You may like to get together with one or two other
groups, as this may involve a lot of planning. For example, there could be a research and design
team (find out about the topic, get pictures and facts, and design the exhibition space), a
marketing team (create flyers to let people know you are having an exhibition and get permission
for it), and a management team (on the day of the exhibition, your group will manage the exhibition
and answer any questions).

THINK AND WRITE

For one week, make a note in your journal of all the types of fish bought by you and your family for
that week. At the end of the week, bring your journal to school to compare it with a friend’s journal.
Then, work in a group of four to complete a list of the types of fish bought. Imagine what life would be
like without fish in your diet. Think what you can do to help spread awareness or prevent harmful
fishing practices. Write about your ideas in your journal.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• A National Geographic Resources on Sustainable Fishing:

[Link]
• Marine Conservation Society Lesson Plan on Sustainable Fishing:
[Link]
• A three-minute subtitled video by the National Geographic and UN video on How More Efficient
Fishing Can Protect the Ocean: [Link]
• Marine Stewardship Council article explaining Sustainable Fishing:
[Link]
• A four-and-half-minute subtitled video by marine biologist Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Jennifer
Jacquet titled, Will the oceans ever run out of fish?
[Link]

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PROTECT CORAL Jenny Pakasi - Universitas Sam Ratulangi

REEF EE Aims: Lesson 3 discusses fishes, and Lesson 4 discusses

ECOSYSTEMS coral reefs. Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems where many
species live. The lesson has two readings about coral reefs and
what we can do to protect them. As a Chinese philosopher from
about 500 years ago wrote, “To know but not to do is not to
know.” The Take Part section encourages small actions students
can take on behalf of coral reefs. The Think and Write section
encourages students to give each other feedback on their journal
entries. Teachers can promote this by doing their own journal
entries and inviting student feedback, and teachers can also
give feedback on students’ journal entries.

Language Aims: Subject-Verb Agreement is this lesson’s

Language Focus. It is easy to lose track of what the subject and
verb are in each sentence and clause. Sometimes, a sentence
has more than one clause, and sometimes, a clause has more
than one subject or more than one verb. Thus, this lesson is
especially important.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Coral reefs are some of the most valuable and spectacular places on Earth. However, coral reefs are
now in crisis. Reef ecosystems are now being rapidly degraded and destroyed worldwide by a
variety of human activities. The coral reef crisis threatens the survival of valuable and ancient marine
ecosystems, as well as the communities and economies that depend on them.

GET READY FOR ACTION

Be prepared to learn more about coral reefs and make real contributions to the protection of coral
reefs.

BEFORE YOU READ

Here are some questions to get you thinking about the coral reef before you read more about them.
It’s alright if you are not sure about all the questions—just jot down a few notes to prepare yourself for
the reading.

1. How much do you really know about coral reefs?

2. Have you actually seen them? If so, what were you doing (e.g., snorkelling, diving, fishing,
searching for shellfish)?
3. Where can you find coral reefs in Indonesia and other countries?
4. Are the coral reefs of Indonesia and elsewhere endangered in any way? If so, what threatens
them?
5. Why are coral reefs so important to protect?
6. What is being done to protect reefs?
7. What can we do to help?

You can come back to your answers for the questions above after reading the passage.

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Manado’s Coral Reefs

Coral is one of the most spectacular living organisms in the world: it is both an animal and an
environment for many marine animals to live in, supplying them with food and hiding places. With
more than 2,000 species of fish and 58 types of corals, the coral reefs of Bunaken National Park in
Manado, the largest city in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, can be said to be among the most beautiful in
the world. But if the reefs aren’t taken care of and are over-fished, or killed by using harmful
harvesting techniques, they won’t be beautiful for much longer.

Some of the human activities threatening the well-being of the reefs surrounding the Bunaken
National Park are gleaning, coral mining, bomb fishing, and cyanide fishing. Gleaning is the practice
of collecting animals from the reef at low tide. Collectors use knives to break off and overturn the
corals. Coral mining (collecting of coral) is bad for the coral reef ecosystems, because collectors
tend to take too much, and it takes a long time for the corals to grow replacements for the ones taken.
Coral bombing is when the fishers use homemade explosives to kill the fishes. Once a reef has been
bombed, the coral dies and breaks off into fragments which are blown away by water currents.

Cyanide is used to catch large fishes. Fishers squeeze cyanide into large crevices (holes) in the coral
where large fishes hide. The leftover amounts of cyanide in the water can easily kill large sections of
coral and smaller reef fishes. All these practices have caused widespread destruction of the reefs.
There are a number of reasons why these practices are so popular. Firstly, they are easy to do: you
don’t have to be a professional. Secondly, the materials and equipment are widely available and very
cheap. Thirdly, the animals and coral collected from the reef are a good source of income.

Is there anything we can do to help the coral reefs? Yes, there is. If we are to help protect our reefs,
we will need to help people who depend on the reef for their income. They must have an occupation
that is as attractive as these cheap and easy ways of earning money. There are other things we can
do to help ourselves. Later you will read about how we can actively take part in protecting the reefs.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Identifying the Main Verb and Its Subject in a Sentence

In English, a complete sentence must have a main subject and a verb, which tells us something
about what the subject does or is. In a sentence, first find the verb. Sometimes, the verb is one word.
Other times, there are other words with the verb, such as ‘is,’ ‘are,’ ‘have,’ ‘has,’ ‘can,’ and ‘may.’ After
you have finished looking for the verb, look for the subject. The subject usually comes before the
verb.
Subject Main verb

artificial reefs off the Atlantic coast since

People have been building
the 1830s.

Sometimes, writers join two sentences together. Writers use signal words, such as ‘and,’ ‘but,’ and
‘so,’ to join the sentences. Signal words tell us about the relationship between the two sentences.
‘And’ and ‘also’ tell us that the second sentence will give more information about the first sentence.
‘But’ and ‘however’ tell us that the second sentence will have different information from the first
sentence.
Example:
Many fishing groups supported the reef-building efforts,
S V
but several environmental groups voiced concern over the effectiveness of the project.
S V
Some sentences have one subject and two or more verbs.
Example:
These reefs attract recreational fishing and diving and consequently
S V
bring business, thus boosting the local economy.
V
Some sentences have one verb and two or more subjects.
Example:
In the past two decades, seaweed and other algae have overrun most of the delicate
reefs. S S V

PEEK AND SEEK

Underline all the subjects and main verbs in the text. The first sentence has been done for you. If
you’re not sure what to do, read the next section first and then work on the text.

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THINK AND TALK

Look back at the questions in the Before You Read section. How many can you answer? If there are
questions that you still cannot answer, make a note to find out the answers to these questions when
you are doing your project with your group.

After reading the passage, in groups of three or four, discuss the following questions. It is a good
idea to make a note of your own and your group’s answers.
1. What is the writers’ main concern in this article?
2. Suggest ways to minimize the destruction of the coral reef ecosystems.
3. True or false. Check your answers with your group.
a. The coral reefs in Bunaken are considered some of the most beautiful in the world.
b. There are four destructive practices that endanger the life of coral reefs around Bunaken National
Park.
c. The use of the homemade bombs is not only harmful to the fishes, but also to the coral reef itself.
d. The fishers have to spend a lot of money to buy the materials to make a bomb to kill the fishes.
e. If coral is taken day after day, it grows better.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Here you will find out more about coral reefs while practicing your understanding of subjects and
main verbs. Find the subjects and verbs of the sentences. Write the subjects and verbs in the
spaces. Check your answer with your partner. The first one has been done for you.

1. Some of the activities threatening the well-being of the reefs surrounding the Bunaken National
Park are gleaning, coral mining, illegal bomb fishing, and cyanide fishing.
subject(s): __Some________
verb(s): ____are______

2. Certainly many other factors, among them overfishing, pollution, typhoons, snorkelling, and global
warming, threaten the fragile reefs.
subject(s): __________
verb(s): ____________

3. Over half of the world’s coral reefs have been lost since 1950, due to factors including climate
change, overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction.
subject(s): __________
verb(s): _____________

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4. The most important actions for promoting healthy coral reefs are taken at the local and national
level.
subject(s): ___________
verb(s): ____________

5. Unfortunately, tactics such as poisoning, harpooning, and dynamiting the reef animals have been
disastrous for marine animals.
subject(s): ___________
verb(s): ______________

6. Disease, temperature extremes, pest outbreaks, tropical cyclones, and other natural events
periodically devastate coral reefs.
subject(s): ____________
verb(s): ___________

7. Cyanide has no damaging effect on large fish, but it kills small fishes and coral.
subject(s): __________
verb(s): __________

Activity B
Read on to find out what you can do to help the coral reefs. When you have finished reading, go
through the passage again and underline the subjects and verbs.

What You Can Do to Help

Besides the four harmful practices described in the reading passage, there is one other threatening
practice affecting our reef eco-systems: the unaware snorkeler or diver. This is where you can
actively help the reefs while in the water.

You can minimize the impact you leave on the reef by following a few tips to improve your reef
etiquette. Firstly, you should try not to touch any part of the reefs. Furthermore, you should also avoid
kicking up clouds of sand, and be aware of where your fins are. You must make sure that the boat
you are using does not anchor, but instead uses a mooring buoy (a float to which you can tie your
boat). All of these activities will help to prevent damage to the reefs.

Secondly, you should not disturb the animals seen on the reef. This means not feeding, chasing, or
touching the fish, as they are vulnerable (easily exposed) to stress. If you overturn rocks to observe
the marine life, you must gently put these back where you found them.

Thirdly, you should avoid buying or collecting products from the reef. When ordering seafood, you
should not order reef fish, such as cardinal fishes, reef sharks, angelfishes, groupers, and reef
snappers. Perhaps you could try a vegetarian option.

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Fourthly, encourage the government to set up reserve areas where humans are not allowed, except
researchers who study how to protect wildlife. Also, laws should protect coral reefs, and the laws
should be enforced.

Lastly, you must take care not to leave litter in the ocean or on the beach. Plastic bags have a
tendency to suffocate (block the air supply so they can’t breathe) both turtles and coral. By following
these rules, you can help our reefs to stay beautiful for years to come.

TAKE PART
Each person finds one or two different articles concerning the coral reefs from the library or the
internet. Look for articles that describe ways that people protect coral reef ecosystems. If there is
enough time, be ready to present them to the whole class.

What is your contribution to protecting the coral reefs?

In groups of three write a poster, draw a cartoon, or make a video to promote awareness of the coral
reef crisis and how people can protect reefs. (You may like to publish these in traditional or online
media or display them at your university).

What other sources of income are available to reef fishers? See what you can find out locally and also
on the internet. Present your findings to your class. If you have a lot of good ideas, make a
presentation to a local nature preservation organization, proposing that local fishers be trained not to
harm the reefs.

THINK AND WRITE

Write in your journal about the process of the research you did on coral reefs. Here are some
questions to give you an idea about what to write.

1. Was it easy to get information on this subject?

2. How did you do it?
3. Did you find some shortcuts (easier, quicker ways of doing something)?
4. Were your research materials both in English and other languages?
5. Did you have difficulty understanding some English articles?
6. What strategies did you use to understand these difficult articles?
7. For future reference and for sharing, keep a record of any websites or other online resources you
liked.

When you finish writing, reread your journal entry and see if you want to make any changes. Then,
exchange journal entries with a partner. Tell each other your reactions to their entry. Do not talk about
grammar, punctuation, or other language matters. Focus only on the ideas.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration article explaining coral reef ecosystems:
[Link]
• WWF article on coral reefs and climate change:
[Link]
• International Union for the Conservation of Nature resource on coral reefs and climate change:
[Link]
• NASA article on the hope that exists even though coral reefs are vanishing because of climate
change:
[Link]
s-stressing-corals-but-theres-hope/
• A seven-and-a-half minute subtitled video on, “How Scientists Are Restoring The Great Barrier
Reef”: [Link]

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GARBAGE Drs Syahrir Mappe, M.A. - Universitas Haluoleo, Kendari, Sulawesi,

Indonesia
COLLECTORS George M Jacobs - Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation,
Singapore

EE Aims: It’s incredible how much garbage humans can produce, and we
often look down on the people who do the essential work of cleaning up all
that garbage. In this lesson, students consider these people, and try to talk
to them. Usually, it is best for students to go in pairs or larger groups to
meet people. Or, you can invite people to come to your classes.
Conversations with these people will probably be in the students’ first
language (L1), not in English. That is okay. When students write and talk
about their encounters outside the classroom, they can use English to the
extent possible.

Language Aims: English has some strange features, for example, how to
form the third-person singular of verbs in the present tense. Fortunately,
there are some rules that usually work. This lesson teaches students some
of these rules, and gives them practice in applying rules. Of course,
spellcheck and AI can also help.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Garbage is one of the main environmental problems faced by big cities and towns around the world.
Garbage collectors play an important role in reducing the accumulation of garbage. This lesson is
about these people.

GET READY FOR ACTION

You are about to learn the important role of garbage collectors in the proper management of
garbage. This lesson will give you the opportunity to observe and think about how the garbage is
handled and to appreciate the role of garbage collectors in your life.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. The class discusses the kinds of things they throw in the garbage and what happens to those
things after they have been thrown away. For example, are they burned?
2. The class discusses who collects their garbage.

WHILE YOU READ

1. Students each find a partner. They give their partner one compliment, such as “I’m glad to have
you as a partner, because you give me good ideas.”
2. You and your partner will both read the reading passage “Garbage Collectors.” It contains four
paragraphs.
3. Stop reading after you have both silently read the first paragraph. Next, one of you does the role of
Recaller. The Recaller summarizes the main points of the paragraph without looking down at the
page. Only the main points should be included in the summary. You can speak in any language
you want.
4. The other member of the pair is the Helper. The Helper looks at the passage while the Recaller is
summarizing and helps if the Recaller has trouble.
5. Then, both partners discuss:
a. examples of ideas in the paragraph
b. connections to your own lives
c. connections to other ideas you have learned
d. your opinions and feelings about the ideas in the paragraph
e. ways you can apply the ideas
f. questions you have about the paragraph
6. Use the same procedure for all four paragraphs, except each time, rotate the roles of Recaller and
Helper.

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Garbage Collectors

Indonesia has two types of garbage collectors. The first type only takes some of the garbage. The
second type of garbage collector removes the rest of the garbage. The article you are now reading is
about both types of garbage collectors. The first type of garbage collectors are called scavengers.
Have you ever seen any of them? They are heroes in the effort to protect our environment, because
they help to reuse and recycle.

Pak Abu (Pak = Mister) is a typical scavenger. He wakes up at 6.00 in the morning and goes out to
collect garbage. Pak Abu walks from house to house looking through the garbage bins. When he
finds something that he can sell, he places it in a plastic sack that he carries on his back. When he
has a full sack, he brings it back to his house, where he sorts the garbage into different categories:
glass, plastic bottles, paper, and metal. In the afternoon, Pak Abu repeats the procedure when he
visits other homes.

Pak La Aba works for the government. He travels in a truck to collect all the garbage that Pak Abu
does not take. Pak La Aba sends the garbage for burning or for burying in a landfill. Landfills are
large holes dug in the ground to bury garbage. None of this garbage gets recycled or reused. If the
government burns the garbage, the air fills with smoke. If the government buries the garbage, poison
from the garbage gets into the land or water.

To many people, a scavenger like Pak Abu has low social status. Nobody wishes to be a scavenger,
but in fact, Pak Abu occupies an important place in society because he helps protect our
environment. By removing items from our garbage bins, he diminishes (makes less) the amount of
pollution we create. So, the next time a scavenger like Pak Abu comes to your neighborhood, thank
her or him. Maybe you can even help them by sorting your garbage.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

We use simple present tense to talk about things that always happen, such as “The sun rises in the
morning” and about habits, such as, “I normally eat breakfast after I wake up.”
To form the third person singular of the present tense, we usually add -s or -es to the verb. For
example, we add -s to the verb like and say, “She likes to walk in the park.” We add -es to the verb
watch and say, “He watches the sunset in the park.”

When a verb ends in a consonant plus -y, we can form the third person singular of the simple present
tense by dropping the -y and adding -ies. For example, we might say, “The butterfly flies from plant to
plant carrying pollen.”

Some verbs are irregular in the third person singular of the simple present tense. Two irregular verbs
are to be (is) and to have (has).

PEEK AND SEEK

In the passage, the third person singular [it, she, he] simple present tense verbs are underlined.
What are the third person singular verbs that were not formed by adding only -s or -es to the verb.
The first one is has.

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THINK AND TALK

Work with a partner. Take turns to ask and answer the following questions based on the reading
passage. Discuss your answers with each other and be ready to report your discussion to the class.
1. What is the main idea of the text?
2. What is the impact of burning and burying the garbage?
3. Put the materials below in the correct column in the table according to whether they are collected
by scavengers or by government garbage collectors. There is no one correct answer, because this
will vary from one town/city to another. Add two more materials to each column.

leftover food leather

clothes iron
televisions that do not work plastic bottles
grass cuttings broken umbrellas
dead plants nylon
notebook paper plant leaves
wood batteries
zinc glass bottles

Government garbage collectors collect

Scavengers collect these items
these items
notebook paper grass cuttings

4. What is your opinion of scavengers? Why?

5. What can we learn from Pak Abu?

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Use the above reading passage Garbage Collectors. Complete the table by putting the first 10 third
person singular present tense verbs formed by adding -s. Do not add the verbs formed by adding
-es.
First 10 Third Person Singular Verbs Formed by Adding -s
takes

Activity B
The passage below is similar to the passage at the beginning of this lesson, except that some of the
verbs have been changed. In parentheses ( ) are a synonym (a word with a similar meaning) and an
antonym (a word with an opposite meaning) or another incorrect choice for the verbs in the original
passage. Choose the synonym and write it in the blank in the third person singular of the simple
present tense.

Garbage Collectors in Indonesia

Indonesia has two types of garbage collectors. The first type only (1) ___________ (collect/throw
away) some of the garbage. The second type of garbage collector _________ (add/take away) the
rest of the garbage. This article (3) __________ (be about/ignore) both types of garbage collectors.
The first type are called scavengers. Have you ever seen any of them? They are heroes in the effort to
protect our environment, because they help to reuse and recycle.

Pak Abu (4) __________ (earn a living as/pretend to be) a typical scavenger. He (5) _________
(awake/sleep) at 6:00 in the morning and (6) __________ (stay/leave his home) to collect garbage.

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Pak Abu walks from house to house looking through the garbage bins. When he (7) __________
(discover/lose) something that he can sell, he (8) __________ (put/remove) it in a plastic sack that he
travels with. When he (9) __________ (have/want) a full sack, he (10) __________ (carry/forget) it back
to his house, where he (11) __________ (classify/mix together) the garbage into different categories:
glass, plastic bottles, paper, and metal. In the afternoon Pak Abu repeats the same procedure when
he visits other homes.

Pak La Aba works for the government. He (12) __________ (go around/leave) the town in a truck to
collect all the garbage that Pak Abu does not take. Pak La Aba transports the garbage for burning or
for burying in a landfill. None of this garbage (13) __________ (be/be not) recycled or reused. If the
government burns the garbage, the air fills with smoke. If the government (14) __________ (bury/sell)
the garbage, poison from the garbage gets into the land or the water.

To many people, a scavenger like Pak Abu has low social status. Nobody (15) __________
(choose/hate) to be a scavenger, but actually Pak Abu (16) __________ (do/lose) an important job for
society because he (17) __________ (destroy/watch over) the environment. By removing items from
our garbage bins, he diminishes the amount of pollution we create. So, next time a scavenger like
Pak Abu comes to your neighborhood, thank her or him. Maybe you can even help them by sorting
your garbage.

Activity C
The verb be is probably the most common verb in English. To make the present tense of be, we use
is or are. For the past tense, we use was or were. Fill in each blank with the correct form of the verb
be. Be careful to identify the subject of the sentence before choosing the form of be. Also, other
tenses, besides the present simple tense, are used.

Thank You, Tono

Garbage, one of the main problems faced by the world’s cities, (1) __________ increasing every day.
Some of the people helping to solve this garbage problem (2) __________ scavengers who collect
garbage for reusing or recycling. In Kendari, Sulawesi, one of the scavengers (3) __________ called
Tono. Yesterday, he showed me some of the items he collected. Among the items he showed me (4)
__________ an old book that today he (5) __________ going to give to the library. However, normally,
Tono gets items such as newspapers, pieces of metal, and bottles made of plastic or glass.

The importance of Tono and other scavengers (6) __________ often overlooked. We do not appreciate
these people. The benefits we receive from Tono’s work (7) __________ ignored. Instead, all we think
about (8) __________ that someone who works with garbage must be garbage too.

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We need to change our view. A serious issue facing all human beings (9) __________ how we can
reduce the amount of garbage we create. Tono and the other scavengers are giving us part of the
solution. If we reuse and recycle instead of throwing things away, we can cut down on the huge
garbage mountains we build every day. Additionally, reducing our use of disposable items, such as
drinking straws, (10) __________ another way to create less garbage. Let’s all try to learn from Tono.

TAKE PART
Choose one of these two projects or create your own.

Project 1:
1. Work in pairs. Interview scavengers or other people who reduce the amount of garbage we create,
such as people who teach us to avoid disposable products, such as plastic cups. Then, the pair
can write an article about these people to be sent to a local newspaper, government office,
television station, a friend’s social media, etc. The letter or email you send can be in English and/or
any other language.
2. Each person in the pair should write one part of the article. Then, put the parts together and check
that the parts fit together well. Next, show your article to another pair. To give feedback, use the
following Project Peer Review Checklist:
a. What is the purpose of this piece of writing? Will it accomplish its purpose?
b. Is everything clear?
c. Is there anything you would like to know more about?
d. Is this piece of writing appropriate for the audience who will be reading it?
e. What is the best sentence or paragraph? Why is it good?
f. Is there anything you can learn from this piece of writing that helps you become a better writer?
g. Each lesson in this book has a language focus. Is the lesson’s language focus used in this piece of
writing?
h. Who do you think would like to read this piece? Please send it to them and tell the writers of the
piece to whom you sent it.
3. Send the article and let the class know if you receive a reply.
4. If you wrote the article in a language other than English, translate the article into English. If you use
the internet to translate, check the translation for accuracy.

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Project 2
1. Make a copy of the table below. Use one copy to count all the garbage that you and your family
generate in one week. If you cannot count everything, that is okay. You can estimate. Compare
your family’s results with those of three other students. Then, make a plan for reducing the amount
of garbage you create. Maybe reducing, reusing, and recycling could help.
Cans and
Day Newspaper Other paper Plastic Glass Food waste
other metal
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

2. After you implement your plan, use the other copy of the table to do another week’s estimate of the
garbage that you and your family generate. Based on this second week you recorded, write a brief
report, using simple present tense and other tenses, about your family’s typical habits in terms of
the garbage you all create. Read your report to your groupmates to let them know if you have
reduced the amount of garbage generated.

3. Write to the government to suggest what can be done to help people reduce the quantity of their
government. Ideas include more ways to recycle, laws against disposable products and
unnecessary packaging, opportunities for composting, and help for industries to reuse their waste,
such as a tofu factory that makes chips from the waste created in making tofu.

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THINK AND WRITE

Please use one of the ideas here to write on a topic discussed in this lesson.

1. Use your imagination, please, to write an open letter from a scavenger to the public. Include how
the public views scavengers and how scavengers view themselves. Also, what would the
scavenger’s suggestions be for reducing the amount of garbage people generate.
2. Most people who go to university will join the middle class or upper class of society. Some people
in the middle and upper classes look down on people in the lower classes such as scavengers or
people who clean buildings. Should they look down on people in the lower classes? Why are
some people poorer than others? What is your view? Is your view the same as the views of people
you know?
3. All the lessons in this book are about the environment. Is that a good idea? Why or why not?
Should other topics also be included? If so, what other topics should be included? Think alone
first. Then, compare answers with a partner and discuss. Next, switch partners with another pair
and share your partner’s ideas plus your discussion with your new partner.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Teach Engineering activity on “Trash Talking” - a garbage audit:

[Link]
• A four-minute subtitled video raising awareness about the informal recycling scene in Uganda:
[Link]
• A one-hour subtitled video documentary, “What Life Is Like For 20 Million Waste Pickers”:
[Link]
• Article by UNDP, “Unsung heroes: Four things policymakers can do to empower informal waste
workers”:
[Link]
e-workers

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LET’S GET OUR Dr. Emalia Iragiliati Sukarni - Universitas Negeri Malang

RIVER BACK! EE Aims: Perhaps, two elements of this lesson stand out. The
first is the inspiring story of so many people coming together to
make the Brantas River cleaner. It would be great to find or
create opportunities to be a part of such a project, even if it is
much smaller. Second, the spirit of gotong royong is something
found in many cultures. When students collaborate to do
activities in your class, let’s hope they can feel gotong royong.

Language Aims: As in Lesson 5, in Lesson 6, students

encounter the irregular nature of English, this time with past tense
verbs. Too often, students forget to pay attention to the tense of
verbs. In this lesson, the Peek and Seek and other
language-focused activities direct their attention to notice tense.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Gotong royong is an Indonesian traditional value of working cooperatively in the community to solve
problems or to carry out tasks. The reading passage in this lesson will tell you about how a
community took positive action to clean up their environment, using the Indonesian principle of
gotong royong or community cooperation. Members of the community enjoyed themselves taking
part in the clean-up campaign!

GET READY FOR ACTION

The project for this lesson will give you some ideas about how you can take part to clean up an area
together with your community.

BEFORE YOU READ

Discuss the following questions with your partner. Be ready to share your discussion, not just your
own ideas, with the class.
1. Do you have a river, lake, or other body of water in or near where you live?
2. If so, is it clean?
3. Would you like to swim in it?
4. What causes water pollution?
5. What can be done about it?

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Working Hand-in-Hand to Clean up Brantas River

In the past, the Brantas River, which runs through Malang, a city on the island off Java in Indonesia,
provided thousands of people with their daily water needs. In those days, people used water from the
river for drinking, cooking, and washing.

Previously, people also used to throw household waste into the river without causing much harm. The
waste was mostly organic (plant or animal material) and so was biodegradable (the plant and animal
material is broken down and absorbed into the environment). For example, goods that people bought
in the market were wrapped in banana leaf, which quickly rotted away.

In the 1950s, however, plastic was introduced to wrap goods: plastic does not disappear quickly, and
it is a toxic (poisonous) substance. There were now many items in household bins that were
dangerous to the environment. At the same time, factories and other industries appeared, and these
caused a serious problem, as they dumped their waste in the river too.

At first, people didn’t notice that there was anything wrong. The river usually carried away all the
garbage, and people forgot about it. But then, the amount of garbage increased with the population
and the increase of factories, and the river became blocked in places. Blockages were often due to
metal and plastic items which did not rot away. This meant that the garbage stayed in the same place
and the water became polluted. It became unsafe to drink the water, and it was also unpleasant to be
near the river as it smelled bad from all the rotting garbage.

People began to complain about the Brantas River’s condition. Everyone was aware of the situation,
and so when the Malang municipal authorities set up a campaign (actions taken to improve a
situation) to clean up the river, the residents were keen to be actively involved. After all, gotong
royong, or community service, is part of Indonesian tradition. The municipal government chose the
day for the cleanup and invited all to take part.

On that day, 30,000 residents of Malang turned up to participate. It was a wonderful thing to see old
and young, men and women, army personnel and students working together hand-in-hand on this
environmental project. Their faces were full of joy and camaraderie (friendliness and good feelings
between people working together): differences of race, age, rank, and religion were set aside.
Nothing stopped them from taking part, not even slippery roads, the bad smell of the water, heavy
rain, or the heat of the sun. They were determined to get the job done.

Even though each person cleaned just a small part of the river, the collective effort of all those people
succeeded in making the river a little cleaner. Nobody could take a drink of water from it, and it took

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some time before fish lived in it again, but the community had taken a vital step. Each person after
that day looked at the river with pride. It belonged to each one of them, and each had taken care of
it. They knew that they must continue to take care of it to make sure the coming generations could
enjoy the Brantas River.

HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Simple Past Tense

We use the simple past tense to talk about actions that happened in the past and are finished now.

Examples:
Dewi helped to clean up the river.
Yunus started a cleaning of the environment project with his class yesterday.

With many verbs, we simply add -ed to the end of the root of the verb to make the simple past tense.
However, in English, there are many irregular verbs: this means verbs that don’t follow the rules!
These have different past tense forms.

Examples:
Yanti broke her shoe during the river cleaning. (break -> broke)
Endy heard about the project on WhatsApp.. (hear -> heard)

You will need to memorize all the irregular forms of the verbs because there are no rules. You will get
some practice with this in the next section.

PEEK AND SEEK

1. Underline the past tense verbs in the text. The first one has been done for you.
2. Put a circle around the past tense irregular verbs in the text. If you are not sure what an irregular
verb is, reread HOW ENGLISH WORKS or ask another student.

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THINK AND TALK

Make a group of four and take turns to give answers, and then try to agree on one answer for your
group. Be ready to present your group’s ideas with supporting reasons to the class.

1. What is the reading passage about?

2. What is the difference between the days before and after the 1950s?
3. Why did dumping garbage in the river later become a problem?
4. Why do you think the people enjoyed their work on the river?
5. Was the campaign a success? If so, why? If not, why not?

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
In PEEK AND SEEK, you underlined all the verbs in the simple past tense. Now, look just at the
irregular verbs and complete the table below with the two forms of each verb, present simple and
past simple. The first one has been done for you.
Present simple tense Past simple tense
provide, provides Add -d only: provided

Activity B
Work with a friend. One of you looks at the completed list in A and asks the other for the simple past
tense form. When you are finished, the other partner will do the asking. If you have more time, find a
web resource that has a complete list of irregular verbs. Take it in turns with your partner to test each
other.

Activity C
Read the following passage to find out what the students at State University of Malang did to help the
environment. Put each verb in parentheses into the simple past tense. When you have finished,
check your answers with a partner.

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The Brantas River cleanup 1. __________ (is not) the only environmental project in Malang at that
time. Students at the universities 2. __________ (start) to be interested in taking an active part many
years ago. Some of the students 3. __________ (set up) environmental organizations such as the
Students’ Environmental Club. The students in each campus 4. __________ (give) their own name to
their clubs. They 5. __________ (get) members from amongst the students and teachers. The
students in the clubs soon 6. __________ (become) very active in promoting people’s awareness.
They 7. __________ (begin) with their own campus. They 8. __________ (think) of activities to make
people more aware of nature. They also 9. __________ (want) people to enjoy nature. These activities
10. __________ (include) mountaineering, bird watching, clean water campaigns, and forest
preservation. But this 11. __________ (is) just the beginning. Students now need to go outside the
campus and make their communities more aware of their responsibility for their environment. With a
positive attitude, we can all make a clean environment a reality and not just a dream.

TAKE PART
Choose one of the following three projects.

Project 1
Organize a small play or performance for your community. You can write this first in English if you like,
but you should perform in a language your audience can understand. You will need to collect many
different items of garbage (plastic bags, tin cans, boxes, paper, etc.) to create impact for your
message. Use the garbage to show what happens when too much rubbish builds up. Scene II could
show how the actors dispose of rubbish in a responsible way. Invite people from the municipal
authorities to watch.

Project 2
Talk to your group about ideas for an environmental cleanup day in your area. It need not be a river. It
could be, for example, a piece of empty land where people dump garbage. Check with the
authorities that they are agreeable to this. Inform the public with flyers (pieces of paper distributed to
the public) and public talks. Ask other groups or classes for help if you need a lot of people to
manage the campaign.

Project 3
One way that we can protect the Earth’s water is by using less water. Did you know that although the
basic human need for water is about 50 liters (13.2 gallons) per day, human usage of water in
countries such as the U.S. is closer to 500 liters (132.1 gallons) per day? Do an audit of your water
use. Here is a questionnaire you can adapt for your own use.
a. Do you turn off the tap while brushing your teeth? If you do not, you use about 18 liters of water.
b. Do you take a shower or a bath? Showers use less water.

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c. When you shower, do you leave the water running all the time, or do you shut off the water when
you do not need it? The best way is to use a scoop or bucket to throw water on yourself. In
Indonesia, this is called “mandi,” which uses less water than taking a shower or a bath.
d. Do you collect rainwater to use for washing and other purposes?
e. Do you fix leaking toilets and faucets in sinks?
f. Do you have a water-saving toilet in your home? A regular toilet uses about 20-25 liters every time
you flush.
g. Do you use a bowl to wash vegetables and fruit, instead of washing them in water from the tap?
h. Do you do anything to save water? If so, what do you do?

Then, work with two or three classmates to develop your own questionnaire. Fill up the questionnaire
about your own water use and compare results. Then, use the questionnaire with people outside your
class. Based on your findings, teach people how they can save water. You can use brochures,
posters, plays, social media posts, videos, or other ways of teaching. Check to see if you have used
commas correctly.

THINK AND WRITE

Write in your journal about what you think or feel about the Brantas River cleanup campaign. When
you have finished your group project, write how you participated and what you learned from the
experience, including what you learned about how to work with others.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• A 14-minute subtitled video on, “How To Clean Up The World’s Most Polluted Rivers”:
[Link]
• A six-minute subtitled video showing the Klang River Cleanup in Malaysia:
[Link]
• The Rivers Trust article on, “Cleaning up rivers”:
[Link]
• 14 things you can do to clean up your rivers and streams:
[Link]

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PROTECT OUR Etty Hoesein, MLS - Universitas Pattimura, Ambon

FORESTS EE Aims: Maybe we do not appreciate trees enough, not just for their
utility but also for their beauty. In this lesson, one of the possible Take
Part activities for students involves finding, sharing, and maybe even
creating songs and poems about trees. It is not easy for language
learners to write poems, but there are simple structured poems that
might be easier, such as acrostics and cinquains.

Here’s a poem about trees written by ChatGPT

"Ode to Trees"
Your branches dance in golden light,
Your leaves applaud the breeze in flight.
Two hundred summers you have seen,
Yet stand so strong, so proud, so green!

Language Aims: Adjectives and adverbs provide more information.

Thus, students should consider using more of them and not using the
same ones too often. Here, IT tools can help. For example, Microsoft
Word has a synonym finder. Also WordHippo
([Link] has tools that add variety to writing.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Do you realize that about 80,000 square kilometers of forests are being destroyed every year? In this
lesson, you will read about a disaster in Nias, North Sumatra, Indonesia that was the result of
deforestation. You will also read about what people can do to save our forests.

GET READY FOR ACTION

As you learn how important forests are and what people can do to save the forests, you will also be a
part of the reforestation efforts through this lesson. You can do many things to help make people
aware of the importance of reforestation and inspire them to be involved in the efforts.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. Look at the two pictures, A and B in this unit. Give a title to the pictures. Which picture do you like
best? Why?
2. Study picture A. Describe what happened in the picture. How will what happened help people and
other animals? How will it hurt them?
3. Do you think that we should save the forests? If yes, how? If not, why not? Write as many ideas as
you can. Give examples to support your answers.
4. What are some challenges facing reforestation programs today?

Picture A Picture B

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Learning from Nias

In a terrible disaster, devastating floods and landslides suddenly hit seven small villages in six
districts located at the southern tip of the island of Nias in western Indonesia. They left at least 83
people dead and 192 people missing. At least 332 houses were completely destroyed and 200
hectares of arable (good for growing plants) land were ruined.

Ecologists frequently blame the flooding that occurs all over Indonesia on deforestation. On Nias,
deforestation was mostly carried out to make way for nilam (patchouli) shrub estates. The speaker of
Nias Legislative Council, Ali Akbar Tanjung, stated that the Nias administration should immediately
order logging to stop for at least the next 10 to 12 years, in order to prevent a similar disaster in the
future. He also said that deforestation was allowed to take place in Nias because the local
administration never reprimanded those businesspeople guilty of heavily exploiting the existing wood
resources. Unfortunately, replanting all of Nias’ critical areas would require billions of rupiah as
reforesting just one hectare of land costs millions of rupiah (Indonesia’s currency).

The logging industry could contribute much toward saving tropical forests from destruction by
applying the principles of good forest management. Forests are a renewable resource. If the industry
had to reforest areas where trees are cut, there would always be a new source for forest products
and income from them. Reforestation projects have been very successful in countries like Korea,
Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey.

Just reforesting will not, however, stop deforestation, because another important cause of
deforestation is poverty. People who need fuel and land on which to grow food also cut down trees.
The problem of poverty is extremely complex. However, the introduction of improved agricultural
practices and tree culture would increase the food and fuel supply, and steps are being taken to
accomplish both of these goals.

Everyone must recognize deforestation as a global problem with global importance. Everyone will
suffer greatly if the forests are not preserved, not just countries in which they are found. Therefore, a
global commitment to solving the problem is necessary.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Adjectives are words used to describe nouns. The following suffixes (word endings) can change
words into adjectives: -able/-ible, -al, -ant, -arian, -ary, -ative, -ed, -ese, -esque, -ful, -ic, -ical, -ing,
-ish,-ive, -less, -like, -ous/ -eous/ -ious, -some, -worthy, -y.

Adverbs are words that give more information about verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adverbs
answer questions which ask how often, where, and how. Many adverbs end in –ly, but some words
that end in –ly are not adverbs.

PEEK AND SEEK

Complete this table with the underlined adjectives and adverbs from the reading passage “Learning
From Nias”.

If an adjective or adverb appears in the passage more than one time, only put that word in the table
one time.

terrible,

Adjectives

suddenly,

Adverbs

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THINK AND TALK

Work with a partner. Take turns to ask and answer the following questions based on the reading
passage. Discuss your answers with each other and be ready to report your discussion to the class.

1. What does the title “Learning from Nias” mean? How does it relate to the article?
2. Study paragraphs one and two.
a. What happened?
b. When did the incident happen?
c. Where did it happen?
d. Why did it happen? And why was it important?
3. Why do poor people cut trees? What are the suggestions to help them?
4. What are two ways to prevent deforestation?
5. Some of the following statements are true and some are not true. Read each statement carefully
and write T (true) or F (false) in the space.
a. _______ People all over the world should find ways to prevent deforestation.
b. _______ Ecologists blamed large amounts of rain for the floods in Nias.
c. _____ Nothing can be done to prevent rural people from cutting trees.
6. Make another True/False item related to the reading. Show the True/False item to your partner, see
if the two of you have the same answer, and be ready to support your answer with evidence from
the reading.
7. How would you describe the writers’ view in the passage?
a. Criticizing the deforestation that happened in Nias.
b. Supporting the logging companies.
c. Blaming poor people for deforestation.

To support your answer, give examples from the article.

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A

In the right column of the table, write the ending of the adjective in the left column. The first one is
done for you.

Adjective from the Reading Ending of the Adjective

devastating -ing
arable
similar
local
existing
renewable
successful
important
improved
necessary

Activity B
Fill in each blank with an adjective or adverb form of the word in parentheses. The first one has been
done for you.

Students Try to Help Orangutans

The threat of animal extinction is mainly_(main) due to deforestation. Indonesia is home to around 80
percent of the world’s orangutans. Orangutan in Indonesian means “people of the forest.” Rampant
logging in Kalimantan and Sumatra has seen their habitats shrink and their population plunge. In
order to save these (1) _________ (endanger) animals, people (2) _______ (occasion) send them to a
zoo so that they can get (3) ________ (specially) attention and care.

One day, a group of students went to the zoo in Bandung on the Indonesian island of Java. They
were excited to see (4) _____ (vary) species of animals but were stunned when they saw two
orangutans sitting (5) _______ (unhappy) inside their (6) _____ (smallness) cage. They did not play
(7) ____ (happy). The orangutans moved (8) ______ (slow). They did not behave the way they (9)
________(normal) do in the jungle: jumping, climbing, sliding, swaying.

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Soon the students realized that the orangutan’s cage was too tiny. The teens decided to meet the zoo
manager to ask why the cage was not (10) ______ (large). The manager (11) _____(sad) told them
that he was aware of the situation, but the zoo lacked the funds to improve the orangutans’ condition.
This problem motivated the students, who were also members of an (12) _____ (environment) club, to
raise money for the orangutans by producing (13) ________(interest) stickers, (14) _______ (color)
T-shirts, and (15) _____________ (inform) leaflets, carrying the message “Save the Orangutans”. They
managed to collect some money and the cage was enlarged.

However, there was not a (16) ________ (happiness) ending to our story. The club invited orangutan
experts to their school to tell them more information about the animal and the (17) ______
(appropriateness) ways to help them. They soon learned that orangutans are facing the threat of
extinction due to illegal capture and sale of orangutans, deforestation, and the lack of public
awareness of the issues.

The students learned that even if orangutans have a (18) ______ (wonder) cage, they will not act the
way they should, they will not feel happy, and they will not be (19) _______ (health), because a zoo is
not their home, not their (20) ___________ (nature) habitat. What they (21) _______ (real) need is
forests. What should the students do now?

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TAKE PART
1. Work with three other students. Study the causes and effects of deforestation in your area. Does
your area have problems similar to those on Nias? Find the information from local newspapers, the
library, local people, government bodies, environmental organizations, or websites. Study the
cause and effects of the problems. Think about something you and other people can do to solve
the problems. Write a letter, email, social media post, etc. Each group member should send what
the group wrote to a different newspaper, a magazine, social media platform, etc., and tell the
group what reaction they receive.

2. Find out about reforestation efforts near your university. How can you help? Write letters, emails,
texts, posts, flyers, posters, etc. to convince others to join you in participating in reforestation. Be
sure to send the letters, etc., hand out the flyers, and display the posters.

3. Collect songs related to environmental issues. The songs can be in Indonesian or English. Create
a bilingual song book with each song in both Indonesian and English. Sell the book to raise funds
for environmental causes. Arrange for a concert where songs from your book are sung. Make your
songbook more interesting by adding some pictures or photos related to the topics. You can use it
as a present. Note: You can also collect some poems, rhymes, folktales, proverbs, etc. Or you can
write your own poems, or ask AI for help.

THINK AND WRITE

Use the guide phrases below to explore your own thoughts and feelings about this lesson. Write in
your journal for about 10 minutes.
1. Something that you think is interesting in this lesson.
2. A personal experience that this lesson reminded you of.
3. Something in the lesson you agree or disagree with.
4. How you can use this lesson to improve your English.

Peer Review - See Lesson 1 on how to do the Journal Peer Review.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• A one and a half minute video (no subtitles) showing an orangutan fighting back against logging
machines: [Link]
• A three-and-a-half-minute video with subtitles by National Geographic, “Rainforests 101”:
[Link]
• A three-minute subtitled animated video on why palm oil kills orangutans:
[Link]
• WWF article on palm oil: [Link]
• Article by EOS Data Analytics on palm oil deforestation: [Link]

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SAVE OUR Maryanti E. Mokoagouw, [Link]. - Universitas Negeri Papua, Manokwari

RAINFORESTS EE Aims: When many people think of forests, they think of trees and
other plants, but forests are also home to many animals, including
mammals, such as monkeys and orangutans, and even people. Thus, by
protecting forests, we protect more than plants. Many of the Take Part
activities in this book involve students communicating with governments,
companies, etc. This communication need not focus on the negative.
Students can sometimes thank and praise those with whom they
communicate.

Language Aims: English can seem complex and confusing, and it is. A
more positive way to view this complexity is as a form of creativity. The
way nouns are formed is one example of this creativity. Another
perspective is to assure students that people will usually understand
what they mean, even if their language is not perfect. After all, many
variations on English exist, such as Philippines English and Italian
English, so there is no one definition of perfect. In the end, the content of
what people say matters more than grammar.
Illustration: Rainforest (check the sites in the text)

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DID YOU KNOW …?

In some parts of the world, the forest is believed to be the Mother Earth who gives life to people. In
the previous lesson, you learned how important forests are. This lesson talks more about rainforests.
A rainforest, with all the species living there, provides so much for human beings and other animals.
Ironically, today humankind threatens the existence of rainforests. How can we make a difference to
save the Indonesian rainforests?

GET READY FOR ACTION

In the previous lesson, you learned how you can be a part of reforestation efforts. Now, find out about
rainforests and what you can do further to save our environment.

BEFORE YOU READ

Answer these questions:
1. What do you think deforestation is?
2. In your opinion, what is the main cause of deforestation?
3. What will happen if the process of deforestation continues?
4. Who do you think is responsible for deforestation? Why?

Find a partner and discuss your ideas with your partner.

Share your ideas with the whole class (your teacher will call on you).

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Save Indonesian Rainforests

Indonesia is facing a problem of deforestation in its tropical rainforests. Deforestation is to a large

extent, a result of developed countries' multinational corporations' need for wood, pulp, and palm oil,
along with the Indonesian government's lack of vigilance. The government’s attempts to maintain
some protection for its own rainforests have not been very successful. As a result, 50% of the
Indonesian rainforests have been deforested, and a current estimate is that 50 acres per minute
continued to be logged. As the logging continues, a great deal of biodiversity has been lost, as 60%
of the world's animal and plant species are found within the rich habitat of the Asian rainforests.

All of the Earth's species are part of a complex, interdependent web of life. The extinction of just one
species can affect an entire ecosystem. Humans are part of this web of life, and thus, we too are
dependent on other species for our survival. For example, 25% of the world's pharmaceutical
products are derived from tropical plants. Additionally, the rainforest and its species provide many
'natural services' for which there is simply no substitute. For example, rainforests cover less than
seven percent of the Earth's surface, yet they receive almost half of all the rain that falls on land.
Rainforests serve a vital function by absorbing this rain and then slowly releasing it into rivers and
streams. As long as rainforests remain intact, rivers run clear and flow throughout the year. When
rainforest destruction takes place, rivers swell and fill with muddy sediment after rainfalls, and then
shrink during dry spells. This results in soil erosion, floods, and droughts, often with devastating
consequences.

Deforestation is a serious problem, but humans can still make a difference. Many people feel that
environmental issues are "someone else's problem". Yet, increasing environmental awareness
changes this misconception into a belief that preserving the environment is everyone's responsibility.
Action stemming from this awareness begins when each person makes a commitment to change at
least one environmentally unfriendly habit. If each person makes a small individual effort and urges
companies and governments to also change, together it equals a movement.

So, how can we in Indonesia make a difference? An individual as well as a business can practice
green consumerism by purchasing the most ecologically-sensitive products. Recycled paper is
readily available, and such a product can reduce the demand for timber. Another method is to
purposely avoid harmful products by participating in consumer boycotts. In terms of deforestation,
boycotts include tropical rainforest wood, old-growth wood, and beef produced on ranches in the
tropical rainforest. For additional effectiveness, boycotts can be applied to other products of
companies involved in deforestation as well as their subsidiaries. Requesting alternative products,
such as clearcut-free paper and eco-certified lumber, is important in convincing companies that

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markets for environmentally responsible products do indeed exist. One of the most important ways
for people to have a positive effect is to reduce consumption of forest products and related products.
An increase in the participation of the public and in the accessibility and productiveness of facilities
for reducing, reusing, and recycling is necessary.

For further information on rainforests, please consult the following sources:

• Deforestation: Rainforest Action Network: [Link]
• Rainforest Destruction:[Link]
• How to stop the next pandemic? Stop deforestation:
[Link]

HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Not all nouns are concrete nouns (e.g. table, book, chair, house, etc). Nouns can also come from
other parts of speech such as verbs or adjectives. These nouns can be recognized from their suffix
(something added to the end of a word).

Suffixes used with verbs to form nouns:

1. -ion/-ation (e.g. reflect becomes reflection, form becomes formation)
2. -ment (e.g. develop becomes development, retire becomes retirement)
3. -ance (e.g. remember becomes remembrance, maintain becomes maintenance)

Suffixes used with adjectives to form nouns:

1. -ence (e.g. diligent becomes diligence, intelligent becomes intelligence)
2. -ity (e.g. social becomes society, real becomes reality)
3. -ness (e.g. happy becomes happiness, sad becomes sadness)

PEEK AND SEEK

Look at all the underlined nouns in the reading passage. Put a circle around nouns formed from
verbs or adjectives. The first one has been done for you.

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THINK AND TALK

Work with a partner. Take turns to ask and answer the following questions based on the reading
passage. Discuss your answers with each other and be ready to report your discussion to the class.
Answer True (T) or False (F) for the following statements based on the information you get in the
reading passage:

1. The main idea of the text—deforestation--is a serious problem which is impossible to solve.
2. The clearing of the forests for palm oil plantation is the primary cause of deforestation in Indonesia.
3. Flooding is one effect of deforestation.
4. Preserving Indonesian forests is all Indonesian citizens’ responsibility.
5. Using new paper each time we write is one way of saving our forests.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Find a partner. Review the reading passage and find nouns formed from verbs and nouns formed
from adjectives. Then, fill out the table. Please also supply the original verbs or adjectives. The first
two examples have been done for you. When you finish, work alone to find examples not in the
reading passage. Check with your partner, and then, add them to the table.

Nouns from verb Nouns from adjective

Deforestation (from deforest) Awareness (from aware)

Activity B
Fill in each blank with a noun formed from a verb or an adjective. The first one has been done for you.

How To Protect Our Rainforests

Rainforests play a very important role in the (1) existence (exist) of our planet. They protect the soil,
provide water, regulate the climate, and provide a home for thousands of animals and plant species.
Unfortunately, people destroy rainforests to get the wood and the land for agriculture and (2)
_________ (develop). There are several possible (3) _________ (solve) for the problems of (4)
_________ (deforest).

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Excessive logging of forests can cause soil (5) _________ (erode), flooding, and the (6) _________
(extinct) of many animals and plants. To prevent this (7) _________ (destroy), (8) (govern) _________
must pass (9) _________ (regulate) to control logging.
Another way is to promote (10) _________ (reforest). Businesses which use timber should plant trees
in the areas where they have been cut down. Reforestation, however, cannot save the many plants
and animals lost when the original trees are cut down.
Furthermore, we can find alternative ways to grow food to avoid the (11) _________ (destroy) of
forests. One example is hydroponic farming in which fruit and vegetables are grown in water instead
of soil.

TAKE PART
Choose one of the following three projects.

Project 1
Interview one or two of your classmates about how they will participate in saving our forests (there are
examples in the reading passages). List the things they will do in your book. A week after, conduct
another interview to check whether they still stick to their commitment or not.

Project 2
Research rainforest destruction through the internet. Summarize the important points in posters,
videos, social media posts, etc. Send your work to government bodies to encourage them to do even
more on behalf of rainforests.

Project 3
Contact an NGO working to protect forests. Do they have activities in which students can participate?
Do any of those activities interest you?

THINK AND WRITE

Write in your journal based on the question:
Do you think you can do something to protect the forests from more clearing? How?
Would it be easy for you to do?

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Article on , “How to save the rainforests”:

[Link]
• Article on, “Why rainforests are important”:
[Link]
• Education pack to teach students about rainforest destruction by Rainforest Foundation UK:
[Link]
• A three-minute subtitled video by National Geographic on deforestation and climate change:
[Link]

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SASI: A Leonora Saantje Tamaela - Universitas Pattimura, Ambon

TRADITIONAL EE Aims: This lesson has at least two interesting elements. First,
PRESERVATION sasi is an example of eco-friendly traditions. Students may not be
CULTURE aware of how much life has changed. Teachers may be able to
share examples from their own lives and those of their parents,
grandparents, etc. Second, one of the Take Part activities
involves volunteering at an NGO. Many universities require
students to spend some time volunteering.

Language Aims: Gerunds are a funny part of English, because

they look like verbs (present participles) with their -ing ending,
but they act as nouns. Students may need some time to see the
difference.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

In the province of the Moluccan Islands which is in the eastern part of Indonesia, the native people
have a strong cultural tradition in managing natural resources wisely and sustainably. They call this
management sasi.

GET READY FOR ACTION

Think of a traditional rule or practice (adat in Indonesian) in your community that teaches you to
respect and live in harmony with nature.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. Find a map of Indonesia and locate the Moluccan Islands. What can you learn about the people
who live there?
2. All over the country, there are traditional rules or adat. Do you know about the adat of your region?
What does your regional adat say about protecting the environment? See if you can find out more
from parents and other relatives, libraries, and the internet.

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Sasi: A Traditional Preservation Culture

Sasi is a traditional practice that protects the environment by prohibiting the use of natural resources
at times when these resources are not ready to be harvested (collected).
Sasi involves:
• keeping order in the management of nature
• making the community aware of their environment
• helping the community to harvest the crops efficiently at the right time.

The duration of sasi depends on the crop and is decided on at a meeting by the village elders. The
marinyo (village announcer) goes into the streets hitting a gong to attract the villagers’ attention and
to call them to a meeting.

The village elders tell the villagers that they must not consume certain crops (for example, coconuts)
since they are not yet ready to be harvested. The imam or priest says a prayer and reads the
sanction. The villagers then take an oath in which they promise to maintain and protect the village’s
particular crop until harvest time.

The ceremonies for opening and closing the sasi period are indicated by the fastening and
unfastening of sasi signs. Villagers place these signs at places such as on roads which lead to
plantations. The signs are made of coconut leaves called belo, and crossed wooden or bamboo
axes, spears, and bows. (Take a look at the pictures.)

During the sasi period for coconuts, the kewang (the village police) make sure villagers do not take
the coconut fruits and coconut leaves from the trees, even though they may have fallen on the
ground. Those violating the traditional law for sasi might be cursed and fall ill as a result. The curse is
removed only if they confess their wrongdoings, and the clergy or imam prays for them.

The sasi system has many benefits. The villagers learn to live economically, since they cannot
harvest at any time they wish. This protection means that crop yields are increased. A certain amount
of the harvest is donated to the poor people in the community. Consequently, it also contributes to the
welfare of the villagers. Sasi also helps the villagers live in a healthy, pleasant, and friendly
environment. With this system, each person in the community feels responsible for and also takes an
active role in managing their environment.

Researchers went to the villages of Hukurila, Hutumuri, and Ema to interview people from ages fifteen
to sixty about their knowledge of sasi practices. Unfortunately, though, the community of Ema no

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longer practices the sasi system. NGOs now have to explain to the villagers, especially the younger
generation, about the importance of the preservation of the sasi system and its benefits to the village.

HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Gerunds - A gerund is a noun made out of a verb + -ing and looks exactly like a present participle.

Examples:
Anis is climbing the coconut tree. (present participle)
Anis enjoys climbing the coconut tree. (gerund)

1. A gerund can be used after a verb as the object of a sentence.

Example: Bongso likes working on the plantation.

2. A gerund can follow a preposition.

Example: Ufi is interested in knowing more about sasi.

3. A gerund can be used as the subject of a sentence.

Example: Farming is the main occupation of the people in the village.

PEEK AND SEEK

Underline all the verbs in the passage that end in –ing and act as nouns (gerunds).

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THINK AND TALK

1. Answer the following questions based on the text.
a. What is sasi?
b. How does sasi benefit the community?
c. How does sasi benefit the environment?
d. What is the purpose of the sasi signs?
When you have written your answers, share your ideas with a partner.

2. Give your own opinion for these questions.

a. Do you think that the practice of sasi applies to modern living? If so, why? If not, why not?
b. Why do you think the people of Ema abandoned (stopped practicing) sasi?

Take turns to share your opinions on these two questions with your group of four. Be ready to present
your groupmates’ ideas to the class.

3. The words in the left column are taken from the reading passage. Match them with their synonyms
(words with the same or similar meaning, e.g., bad and terrible) in the right column. If you are not
sure, find the words in the reading passage to see if that helps you understand the meaning.

Words from the text Synonyms

increase such as
prohibit break
consume before
maintain with reference to
familiar profit
like as a result
indicate become greater
prior to point out
concerning use up
violate known
benefit forbid
consequently keep

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4. Fill in the blanks. The first letter of each word will form a word concerning the preservation of the
environment. Use the words below. The first one is done for you.

implement rain nature Sasi admit culture natives

obey environment village opening traditional

a) Every ethnic group has its own unique____________ culture ____________.

b) The university rector delivered a speech at the ____________ ceremony.
c) The Alifuru people are the ____________ of Maluku.
d) ____________ is a traditional preservation culture.
e) People are working on preserving the ____________ .
f) Heavy ____________ can cause flooding.
g) People in the ____________ feel responsible for nature.
h) They ____________ their wrong doings.
i) Cakalele, war dance, is a ____________ dance from Maluku.
j) To ____________ a project, the students need to make some preparations.
k) We have to ____________ the law.
l) Manusela is a ____________ reserve in Maluku.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Fill in the blanks by using the words below.

planting sharing obeying preserving taking putting finding

1. The villagers start ____________ sasi signs along the plantation.

2. They admitted ____________ coconuts during the sasi period.
3. I am interested in ____________ out more about my environmental studies.
4. Students are looking forward to ____________ their ideas about preserving natural resources.
5. They begin ____________ new trees and flowers.
6. A few people don’t like ____________ the law.

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TAKE PART
1. Before you began the reading, you may have found something out about the traditional law or adat
in your community. If you have found something about protecting the environment, you may like to
write about it. If you couldn’t find anything, work with your group: someone in your group may have
some information that you can all share.
Here are some things you could do with your writing:
• Present it to your class or another class.
• If your university has a newspaper or journal, you may like to submit your writing. You might like
to argue that Indonesians in the past knew how to look after their land, and modern
Indonesians must learn from their wisdom.
• Make posters and social media posts emphasizing that traditional knowledge has wisdom. If
you have the fabric pens, you can also design your own t-shirts (buy plain white t-shirts).
People may see these and may even want to buy some from you! You can donate the money to
a local NGO that looks after traditional practices.

2. How can people you know be persuaded to use the practice of sasi in their lives? Work in a small
group to brainstorm ideas. For example, eating local foods would be one type of sasi. Or, you
could only buy paper goods, such as notebooks, made from recycled paper. When you make your
choice, put the sasi into practice for two weeks. At the end, tell others about what you did. You may
want to use some gerunds to do this.

3. In the passage, we read that an environmental NGO worked to preserve sasi practices. What are
some environmental NGOs where you live? Visit one and work with them as a volunteer for half a
day. Write a short note to tell others about the NGO and about what you did with them. Notice if
there are any gerunds in your note.

THINK AND WRITE

Write in your journal about this lesson: you can use the following questions to guide you. You may
also add other topics not asked about in these questions. If possible use gerunds.

The lesson
1. What was your first impression when you read the passage on sasi?
2. Do you think the sasi system should be preserved? Why?
3. What moral lesson can you get from the passage?

Activities
1. What did you learn from the lesson?
2. What activities did you do during the lesson/class period and before and after the lesson?
3. Were the activities interesting? Why?
4. Did you have any problems in carrying out the activities? Why

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• A six-minute subtitled video showing how sasi works in West Papua, Indonesia:
[Link]
• A seven-minute subtitled video, “What indigenous knowledge can teach us about land stewardship
in the Arctic”: [Link]
• A five-minute subtitled news report on, “Communities Encouraged To Embrace Alternative Ways To
Address Climate Change: [Link]
• Article on traditional practices in harmony with nature in the ASEAN region:
[Link]
• Article by UNEP on, “Tapping into indigenous knowledge to protect nature”:
[Link]

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WATER, WATER Drs. Jusuf Ibrahim, MTESL. - Petra Christian University

EVERYWHERE EE Aims: One of the Take Part activities in this lesson is tree
planting. Trees are so important in so many ways. Governments,
companies, etc. may be able to facilitate tree planting by your
students. In 2015, the United Nations launched the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). Goal #6 is for everyone to have
access to clean water and sanitation. In fact, many of the lessons
in this book fit well with achieving the SDGs. (Teachers may be
interested in a free online book of lesson plans on the SDGs,
available at [Link]

Language Aims: Good communicators not only provide

information, they also help listeners and readers to see
connections between different pieces of information. One type of
connection is cause-effect. For example, in “Because the babies
drank contaminated water, they suffered from diarrhea,” the
connector “Because” makes it clear that the contaminated water
was the cause, and the babies suffering from diarrhea was the
effect.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Flooding has many causes. These include deforestation for farming, to build factories, roads, stores,
and homes. Also, floods can occur because of inadequate systems to remove extra water after heavy
rains. Climate change is making the situation worse.

GET READY FOR ACTION

Later in this lesson you may communicate with environmental NGOs, write to media such as
newspapers, and plant trees.

BEFORE YOU READ

Before you read the passage below on your own, discuss with your friends the following questions:
What do you think are the possible effects of flooding in your country or near to you?
What do you think are the possible causes of flooding?

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Water, Water Everywhere!

Water is so necessary for our lives. It is something we drink, we cook our rice with, we wash our
clothes, and bathe with - it has so many uses. Since Indonesia is a tropical country, we are used to
having a plentiful supply of water. Every year, there is a monsoon (rainy) season; this heavy rainfall is
very important for our farmers. However, what happens if these same heavy rains, which are normally
such a blessing, become a flood? There have been many disasters concerning floods in Indonesia
which have caused people to lose their belongings, their homes, their animals, and even their own
lives.

In many areas, flooding occurs every monsoon and causes a lot of distress to its residents. Because
of the floods, students and workers often arrive late at school and work. Householders have to move
furniture and other belongings to a higher place and clean up debris such as animal carcasses and
even human feces carried by the flood water. Some people even make money from the floods when
they provide motorists with often unwanted car-push services.

Over the past five years, Indonesia has faced numerous devastating floods, causing widespread
displacement, loss of life, and significant damage to infrastructure and the environment. In January
2020, Jakarta, Bekasi, and surrounding areas were inundated after heavy rainfall, displacing over
60,000 residents and claiming 67 lives. The floods caused extensive damage to homes and
infrastructure, with waterborne diseases becoming a serious health concern. In February of the same
year, South Sulawesi experienced similar devastation as torrential rains led to floods and landslides,
resulting in eight fatalities and damage to agricultural lands.

In 2021, floods continued to wreak havoc, particularly in February when West Java and Jakarta were
submerged under intense rainfall, flooding 200 neighborhoods and displacing 1,000 families. The
situation worsened in April 2021, when Cyclone Seroja struck East Nusa Tenggara, leading to
catastrophic floods and landslides. The disaster affected over 400,000 people, with 181 fatalities and
significant destruction to infrastructure and homes.

Flooding remained a persistent threat in 2022. In November, Central Kalimantan suffered severe
floods due to prolonged rainfall, displacing thousands and damaging schools, homes, and farmland.
A month later, South Sumatra and Lampung experienced flash floods and landslides, disrupting
transportation and agricultural activities and causing substantial economic losses.

In 2023, floods continued to impact various regions of Indonesia. In March, flash floods in Jayapura,
West Papua, claimed 15 lives, displaced hundreds, and caused extensive property damage. Later in

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November, heavy rainfall in Aceh displaced over 30,000 residents and significantly affected
educational and health facilities, adding to the region’s challenges.

In 2024, heavy rains persisted, leading to flooding in North Sumatra in February. River overflows
affected 50,000 residents, disrupting transportation and contaminating water supplies. In October,
Central Java faced flash floods triggered by extreme rainfall, resulting in fatalities, displacement, and
severe losses in agriculture and infrastructure.

Overall, the floods have highlighted Indonesia’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters. Each event
has caused widespread displacement, economic losses, health impacts such as waterborne
diseases, and environmental degradation, including soil erosion and deforestation. These challenges
highlight the urgent need for improved measures to protect vulnerable communities.

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THINK AND TALK

Answer the following questions.

1. What do you think the passage above is mainly about?

2. What are the main problems caused by floods in Indonesia? Write the examples given in order of
when they happened in the table below. You may need these facts later for your project. The first
one has been done for you. Don’t worry if you can’t fill in the last column: you will be finding out
more about causes later.

Date Place Problems/Effects of Possible Causes

Floods

January 2020 Jakarta, Bekasi, and Heavy rainfall caused

surrounding areas significant flooding,
displacing over
60,000 residents and
leading to 67 deaths.
Infrastructure
damage and
waterborne diseases
were prevalent.

3. Look at the list you have made of disasters. Flooding has increased in the last fifty years. What do
you think the causes could be - nature or humans? You will find out more about causes later. For
now, just guess what the causes are.

4. Work with a group of four. How do you think the problems of flooding in Indonesia or elsewhere can
be resolved? Each person in turn should state their solutions with explanations. Remember to listen
carefully to each other before you raise any objections to their arguments. One way to practice
listening carefully is to paraphrase what the previous speaker said before giving your own ideas.
Paraphrase means to repeat the same ideas but to change some of the words or the order of the
words.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Words or expressions indicating a cause-effect relationship can be nouns, verbs, adverbs,
conjunctions, and prepositional phrases. Here are some examples.
• Nouns: cause, factor, reason, effect, influence, result, consequence, impact.
• Verbs: to cause, to make, to create, to result in, to lead to, to influence, to affect, to bring about, to
give rise to; to result from, to be caused by, to contribute to, to exacerbate, to be influenced by, to
be affected by.
• Adverbs: consequently, so, therefore, as a result, thus.
• Conjunctions: because, since, for, as.
• Prepositional phrases: because of, due to, owing to, as a result of.

The last three items: adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositional phrases can also be called
connectors. Connectors are words or phrases showing relationships between different parts of a
sentence, between different sentences in a paragraph, and between paragraphs.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Below is some information about the causes of flooding in Indonesia. Underline any cause and effect
words and expressions you find. Use the lists from HOW ENGLISH WORKS. The first one is done for
you.
Causes of Flooding
All the human tragedies resulting from flooding may make us wonder why floods happen. Were they
due to nature’s cruelty or to human error? There are several reasons for all these disastrous incidents.
Apparently, God has blessed Indonesia with an adequate water supply, but human negligence and
greed have turned it into a curse. Human factors significantly contributed to the severity of the
January 2020 floods in Jakarta, Bekasi, and surrounding areas. While heavy rainfall was the
immediate cause, several human-induced factors such as urbanization, unplanned urban
development, poor drainage, waste management issues, and over-extraction of groundwater
exacerbated (made it worse) the impact.
Flooding in many regions was mainly due to the felling of mangrove trees for housing complexes. In
the severely hit areas of South Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, and Kalimantan, the floods were
mainly caused by the damage to the ecosystem due to deforestation.

Activity B
Choose the correct connectors in parentheses to complete the sentences.
1. Farmers in Donggala cut down thousands of cocoa trees __________ (as a result, because) the
trees were dead and were unable to produce cocoa beans. The death of the trees was apparently
_________ (due to, therefore) the floods affecting the area last year.

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2. __________ (Since, As a result) of the Nias tragedy, 50 people died, 114 people were missing, and
325 houses were damaged.
3. When heavy rain comes, some alleys in Surabaya become inundated, forcing students and
employees to take a pedicab to reach their homes. _______ (Owing to, Thus) floods have also
caused extra spending for Surabaya citizens.
4. When floods come, certain streets in Surabaya are filled with garbage, _________ (Consequently,
As) motorists often avoid using them or wait until the water recedes (goes down).
5. According to the head of Surabaya Public Works, flood control in this city has become more
difficult __________ (because, so) eighty percent of the city’s sewerage system is filled with mud
and rubbish. An important solution to the flooding problem in Surabaya, __________ , (therefore,
for) depends on the citizens’ awareness of cleanliness.
6. ________ (Due to, For) the cutting of the mangrove trees and the use of the land for housing, the
area around the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, in which many foreign airline companies are
based, is now subject to floods. _________, (As a result, Due to), deforestation may have a serious
impact on Indonesia’s image abroad.
7. __________ (Due to, As) flooding can have disastrous impacts like damage to property and the
loss of human lives, people need to work hard to prevent it.
8. _________ (As, Owing) trees which enrich and protect the soil and hold heavy rains have
decreased in number, floods have become more common, especially in towns and cities near the
mountains.
9. We should clean our rivers, preserve our forests, and dump our garbage properly, ________ (thus,
for) these actions can help prevent floods.
10. _________ (Owing, as) to the concern and actions of certain individuals and organizations, we are
now beginning to see solutions to our complex flooding problems.

THINK AND WRITE

Write in your journal about your experience with or observation about flooding in your area
(neighborhood, village, or city, or floods you have seen online). Describe in detail how floods affected
or affect people’s lives and describe how you feel about it. Finally, describe several ways of how the
floods in your area should be dealt with.

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TAKE PART
First, read about the efforts some Indonesian people have made to help reduce flooding. Then,
choose a project to work on with your group.

The First Step

Despite the gravity of the flooding problems in Indonesia, some organizations and concerned
citizens have not lost hope. WALHI (Indonesian Life Environmental Forum), an NGO, for instance,
took legal action against the Surabaya (Indonesia’s second largest city) mayor for turning the city’s
green areas into commercial sites. City residents and students have also realized the importance of
preventing floods and have begun to do something about them.

Tree-planting campaigns are now growing in a few big cities in Indonesia. In schools, more children
are practicing the habit of proper rubbish disposal. However small their actions may be, yet they
have managed the hardest part of the problem, which is the first step.

Project 1
With your group, discuss the efforts made to help reduce floods. Which types of action do you think
are suitable for your area?

Project 2
Make an observation or a survey on flooding in your area. Find out which part(s) of your area is/are
the most seriously hit by flooding and how flooding has made people in the area suffer. Then, try to
find out about the possible causes of flooding in the area or, if possible, ask experts about them.
Finally, write a letter, email, texts, etc. (in English or in Indonesian) to the local newspaper, local
company, local community, or local government, drawing their attention to the problem.
You can post your writing online. Organize your writing based on the following cues:
• Introduction - Briefly state that flooding in your area has not received enough attention and
that it is a crucial issue (one paragraph).
• Body - Describe in detail how flooding has made people in the area suffer a lot, what
inconveniences - distress, loss of property, loss of money, or loss of lives - it has caused to the
people (one paragraph or more).
• Body - Suggest a way or ways the problem should be handled. Explain why you think it is/they
are the best way(s) (one paragraph or more).
• Conclusion - Briefly state that flooding has caused a lot of miseries and that immediate action,
accordingly, must be taken. Otherwise, flooding may cause more damage and more victims,
and companies and governments can be held responsible for it (one paragraph).
Make sure that you submit an English version.

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Project 3
With your group, organize a rubbish management awareness project. You could give talks on
campus or in your town and demonstrate how to manage rubbish. You might even be able to start a
waste management project on your campus. Find out more from the Internet.

Project 4
With your group, organize a tree-planting day on campus. Or, you may like to choose a part of town
that really needs trees. First, you will need to get permission to plant trees. Next, find out where to get
the trees from. You may be able to persuade a government department to sponsor your campaign
(i.e., they pay for the trees, you do the planting).

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Teach Engineering’s lesson plan, Water, Water Everywhere:

[Link]
• Royal Geographic Society’s lesson plan, Flooding:
[Link]
• National Geographic article on the many effects of flooding:
[Link]
• A three-minute subtitled video on floods: [Link]

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AIR POLLUTION Dr Lubna Algadrie - Institut Teknologi Sepuluh November (ITS),

Surabaya

EE Aims: Air pollution, climate change, and other forms of

environmental damage effect everyone, but people with lower
incomes usually suffer more. Here are two reasons for this. First,
money can protect people from air pollution, extreme heat, and
other environmental problems. For example, air conditioning
protects against extreme heat, and air purifiers protect against
air pollution. Second, often factories, farms that raise chickens
and other animals, slaughterhouses, and other polluting facilities
are more likely to be located near low-income people, because
these people have less political power. At the same time that
people with lower income suffer more from air pollution, climate
change, etc., they do less to cause these problems. High income
people have more cars, use more energy, eat more meat, etc.

Language Aims: Signals for Tenses, the language focus of this

lesson, help readers and listeners understand. The signals and
the tenses need to match; otherwise, the readers will be
confused.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Our environment is changing for the worse. Air pollution is one of the most serious forms of pollution.

GET READY FOR ACTION

As you learn about air pollution in this lesson, you will also play a part in reducing air pollution and/or
helping people take action for clean air.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. Form groups of four and develop your own special group handshake. Discuss with your group the
question, "Is our air good enough to breathe?" and whether there are problems relating to air
quality.
2. What is air pollution? Find a definition of air pollution in your dictionary. What do you think causes
air pollution? You may also like to write questions about things you don't know and would like to
find out about air pollution.
3. On your own, read about air pollution. Find out what we can do to make our air cleaner.

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Air Pollution

Modernization in Indonesia has benefited our nation in some ways, but not in others. For one thing, it
has resulted in an increase in pollution. Pollution has affected our air, our water, and our soil. Air
pollution is now one of the biggest problems we face in our cities.

In the last ten years, there have been more and more industries, cars, buses, and motorcycles in big
cities in Indonesia. Since then, air pollution has become an important issue. As one of the biggest
cities in Indonesia, Surabaya has to deal with this problem. The air in the Surabaya area has become
very polluted. In this city, the automobile is presently the source of almost half of all air pollution.

At the moment, scientists are studying the long-term effects of air pollution on our health, but we do
know that this city’s smog (polluted air) is dangerous. Therefore, adequate control measures for air
pollution must be taken before the emissions (air coming out of cars and factories) become even
worse. This problem can only be overcome by serious action taken by the whole community.

One of the actions taken by the city government of Surabaya was to have a “no-car day” (a day on
which all car owners are asked not to use their cars). Even though this was not enough to make our
city cleaner, it did show that people have become aware of the importance of cleaner air for a healthy
life.

We are still waiting for people to design a perfect pollution-free car. Electric vehicles are a step in the
right direction, but what is the source of the electricity to power these cars? Is it fossil fuels. In the
future, to be popular, pollution-free cars must be able to match the convenience and performance of
the present-day cars.

In the meantime, something must be done to limit the number of cars allowed every day in cities.
People should do their best to share cars or to take public transport. Attention should also be given
to passing laws that promote the construction of more environmentally friendly industrial facilities.

These laws should be enforced and industries which fail to fulfil the national standard should be
closed. In these ways, we can improve the air quality in our cities. By cutting the pollution from cars
and factories, we can make the air in our cities better for us to breathe.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Unlike Indonesian, English has a number of tenses (e.g., present (I go), future (I will go), past (I
went), present perfect (I have gone) to show when an event has happened or will happen. There are
also a number of words and expressions that signal the time of an event. Look at the following words
and expressions.
• At present
• At the moment
• Before
• In the future
• In the last (few) years
• In the meantime
• Now
• Lately
• Recently
• Since then
• Still

PEEK AND SEEK

The passage below on air pollution has several words and expressions to show when something
happened or will happen. Look for and underline words/expressions that explain something about
time. The first two have been done for you. If you are not sure, reread the section HOW ENGLISH
WORKS and then do this exercise.

THINK AND WRITE

Work alone to write answers for the following questions according to the long reading passage.
1. What is one of the biggest causes of increased pollution in Indonesia?
2. What causes air pollution in our cities?
3. Do many people understand the issue of air pollution?
4. Give examples of actions or activities that fight air pollution.
5. What should the car of the future be like?

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Choose the correct time word from the list and fill in the blanks. One expression is used twice.
After As soon as Before For Since Until When

1. Surabaya has had problems with pollution _____________ the 1970s.

2. Air pollution in cities has become worse ______________ there have been more cars on the road.
3. The government has to stop the air pollution problem ________________ possible.
4. The people working on controlling measures of emissions have been working ________ more than
a year.
5. ___________ measures were applied to control air pollution, the emissions from cars and factories
were very bad.
6. People involved in pollution control cannot stop their work _________ the problems are completely
solved.
7. Rapid, organised action should be adopted to help solve the problem ___________ it’s too late.
8. __________ new laws are in place, we should see the quality of our air improve.

THINK AND TALK

Read the following short passage.

The forest was cut down. Then, the rains came. Much of the soil from the forest area was washed into
the rivers. The rivers broke their banks, and water flooded the farms. Many rice fields were washed
away, houses were destroyed, and people and other animals drowned.

1. In the table below, one column is for causes of problems, and one is for the effects caused. Write
the facts from the short passage above in the correct column. One has been done for you. One
item can be both a cause and an effect.
Cause Effect
Rivers broke their banks and Houses were destroyed.
water flooded the farms.

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2. Now, using the table below, work together to match causes with effects (columns 1 and 2). It may
not be possible to find all the answers: just give your opinions.
3. Next, work together to find possible solutions (column 3) for the problems. Each time you agree on
a solution, give one another your special handshake and then go back to work.
4. Finally, one of you will be called at random to report your group's solutions to the whole class.

Cause Effect Solutions

TAKE PART
Think about the problem of air pollution where you live. Work with your group to gather more
information by asking people and checking in the library and on the Internet. You can use one of the
following questions to guide you in your project or think up your own project.

1. Find out how many of your friends go to campus by public transport or by private vehicle. Start a
campaign on campus to persuade people to use public transport. What can the university and the
government do to make public transport more attractive?

2. Do you think that the whole society is aware of this problem? Do you think that poor people have
less potential to cause air pollution? List how many ways rich and poor contribute to air pollution.
Write an article for your university paper or social media on how modernization has caused much
more pollution.

3. Give examples of actions taken by the government which safeguard public health. Visit your local
Health Department to find out what has been done. Design a poster or video that helps people
become aware of how they have a part to play in cutting down on air pollution and other causes of
ill-health. Display the poster or post the video where many people will see it.

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THINK AND WRITE

Talk to your grandparents or someone of their age about their town in the days when they were
young. How much pollution was there then? Write in your journal your thoughts about air pollution and
your hopes for the future.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• A four-minute subtitled video on air pollution: [Link]

• National Geographic article on air pollution:
[Link]
• Article on, “Air Pollution 101: What It Is, What Causes It, and How to Stop It”:
[Link]
• Fact sheet on air pollution: [Link]

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GLOBAL Yuliana - Petra Christian University

WARMING EE Aims: For a while, people talked about global warming as

something that might happen in the future. Now, people realize
that global warming is happening now. Are we helpless? Is it only
big companies and governments who can do anything? No,
everyone can do something, and there are more of us than of
them. As the saying goes, “Not being able to do everything is no
excuse for not doing everything you can.” This is one of the
mottos of the Take Part section of every lesson.

Language Aims: The first conditional can be fun, because

students can ponder many possible scenarios. In the Peek and
Seek in this lesson, students need to use the numbers of the
sentences. They may not be familiar with doing this.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Here are definitions you will need to understand the reading passage about global warming.
Solar energy: Energy from the sun’s rays that enters the Earth’s atmosphere and then reaches the
Earth’s surface.
Greenhouse gases: Gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor,
ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrous oxide. Some greenhouse gases are natural, but nowadays,
most are produced by humans.

BEFORE YOU READ

Look at the two photos. One shows Indonesia in 1900, and the other shows Indonesia in 2025. Write
about the differences and similarities you see. Compare what you wrote with what a partner wrote.

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Global Warming

(1) Energy from the sun supplies the Earth with the heat and energy needed to support life. (2) If we
do not receive this solar energy, we will not be able to live on the Earth. (3) Solar energy passes
through the Earth’s atmosphere and reaches the Earth’s surface. (4) After reaching the Earth’s
surface, some of the sun’s energy is sent back into space. (5) If all this energy stays on Earth, it will
be too hot to live here.

(6) Greenhouse gases trap some of the outgoing energy. (7) This helps keep the Earth warm and
gives us our wonderful tropical climate in Indonesia. (8) However, because of the burning of fuels by
factories, cars, etc., the amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, has increased.
(9) When the amount of greenhouse gases increases, the Earth will become warmer and warmer. (10)
This is called the greenhouse effect. (11) When the Earth gets warmer, water levels will rise as snow
and ice melt.

(12) Most scientists believe that if water levels rise, many Indonesians homes will be flooded by rising
ocean waters. (13) Indonesia will lose 2000 of its 17,000 islands, if global warming is not halted. (14)
The head of Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, Sri Hiharto, blamed global warming
for flooding in Semarang and Surabaya.

(15) Fortunately, we can do many things, as a country and as individuals, to reduce the amount of
greenhouse gases that we produce. Here are some ideas:
A. (16) When we walk, ride a bicycle, or take a bus instead of driving a car, we will be putting
less greenhouse gas into the air.
B. (17) When the government passes and enforces laws to prevent factories from polluting the
air, to stop forest fires, and to encourage alternative energy, that will reduce global warming.
(18) Global warming is already taking place. (19) However, it is probably not too late to reduce the
effects of global warming. (20) If we take action today, future generations will thank us.

HOW ENGLISH WORKS

We use the first conditional to talk about something that has not happened but that may happen in
the future. For example, If I learn how to use the first conditional, my writing will improve.
Sentences in the first conditional commonly have clauses. One clause normally starts with if, when, or
whenever. This clause is called the if clause. The other clause is the main clause.

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PEEK AND SEEK

Find the sentences in the above reading passage with these numbers: 2, 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 20.
Then, underline the part of the sentence with the future tense. The first one has been done for you.

THINK AND TALK

Work with a partner. Take turns to answer the questions. Give reasons for your answers.

1. Which of these statements is true and which are false?

a. Energy from the sun is known as solar energy.
b. The Earth and the Earth’s atmosphere keeps all the energy we receive from the sun.
c. Greenhouse gases are easy to see because they are green.
d. The amount of greenhouse gases is decreasing because someone left the windows open in
the greenhouse.
e. When water levels rise, some Indonesians’ homes will be underwater.
f. About 50% of scientists believe that we do not have to worry about global warming.
g. Individuals cannot do anything to prevent global warming. All we can do is to hope that the
government and corporations will take care of the problem.
h. It is not too late to decrease the bad effects of global warming.

2. Explain global warming and its effects in your own words.

3. What is one way that you will help reduce global warming? Explain what you will do to a partner.

4. One week later, report to your partner about what progress you have made.

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
For each of the sentences indicated by the number in the left column, write the if clause in the middle
column and the main clause in the right column. The first one has been done for you.
Number If clause Main clause
2 If we do not receive this solar energy, we will not be able to live on the Earth.
5
9
11
12
13
16
17
20

Activity B
Match the if clauses in the first column with the main clauses in the second column by writing the
appropriate letter in the brackets provided. The first one has been done for you.
1. If we on Earth do not receive solar energy, [ f ] a. the Earth will become warmer and warmer.
1. If all the solar energy stays on Earth, [ ] b. future generations will thank us.
3. When the amount of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s c. Indonesia will lose 2000 of its 17,000 islands,
atmosphere increases, [ ]
4. When the Earth gets warmer, [ ] d. we will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases,
because burning trees release large amounts of
carbon dioxide.
5. If water levels rise,[ ] e. we will reduce the use of fuels that produce
greenhouse gases.
6. According to the head of the Pelangi environmental f. we will not be able to live on Earth, because it will
group, Agus Pratama Sari, if global warming is not be too cold.
halted, [ ]
7. When we walk, ride a bicycle, or take a bus instead of g. it will become too hot to live on Earth.
driving a car, [ ]
8. When the government passes and enforces laws to h. water levels will rise as snow and ice melt.
reduce the number of forest fires, [ ]
9. If we use alternative energy, such as solar power and i. we will be putting less greenhouse gas into the air,
wind power, [ ] because we are using environmentally friendly
transport.
10. If we take action today, [ ] j. many Indonesian homes will be flooded by rising
ocean waters.

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Activity C
Practice the first conditional and learn about one way to reduce global warming. Fill in each blank
with a correct form of the past tense verb in parentheses (parentheses are the punctuation about the
9 and the 0 on your keyboard). The first one is done for you. You can work together if you want.

Car-Free Days

Cars and other motor vehicles, such as trucks and motorcycles, are major producers of the
greenhouse gases that cause global warming. In addition, pollution from cars causes asthma and
other serious diseases. Today, more and more people are using cars. If we want to reduce the use of
these deadly machines, we (1) will have (had) to take action.

One thing that people around the world are doing to reduce our use of cars is to organize car-free
days. A car-free day is a day on which people use their legs, their bicycles, or public transportation
instead of cars. When it is car-free day, when people leave their cars at home and do not take taxis.

Car-free days have taken place in many cities worldwide, including in Indonesia, the Philippines, and
Singapore. Many people have taken part in these events. As a result of car-free days, the air is
cleaner and less greenhouse gas enters the atmosphere. If more people take part in car-free days,
global warming (2) __________ (was) reduced.

Not everyone likes car-free days. Some people say, “If I drive my car, I (3) __________ (got) to the
university faster, and if I drive my car, my trip (4) __________ (were) more comfortable, because it is
very crowded on the bus.”

If car-free day is going to succeed with these people, we (5) ____________ (needed) to talk to them
patiently and persuasively. For instance, we can tell them, “If you walk to the university, you (6)
__________ (felt) healthier because of the exercise you get. Also, if you take the bus to the university,
you (7) __________ (met) new people, and perhaps those people will become your good friends.

If we encourage people to debate about car-free days in a friendly way, we will (8) __________
(understood) each other better. We should be friendly when we talk about car-free day, because if
angry words are exchanged, the heat from the angry words (9) __________ (made) global warming
worse (that’s a joke - ☺ ).

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TAKE PART
Work in a group of four to organize an event to slow global warming. One idea would be to organize a
day like car-free day, described earlier in this lesson, in which fewer people drive a car or ride a
motorcycle that day.

After you make a plan for your event, give each group member a job to do in carrying out your plan.
Examples of jobs include:
a. make a poster to invite others to have a day without cars
b. design a flyer or video to post on social media
c. speak to another English class
d. distribute information about other types of transport besides cars and motorcycles.
Think about whether you can use any first conditional in your organizing work.

THINK AND WRITE

Imagine that you are a superhero, like the X-Men or Wonder Woman. Your mission is to save the
environment from destruction by the evil forces that are trying to destroy it. Write about one of your
adventures fighting to save the planet.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Article by National Resources Defence Council on global warming 101:

[Link]
• A three-minute subtitled video by National Geographic on global warming:
[Link]
• National Geographic article, “Changing Climate”:
[Link]
• National Geographic article, “How global warming is disrupting life on Earth”:
[Link]

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CLIMATE Anita Lie, Ed.D. - Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya,

Indonesia
CHANGE
EE Aims: Talking about climate change and other environmental
problems can be depressing, and it is true that terrible
catastrophes have occurred and more are likely to occur.
However, too much worry does not solve problems. The Take
Part activities may be able to make students and teachers more
optimistic about the environment. As the saying goes, “It is better
to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” This book provides
students with many, many candles that they might wish to light.

Language Aims: Some students like it when textbooks use the

same kinds of activities again and again, but other students may
find this boring. Feel free to insert other types of activities. For
example, students might enjoy doing Exchange-A-Question in
which partners make up activities for each other. These activities
can use the same format as the activities in this book, or the
format can be different.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Some people assume Earth has been the same temperature for the past million years. However, this
is not true. The Earth's temperature has changed many times over history, getting both hotter and
colder. These changes happened because of natural events such as volcanic eruptions, shifts in the
Earth's orbit, and even the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.

GET READY FOR ACTION

Get ready to learn how to use connectors to piece together the problems related to climate change.

BEFORE YOU READ

With a partner, discuss the following questions. You can use the internet for help.
1. Do you prefer cool temperatures or warm temperatures?
2. What is your favorite temperature for the weather outside?
3. Have you ever lived in a very cold place with lots of snow and ice? Would you like to live in such a
place?
4. What do you do when you feel too hot or too cold?
5. Did you know that Earth has had Ice Ages when the temperature was much colder than today?
6. Have you heard about global warming? What do you know about it?
7. Have you ever seen a greenhouse? Greenhouses are usually found in cold places. They help
plants that need warm weather grow in these cold places.

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Too Little or Too Much Greenhouse Gas?

Today, the average temperature is 15°C. The Earth’s last Ice Age (from about 100,000 years ago to
20,000 years ago) occurred when the planet’s average temperature dropped by just 5°C. As a result,
the planet’s average temperature was freezing at only 7.8°C. This clearly shows how sensitive our
planet is to temperature changes.

However, despite this sensitivity, there are a few factors that allow us to live comfortably and happily
on the Earth. To begin with, one of the most important factors is the greenhouse effect, which plays
an important role in keeping Earth warm enough for life. For instance, it helps plants grow and
animals survive.

To understand the greenhouse effect better, let us think about how people use greenhouses to grow
plants that need warm temperatures. Greenhouses are structures made of glass, which trap heat
inside, making it warm inside the greenhouse even when it is cold outside.
In the same way, the Earth’s atmosphere works like a giant greenhouse. In fact, there is a layer of
gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour (called greenhouse gases), that acts like
the glass walls and ceiling of a greenhouse. Moreover, these gases perform two important tasks: they
trap some of the sun’s heat to keep the Earth warm, and they let extra heat escape so it does not get
too hot. As a result, we now enjoy a balance that makes Earth a safe and pleasant place to live.

On the other hand, without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would be too cold. It would become like
a frozen planet where no one could survive. Unfortunately, there is a growing problem. Human
activities, such as burning fossil fuels and cutting down trees, are adding too much greenhouse gas
to the atmosphere. Consequently, the Earth is heating up too much, leading to serious problems,
including climate change.

In conclusion, we should take the time to understand how the greenhouse effect works and why it is
so important. By doing so, we can keep our planet healthy and safe for future generations to come.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Connectors, also known as linking words or transition words, are essential for creating easy to
understand and clear writing. They help to connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs, guiding
readers through the text smoothly. Different connectors serve different purposes.
• Connectors to add information: and, also, furthermore, to understand this better, moreover, in the
same way, in fact
• Connectors to introduce contrasts: however, but, on the other hand, although, in contrast
• Connectors to show cause and effect: therefore, as a result, consequently, this clearly shows, by
doing so
• Connectors to show sequence: firstly, to begin with, next, finally, in conclusion
• Connectors to show examples: for instance, for example, as an example, such as

PEEK AND SEEK

Find every instance where the text below uses connectors and underline the connector. The first
example has been done for you.

THINK AND TALK

Discuss the following questions in small groups. One group member will be a facilitator who helps
everyone to have turns to speak.

1. How many planets do you know?

2. Which planets can humans survive on?
3. What would we do if the Earth becomes too hot to live on?
4. What can we do to make sure this does not happen?

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Circle the connector that does not belong:
1. Words to show sequence
a. Finally
b. To begin with
c. However
d. In conclusion
2. Words to show cause and effect
a. As a result
b. This clearly shows
c. By doing so
d. And
3. Words to add information
a. Therefore
b. Moreover
c. In fact
d. Also
4. Words to introduce contrasts
a. However
b. On the other hand
c. Next
d. Although

Activity B
Read on to find out more about climate change and how it affects every one of us.

Climate Change Affects Everyone

A lot of people think climate change is only happening far away, in other parts of the world. They
might say, “Climate change is something happening over there.” But the truth is it’s happening
everywhere, and we can see its effects all around us. Each year, we hear about stronger storms that
last longer and cause more damage. For example, in 2024, powerful hurricanes hit the United States,
huge wildfires burned across South America, and massive floods disrupted lives in Asia and Europe.
Therefore, we can see that climate change is a global problem, and we need to act quickly to stop it
from getting worse.

Climate change is not just about hotter weather or melting ice. It affects many parts of our lives. One
of the biggest problems is how it impacts the food we grow. Unpredictable weather, such as late

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rains, long droughts, and heavy floods, is making it harder for farmers to grow enough food. When
crops do not grow well, food becomes more expensive, and people—especially those already
struggling—do not have enough to eat. This hurts their families. In addition, it affects everyone else,
because all of us need food!

Another big problem is that climate change forces people to leave their homes. Hurricanes, wildfires,
and floods destroy homes, and millions of people have to move away. In 2024, about 6.6 million
people were forced to leave their homes because of disasters caused by weather. These people face
hard challenges, for example, finding a place to live, food to eat, and help to rebuild their lives.
We cannot ignore climate change any more. We need to take action now to protect people, make
sure there’s enough food, and help families stay in their homes. The world is changing fast, and we
all need to work together to make sure climate change does not get worse.

Activity C
Write a list of activities that you and your school can do to prevent climate change. Remember to use
connectors to link your ideas. Share your ideas with a partner. Which of the ideas are possible? How
can your good ideas actually happen?

TAKE PART
With your class, choose some ideas that you can implement in your class, at home, or in your school.
You can write a speech to be shared at assembly to list all the things your class will do and share it
with the rest of your schoolmates. These ideas can be ones implemented by individuals, as well as
by companies, governments, and other organizations, such as universities.

THINK AND WRITE

Did you know you can write to encourage others? Choose an organisation that you think is doing a
good job in preventing climate change. Write them a message of encouragement to tell them all the
things that you appreciate them for. Before you send your message, ask your partner for their
comments and feedback. Would your message be clearer if you added more connectors? After you
send your message, let your partner know if you get a response. A general, automatic response does
not count as a response, unfortunately.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Climate change resources from WWF:

[Link]
• Teaching climate change resources by [Link]: [Link]
• Tips on how to teach climate change:
[Link]
• A four-minute subtitled video by Bill Nye the Science Guy on climate change:
[Link]
• A four and a half minute video showing the impact of climate change in a rap:
[Link]

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ALTERNATIVE Hendra Tedjasuksmana - Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala

Surabaya
ENERGY
EE Aims: The first reading in this lesson, the one about ethanol,
reminds us that efforts at environmental protection are full of
controversies. No solution is perfect. For example, wind turbines
that generate wind energy can cause a large amount of noise
and can kill birds. Also, new technologies often suffer from many
failures in the beginning. Students need to understand the need
for perseverance and ongoing improvement.

Language Aims: Students often have trouble with forming the

passive voice. The lessons in this book focus on recognizing
language features and filling blanks. Students will later need
meaning-based practice in creating their own sentences,
paragraphs, and larger texts.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

One of the major causes of air pollution in big cities is the kind of fuel used by motor vehicles.

BEFORE YOU START

Look at the following questions and answer what you can before you read. If you can’t answer all the
questions, don’t worry. You can come back to them after reading the passage.

1. What are some advantages of cars compared to walking, using public transport, biking, etc.?
2. Why is petrol an unsuitable fuel for cars? What are the problems associated with petrol-driven
cars?
3. Are there any forms of alternative energy (other kinds of energy that are more environmentally
friendly) that are not dangerous to the environment? Can you name any?

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Ethanol: An Alternative Energy?

The motor car has given us a lot of mobility (ability to move around). Knowledge, ideas, and
information are spread by people moving around. We cannot deny that this has been useful.
However, most cars run on a non-renewable resource (a resource that once it is finished, cannot be
replaced) - that is, petrol, also known as gasoline, which comes from petroleum. Once we have used
up all the Earth’s supplies of petroleum, there will be no more petrol. In addition, the environment is
polluted by this fuel. Research which has been done by Walhi (a non-governmental organization)
shows that 96% of the pollution in cities is caused by transportation. Motor transport emits a highly
toxic gas that contains carbon monoxide (CO). Ethanol (a kind of alcohol), on the other hand, has
fewer harmful effects on health and fewer harmful effects on the environment.

Why is ethanol an alternative to the fuel which is used now? Firstly, ethanol is based on renewable
resources. It is produced from agricultural products such as sugar beet, sugar cane, potatoes, and
grains, and from pulp (smashed wood or plant material) and raw materials such as softwood,
hardwood, or waste paper. The raw materials for ethanol are obtained from forests or farms.
Secondly, ethanol makes the car engines run more efficiently. This means that less fuel is used.
Thirdly, lower emissions of CO (carbon monoxide) and hydrocarbons are produced with alcohol fuels
compared to petrol. Walhi research states that 5,500,000 tons a year of CO is emitted by motor
engines in a city such as Surabaya.

Fourthly, ethanol is described as a ‘harmless’ substance, unlike petrol which is poisonous. Ethanol
has a low toxicity (level of poison). It does not cause death or blood poisoning. If ethanol leaks into
water systems, it does not have devastating (destructive) consequences. It is soluble in water
(dissolves in water) and natural bacteria can break down ethanol into carbon dioxide and water.

However, ethanol, like everything else, also has drawbacks. Large amounts of land, water, fertilizer,
pesticide, and herbicide are needed to grow the crops that are made into ethanol. Many of the crops,
such as corn and soybeans, could be fed to the hundreds of millions of people who do not have
enough to eat. Despite progress, Indonesia and many other countries still face the problem of
undernutrition.

In summary, ethanol which is obtained from renewable resources should be considered as it is a

safer, more environmentally friendly alternative energy to petrol. There are also other kinds of
alternative energy that can be used, such as methanol (wood alcohol) and solar energy (energy from
the sun). Both methanol and solar energy do not harm the environment or people. Methanol is much
cleaner than petrol. Solar energy is even cleaner: electrical energy is produced by the sun’s rays as
they hit the solar cells.

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THINK AND TALK

Make a group of four. Each person in turn states one important idea from the passage.
Answer the following questions on your own. You can also answer any questions from the BEFORE
YOU START section that you haven’t answered yet.
1. What are the advantages of ethanol as an alternative energy to petrol?
2. Where can we get the raw materials for ethanol?
3. Why is ethanol a disadvantage?
4. Do you think that ethanol is suitable for your country? If so, why? If not, why not?
Take turns to share your answers with a partner. One partner goes first for Question 1. The other goes
first for Question 2, etc..

HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Study the difference between the following two sentences.
People use petrol as a fuel for cars. (active)
Petrol is used as a fuel for cars. (passive)

When we are interested in what people and things do (doer), we use an active sentence. When we
are more interested in what happens to, is done to, people and others, we can use a passive
sentence.

You may notice that in passive sentences, we do not mention the doer - this is quite common in
passive sentences because we are not so interested in the doer. However, some passive sentences
mention the doer. You will usually know it is the doer because of the key word ‘by’. e.g., Solar energy
is used by people who care for their environment.
Notice, too, that the object of the first sentence, the active voice sentence, - petrol - is the subject of
the second sentence, the passive voice sentence.
The passive is used in many scientific papers where we want to focus on the process, not on the
people doing the process.

The form of the present simple passive is:

She, he, it is } + past participle e.g. used, broken, given,
We, they are } taken, processed
Past participles are used in the passive voice. Check that you know your past participles. With some
verbs, the past participles are the same as the past simple tense, such as wanted, needed, used.
Just like present simple active sentences, in present simple passive sentences, we are talking about
something done regularly or repeatedly, or it can be a statement of fact. Look at the examples below.
Cars are checked at the checkpoint. (something done regularly)
When sugar and yeast are present, alcohol is produced. (statement of fact).

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PEEK AND SEEK

Find as many present simple passive sentences as possible in the text above and underline the
verbs.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
With the verbs you found from the text in PEEK AND SEEK, complete the following table. The first two
have been done for you.

It happens to these People/ Do we know who the Doer

Passive Simple verb
Things is?
knowledge, ideas and
are spread by people
information
it (petrol) is finished

Activity B
Here is part of the text again. Give the correct simple present verbs. Remember to check whether
you should use ‘is’ or ‘are’.

However, cars run on a non-renewable resource - that is, petrol. In addition, the environment ______
(pollute) by petrol. Research which has been done by Walhi (a non-governmental organization)
shows that 96% of the pollution in cities ______ (cause) by transportation.
Why might ethanol be a good alternative to petrol, the fuel which is used now?
Firstly, ethanol ______ (base) on renewable resources. It ______ (produce) from agricultural products,
such as sugar beet, sugar cane, potatoes, and grains, and from pulp (smashed wood or plant
material) and raw materials, such as softwood, hardwood, or waste paper. The raw materials for
ethanol ______ (obtain) from forests or farms.

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TAKE ACTION
For this project, you will need to get some stationery (paper and envelopes) for writing a letter, or you
can use social media, email, or website Contact Us forms. You will also need to find out the contact
information for government officials and departments.

With your group, write to the mayor, the governor, etc. suggesting that it is time for the government to
start thinking of starting a research study on the use of alternative energy. Do not forget to include the
advantages and disadvantages of using alternative energy. Make sure that everyone in your group
gets a chance to share their ideas.

You can write in English first. Later, you can translate into Indonesian or another language before you
send. Let your group know if you get a reply.
To write, follow the steps below:

• On the top right corner, write your address.

• Below the address, write today’s date.
• Leave two spaces and write the addressee’s name and his or her address. In this project, for
example, you write: Mayor of Surabaya or Governor of East Java, and below it you write their
address.
• Leave two spaces under the addressee’s name and address and begin with a salutation: Dear
Excellency/Mr -----
• Leave another space. Now, you can start the first paragraph. Here, say that you are concerned
about the pollution in your city and that this pollution is caused by the emission of motor vehicles.
• In your second paragraph, suggest that it is time to find alternative energy, and then propose
ethanol or other alternatives. Also write here what the advantages are to people and the
environment when alternatives are used and alternative energy can be obtained. Remember to
stress that it makes both financial and environmental sense to change to alternatives.
• In your third paragraph, you can suggest that the mayor or governor ask experts to conduct further
research to see if alternatives are a better solution.
• In the last paragraph, thank the mayor or governor for taking time to read your communication.
Again, write here that your purpose to write this message is to reflect your concern about the
people and environment due to the present emissions of vehicles.
• Leave two spaces and begin writing the closing with Yours sincerely. Below this, leave a large
space so that you can sign your name or insert your electronic signature. Then type/write your
complete name below your signature.

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THINK AND WRITE

Write in your notebook about alternative energy. You can use the following questions to prompt you. If
you can, use the passive form in some of your sentences.

The lesson
1. What do you think about the amount of pollution in your city?
2. Why is it important to use alternative energy?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using alternative energy, such as solar power?

The activities
1. How did you like the activities in this lesson?
2. Did you find it useful to work in a group? Why/why not?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• National Geographic article on renewable energy:

[Link]
• Teach Engineering lesson pack on renewable energy:
[Link]
• UN article, “Renewable energy – powering a safer future”:
[Link]
• UN article, “What is renewable energy?”:
[Link]

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THE EXPANDED RS Marla Lise - The EcoChapter, Singapore

EE Aims: Everyone knows about the 3Rs - reduce, reuse, and

recycle - and there are more Rs that can expand and enrich
students’ understanding of how they and others can act on
behalf of the environment. The Take Part in this and many other
lessons suggests that students might want to use social media to
educate and inspire others. At the same time, teachers are well
aware that social media can pose dangers to young people and
others. Thus, appropriate precautions are necessary.

Language Aims: Using for example, might seem simple, but

examples are so important to push understanding and thinking.
As a result, examples are not at all simple, and your students will
need help generating and providing examples.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

The 3Rs—reduce, reuse, recycle—are essential steps toward helping the environment. Do you know
the difference between reuse and recycle? Plus, did you know there are more Rs that can make an
even bigger impact? You will learn about these other Rs in this lesson.

GET READY FOR ACTION

Get ready to learn how to reduce waste, make better decisions, and protect the planet by practicing
many Rs.

BEFORE YOU READ

Think about your own habits and the environment. Answer these questions to prepare for reading:

1. What does your family do with items they no longer need?

2. How do you and your community recycle or reuse materials?
3. Have you ever fixed something instead of replacing it? What was it?
4. Do you carry reusable items, like water bottles or shopping bags?
5. What about large organizations, such as governments, schools, and big companies, including
energy companies? Could they make changes?

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

The Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Are They Equally Good?

The 3Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle—are important for environmental protection. Reducing means
consuming less and avoiding unnecessary purchases. For example, reducing our greenhouse gas
footprint can mean taking a bus, riding a bike, or walking instead of traveling in a car.
Reusing involves finding new purposes for items, such as donating clothes, or older children giving
their toys and books to younger children. Reusing can also mean buying used items in thrift stores or
organizing loan closets on campuses or workplaces where there is a high frequency of moving-in
and out.

Recycling takes materials, such as paper, glass, and plastic, and turns them into new products. For
instance, yesterday’s newspapers can have the ink removed and then be made into new paper that
can be used for newspapers next year. Used glass bottles can be separated into different colors,
melted down, and made into new glass bottles. Examples include making used green glass bottles
into new green glass bottles.

The difference between reusing and recycling can be confusing. If you use the same bag every time
you go shopping, you are reusing the bag. However, if you buy water in a plastic bottle, and after you
finish drinking the water, you put the bottle in a recycling bin, that is recycling, because the bottles in
the bin will be made into new plastic bottles.

Which of the 3Rs helps the environment the least: reduce, reuse, or recycle? The answer is recycle,
because a great deal of energy is needed for recycling, for instance, to recycle old bottles into new
bottles requires the old bottles to be collected and sent to a recycling factory to be made into new
bottles. Then, the new bottles have to be filled with water or another liquid and sent to stores.

To be more environmentally friendly, we can reduce or reuse, such as we can reduce the need for
plastic bottles by carrying our own bottle and reusing it. That will save many bottles. For example, if,
every day, instead of buying a plastic bottle of water, we bring our own bottle, in one year, we will
reduce the number of bottles needed by 365 bottles! Wow!

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THINK AND TALK

Discuss the following questions in small groups:

1. Which Rs do you already practice, and how?

2. Which R would you like to work on more? Why?
3. Can you think of additional Rs that might help the environment?

PEEK AND SEEK

Find every instance where the text “The Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Are They Equally Good”
uses "for example" or similar example introducers to give details or ideas. Look for these alternatives
to for example as well:
• for instance
• such as
• including
• examples are

In the second, third, and fourth paragraphs, underline the example introducer words and the
examples they introduce. In the first paragraph, the example introducer, with examples, is done for
you.

HOW ENGLISH WORKS

When writing about ideas, we often use examples to clarify our meaning. Using "for example" or
similar phrases helps explain a general idea with specific details. By varying the words you use, your
writing becomes more engaging.

Here’s an example paragraph:

We have many ways to find reading materials, such as reading online. Other examples include
visiting libraries. For instance, there are public libraries and university libraries. We can also make our
own books for young children, including by stapling together pieces of paper that have only been
used on one side.

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Match each example to the correct R. It is okay to disagree with the Answer Key.
1. Drinking water from home instead of buying water in a store.
a. Reduce
b. Reuse
c. Recycle
2. Borrowing a book instead of buying a new one.
a. Reduce
b. Reuse
c. Recycle
3. Bring a bag with you to the store, instead of getting plastic bags from the store.
a. Reduce
b. Reuse
c. Recycle
4. Collecting old newspapers and school paper to be made into new paper.
a. Reduce
b. Reuse
c. Recycle
5. Riding a bicycle instead of traveling in a car.
a. Reduce
b. Reuse
c. Recycle

Activity B
Read on to find out about more Rs for protecting the environment.

More Rs = More Effective and More Fun

The 3 Rs are famous in environmental protection, but other Rs are also equally important. This
passage presents six more Rs that remind (one more R – haha) us to protect our One Earth home.
After all, as the saying goes: “There is no Planet B.” The Earth is the only planet where we humans
can live.

Among all the other Rs, here are six. Repair is similar to reuse. For instance, when a button falls off of
one of our shirts, we can repair our shirt by sewing the button back on. Some people are very good
at repairing equipment, such as clocks and rice cookers. Repairs extend the life of our belongings,
so that we do not have to buy new shirts or clocks. Thus, we use less of the Earth’s resources.

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Refilling items also reduces the resources we use, such as the petroleum needed to produce
single-use plastics. For example, we can use refillable water bottles, coffee cups, and cleaning
product containers.

Similarly, we can politely refuse when people offer disposables, such as single-use plastics, including
drinking straws and plastic cups.

Respecting the Earth means that we appreciate that plants and other animals have lived on this
planet for a long, long time. Plus, future generations of other animals, humans, and plants want to
have a home just as we do now. Let us respect everyone from the past, the present, and the future.
For example, we should respect the fishes and other water creatures by not polluting the seas, lakes,
and rivers, and we should protect the plants and animals living in forests by not destroying their
homes.

To follow all the Rs, we need to rethink our habits and make smarter decisions. Examples of
rethinking include visiting new places via video, instead of flying to those places in an airplane, and,
on people’s birthdays, giving them our time, such as to play a game, instead of giving them a gift that
we bought online. We also need to help society rethink its habits.

Therefore, one more R is to reach out to others to encourage them to join us in reducing, reusing,
recycling, repairing, refilling, respecting, rethinking, and reaching out to others. The others can be
our family, our classmates, or people and organizations we have never met, such as people in
governments and companies. Protecting the environment together is more effective and more fun.

Activity C
Write one or two sentences for each of the six new Rs. For each R, include one example introducer
and at least one example from what you do or you could do in your life or what you could work with
others to influence companies and governments to do. Share your ideas with a partner.

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TAKE PART
In your group, choose one R and create a poster, social media post, video, or presentation about how
people can practice it. Include examples and pictures to make it engaging. Share your project with
your school or community.

THINK AND WRITE

Reaching out can be to educate others, and we can also reach out to others to learn from and with
them. Who could you contact to learn more about sustainability in your area? Write a letter, email,
text, or message (or call or visit them):
• A local recycling center
• A community organization working on environmental issues
• Your university administration about improving waste management programs.

Share your draft with a partner and provide each other with feedback.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Article on the 6 Rs of sustainability: [Link]

• Article on what is sustainability and how the 6 Rs play a part in it:
[Link]
• A two-minute subtitled animation on the 6 Rs of sustainability:
[Link]
• Full teaching pack, “A Teacher’s Guide to Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling”:
[Link]

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ENVIRONMENTAL George M Jacobs - Kampung Senang Charity and Education

Foundation, Singapore
HEROES
EE Aims: So many people work selflessly to protect the
environment. Many of these people are volunteers driven not by
money but by passion to safeguard our planet for the benefit of
all the beings living here. It is not just about famous heroes, such
as Vanessa Nakate and Greta Thonberg. Everyone, including
your students and you, are heroes every time you participate in
pro-planet actions.

Language Aims: Topic sentences play an important role in clear

communication. This clarity helps more than readers. Writers too
benefit when they need to think about the main ideas in each of
their paragraphs. It might seem like a waste of words to include
topic sentences in paragraphs, but clear communication is never
a waste of words or time.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

All over the world, climate activists are busy trying to slow humans’ destruction of the Earth. This
destruction harms not just humans but also the other animals with whom we share this planet. Many
animals are losing their homes due to global warming. For example, higher temperatures cause coral
reefs to die. As a result, the fishes who need the reefs to live have nowhere to go.

GET READY FOR ACTION

Be prepared to learn about climate activists and to consider what you can do to stop the warming of
the climate.

BEFORE YOU READ

Here are some questions to get you thinking about climate activism before you read about two of
these young people. It’s okay if you are not sure about all the questions – just joT down a few notes to
prepare yourself for the readings.

1. Have you heard of any people who are active in protecting the environment? What do they do?
2. What do you think are some environmental problems in your country?
3. What are these problems’ causes and effects?
4. What is the government doing about these problems?
5. What are companies and other organizations doing about these problems?
6. What can you and other students do?
7. What skills do you have that might be useful?

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Vanessa Nakate: Climate Activist

Vanessa Nakate is a climate activist from Uganda, a landlocked country on the Equator in
East-Central Africa. (1) Climate activists are people who worry about how global warming changes
the Earth’s climate. (2) Part of climate activism is climate justice, which means people who do the
least to cause global warming should not suffer the most from global warming.

Born in 1996, Vanessa became a climate activist after Uganda suffered from climate change in the
form of rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and devastating floods. (1) In 2019, she staged a
solitary climate strike in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city and then used social media to reach out to
young people in Uganda and other countries. (2) Her action was partly inspired by Greta Thunberg, a
Swedish activist who started a strike against global warming in Sweden.

A difficult situation for Vanessa occurred regarding a photograph in 2020 in Switzerland. (1) She was
in a photo with Greta and other young activists, but Vanessa was cut out of the photo. (2) This
situation was seen as a racist action done to cut African voices out of the climate debate. (3) After
protests, Vanessa was put back in the photo, and her voice has never been silenced.

Vanessa helped start the GreenSchools project in various Ugandan schools. (1) Students in these
schools learn about green jobs, renewable energy, solar power, sustainable agriculture, and
eco-friendly practices. (2) The students also participate in environmental protection by taking part in
tree planting, school gardening, working with local green entrepreneurs, and building eco-friendly
stoves.

In conclusion, global warming and other environmental issues affect people everywhere. (1)
Therefore, people everywhere need to be involved in addressing these issues. That is why we need
more people, young and old, like Vanessa Nakate from Uganda.

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THINK AND TALK

After reading the passage, in groups of three or four, discuss the following questions. It is good to
take note of your own and your group’s answers.
1. What were some problems that Vanessa Nakate faced? How did she overcome the problems?
2. Do climate activists in your country face similar problems?
3. True or false. Check your answers with your group.
a. Climate justice means that those who do the most to cause climate problems, such as using
private airplanes, private cars, big homes with air conditioning, and more should help those
who do not enjoy those luxuries but have to suffer more from climate change.
b. Vanessa Nakate and Greta Thunberg are both from Africa.
c. A solitary climate strike means that Vanessa started the strike alone, before other young
people joined her later.
d. One important project at GreenSchools is to paint their school bright green.
e. Tree planting is one project of green schools.

PEEK AND SEEK

Underline the first sentence in each of the first four paragraphs in the passage “Vanessa Nakate:
Climate Activist.” Then, in each of the first four paragraphs, underline one or two words in each of the
other sentences (the supporting sentences) in the paragraph that connect to the first sentence in that
paragraph. The supporting sentences are numbered. The first paragraph is done for you.

HOW ENGLISH WORKS

When doing academic writing, we often write essays, reports, etc. that contain many paragraphs.
One way for the sentences in a paragraph to fit together well is to start the paragraph with a topic
sentence. The topic sentence contains the main idea of the paragraph. The other sentences are
called supporting sentences, because they contain additional information on the ideas in the topic
sentence.
Here is an example paragraph. The topic is that the writer of the paragraph likes mangoes.

I like mangoes for three reasons: beauty, health, and taste. First, mangoes are very beautiful, coming
in different bright colors, including yellow, red, and green. Second, mangoes are healthy because
they contain important nutrients, such as Vitamin C. Third, mangoes taste great. I cannot help but
smile whenever I eat a delicious mango.

In the paragraph about mangoes, as is often the case, the first sentence is the topic sentence. It
provides a preview of the rest of the paragraph. We know that the other sentences will be about the
beauty, healthfulness, and tastiness of mangoes. Good topic sentences make it easier for readers to
understand our writing and for us to write.

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
One way to understand topic sentences is that the topic sentence is the most general sentence in the
paragraph, and the supporting sentences are the more specific sentences. In the items below, circle
the letter of the most general word among the four words.

Group 1
a. chicken
b. tiger
c. animal
d. raven
Group 2
a. red
b. color
c. black
d. silver
Group 3
a. racquet sport
b. badminton
c. squash
d. tennis
Group 4
a. helping people
b. carrying bags
c. opening doors
d. smiling at sad people
Group 5
a. sharing with others
b. repairing broken equipment
c. creating less waste
d. reusing

Activity B
Read on to find out more about what the human race can do to reduce its negative impact on the
environment. When you have finished reading, go through the passage again and underline the topic
sentences.

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Greta Thunberg: Problems with Growth

Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist, warns that we need to change our views about growth.
She believes that trying to make more and more money by building and selling more and more things
has led to the kind of growth that is destroying the environment. Thus, we need to change our
priorities in life.

Greta says that most governments and companies prioritize profit and increasing production in order
to bring prosperity to people. However, these priorities mean destroying forests, polluting rivers and
air, and creating more and more waste. For example, people throw away clothes and electronic
devices, and then buy new ones instead of repairing what they have.

Greta believes that we have to redefine progress. Progress needs to include clean air and water, safe
homes for wildlife, and people wanting to help each other achieve a better world. Instead of progress
meaning a higher and higher Gross National Product (the value of all the goods and services from a
country), we should look at Gross National Happiness. This measures the well-being of people and
people living in harmony with nature.

One way to move away from destructive growth is the circular economy. In such an economy, almost
everything is reused; almost nothing is thrown away. Instead, people share, lease, reduce, reuse,
repair, and recycle. Economic and environmental decisions benefit everyone everywhere, not just
.01% of the wealthiest people and companies in the world.

What is your view - Can people be happy without more and more growth? Learn more about Gross
National Happiness and the circular economy. Then, see what you think. Consider your life right now.
Are you contributing to environmental destruction? Or are you doing something to change your
lifestyle to save the environment? Can we follow Greta Thunberg’s advice?

TAKE PART
See if your group can complete the following activities.
1. Is the place you study - school, university, etc. - already similar to the Green Schools in Uganda? If
so, how is it similar? What more could your place of study do? Write to your student government,
university officials, etc. to share your good ideas.
2. Find out more about Gross National Happiness in your country and other countries. How might
Gross National Happiness connect to protecting the environment? Share your ideas with people
outside your school, such as by writing to government officials.
3. Each person finds one or two ways that people in your country are already doing activities related
to the circular economy. Discuss in your group and maybe with other groups. Write to these people
to thank them and to find out how you might help.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Article, “12 climate activists inspiring us to fight climate change”:

[Link]
• UNICEF article, “Young climate activists demand action and inspire hope”:
[Link]
• A three-minute subtitled video on what does it take to be a climate activist? - an interview with
Vanessa Nakate: [Link]
• UNICEF toolkit for young climate activists:
[Link]
• A Guardian article, “Be brave, stay positive, find your tribe: Three climate activists explain how to
get started”:
[Link]
e-climate-activists-explain-how-to-get-started

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ENVIRONMENTAL Meng Huat Chau - Zhejiang International Studies University

JUSTICE EE Aims: The Take Part section of the lessons in this book, as
well as many, many of the other sections of the lessons, offer
students chances to cooperate with classmates. Cooperation
has the power to motivate students and build their success. As
the saying goes, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
One plus one equals three or more.” Students can benefit from
the power of cooperation in all aspects of their lives for all of their
lives.

Language Aims: This lesson focuses on vocabulary. Many

people believe that vocabulary is more important than grammar.
The best way to build students’ vocabulary is for them to receive
large quantities of comprehensible input. In other words,
students’ understand what they are reading and listening to, and
they do lots of reading and listening. The lessons in this book
provide many opportunities for reading, and students listen when
discussing with groupmates.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Extreme weather events – such as hurricanes, floods, heat waves, typhoons, and droughts – are
getting worse. According to Joao Teixeira of the Center for Climate Sciences, “Within the scientific
community it’s a relatively well-accepted fact that as global temperatures increase, extreme weather
(floods, droughts, hurricanes, etc.) will very likely increase as well. Poor people suffer most due to
these extreme weather events for several reasons: (1) It is difficult for poor people to evacuate – to
move to safer areas; (2) their homes are not strong; (3) they have no savings to help them recover
from extreme weather.

GET READY FOR ACTION

You will learn what environmental justice is and why the movement came about. You will also be
engaged in thinking about the importance of involving all parties in the decision-making processes
where they live and how well they live. You can also take part in environmental participation
campaigns suggested later in this lesson.

BEFORE YOU READ

1. The Philippines has experienced many extreme weather events. Look at a map of the world (e.g.,
Google Map). Find the Philippines and notice the three main parts of the country: Luzon, the
Visayas, and Mindanao.
2. Find a partner and discuss the meaning of ‘justice.’ In what situations do we usually talk about
‘justice’? What is ‘environmental justice’ to you then?

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NOW FIND OUT MORE

Environmental Justice

Environmental justice means that the benefits and harms that humans receive from the environment
are distributed equally. Benefits from the environment include food, housing, transportation, jobs, and
education. Harms include air, noise, and water pollution, extreme weather events, and hazardous
waste, such as radioactive waste. In particular, people who are marginalized need environmental
justice. Marginalized people include poor people and people who face discrimination because of
their disabilities or because they are members of a minority religion or race.

An example of when environmental justice is needed can be seen when indigenous peoples are
forced off their lands by activities like mining or deforestation. The benefits of the mines or of the food
grown where forest used to be go to wealthy people, while poor people receive only pollution. These
poor people frequently lose their homes and livelihoods, and their voices are rarely considered in
decision-making processes. For example, in the Amazon rainforest, logging and cattle farming have
destroyed large areas of land, negatively impacting local indigenous people who rely on the forest for
survival.

In urban areas, industrialization leads to factories and busy highways, but these are commonly
located near poorer neighborhoods, exposing residents to air pollution, noise, and toxic waste. These
living conditions not only harm people’s health but also limit opportunities for education and good
jobs.

The reasons for these injustices are often tied to systemic inequality. Wealthier communities have the
resources to advocate for their rights and push harmful industries away, while marginalized groups
lack the power to do the same. This unfair distribution of environmental harm highlights the deep
connection between social and environmental issues. Addressing this unfairness means
understanding how history, politics, and economics have shaped where pollution happens and
ensuring that no community is left behind in the fight for clean air, water, and land.

PEEK AND SEEK

Underline words or phrases that you are not sure about and discuss with a friend or teacher.

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HOW ENGLISH WORKS

Words and phrases carry meaning. They are the building blocks of the language.

Vocabulary Match
Match the five words from the text with their meanings:
Minority Pollution
Advocate
Distribution Industrialization

Definition Word
a. The process of developing industries in a country or region.
b. Harmful substances released into the air, water, or soil.
c. A smaller group within a larger population, often differing by
race, culture, or religion.
d. Giving out of anything, such as food.
e. To support or argue for a cause or policy.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using words from the text:
1. Environmental justice means that the benefits and harms that humans receive from the
environment are distributed __________.
2. In the Amazon rainforest, logging and cattle farming have destroyed large areas of land, _________
impacting local indigenous people who rely on the forest for survival.
3. Indigenous peoples lose their homes due to activities like mining and ______.
4. These living conditions not only harm people’s health but also limit opportunities for __________
and good jobs.
5. Promoting environmental justice requires understanding how history and ______ have shaped
pollution patterns.

Synonym Finder
Identify words or phrases in the text that have similar meanings to the ones listed below:
1. Pollution
2. Taken into account
3. Badly affecting
4. Dangerous
5. Unjust

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Decide whether the following statements are true or false:

1. Industrialization only harms wealthy neighborhoods.
2. Environmental justice is about the fair distribution of environmental benefits and harms.
3. Indigenous peoples are often included in decision-making processes about land use.
4. Poorer neighborhoods are less exposed to pollution than wealthier neighborhoods.
5. Systemic inequality plays a key role in environmental injustices.

THINK AND TALK

Get a friend or two to discuss these questions.

1. Why do you think marginalized communities have less influence over environmental decisions?
2. How can governments ensure that poor neighborhoods are protected from industrial pollution?
3. Do you think companies should be held more accountable for the impact they have on
surrounding communities? Why or why not?
4. Are there any marginalized communities where you live?

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Activity A
Use the words in the Word Bank to complete the sentences. Each word can only be used once.

marginalized use environment income inequalities

decision-making voices integrated social

1. Everyone deserves to live in a safe and healthy _______________.

2. Groups that are often overlooked or excluded, such as _______________ communities, should not
face more harm from pollution than others.
3. Being included in _______________ helps people share their concerns about environmental issues.
4. The _______________ of communities with less power or low _______________ must be respected
and ______________ into decisions that affect them.
5. Many environmental problems result from unfair _______________ of natural resources.

Activity B
Read the passage below. Then, read it again and complete the text with appropriate words or
phrases. The first one has been done for you.

The environmental justice movement is built on the principle that everyone has the right to live in a
clean and safe (1) environment. It demands that no group, especially (2)_______________

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communities, should suffer unfair harm from pollution, industrial activities, or natural resource
(3)_______________. The movement is linked to (4)_______________ justice, recognizing that
environmental harm often worsens existing societal (5)_______________.
Central to environmental justice is the notion of equality. This means that all communities should have
equal access to (6)_______________ concerning environmental policies and projects. Equitable
participation means that the (7)_______________ of those most affected by environmental decisions,
often minority or (8)_______________ groups, are not only heard but valued and integrated into policy
outcomes.

Collecting and Sharing Stories

Ronan Renz Napoto and his family live in Eastern Visayas, Philippines. After Typhoon Haiyan hit his
home area, for years afterwards, Ronan suffered nightmares, waking up with tears on his face. “I can
still remember the sequence of everything, even right now, everything keeps on flashing back to me.
It’s still painful to remember those events,” he said.

To help himself and others recover from the trauma of the typhoon, Ronan began collecting and
sharing stories to use in an annual commemoration of Typhoon Haiyan. The stories tell of destruction,
but they also tell how people helped each other recover.

“[Sharing stories] reminds me that behind the science of climate change, there are real people with
real stories,” he said. “Statistics are important, but we don’t want to be just remembered as numbers.
We want to be remembered and our stories to be remembered about who we are and how we
struggled.”

In addition to collecting and sharing stories, Ronan also founded Balud, a youth-led organisation that
does environmental advocacy in the Visayas. “Coming from the provinces, I wanted to highlight the
youth leaders from outside the big cities. We want to create more opportunities for people who are
considered to be minorities or coming from vulnerable communities so that everybody acknowledges
that we also have powerful stories,” he said.

Part of minorities and other vulnerable communities standing up for their rights involves being proud
of using their local languages. For example, Ronan shared, “We have in our local language the word
Padayon, which translates as ‘to keep going’. Because advocacy can be very hard and sometimes,
you never know if there is going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. But it’s worth it to keep on
going, to keep on trying and moving forward, especially to bring your agenda forward. Nothing will
happen if we just stop.”

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THINK AND TALK

1. Are you worried that an extreme weather event could happen where you live? Do you and your
family have a plan for what to do if it happens?
2. Do you agree with Ronan that stories can be more powerful than statistics? What can convince you
better: statistics or stories?
3. In your country, which areas have more power: big cities or the provinces? What is your evidence?
4. Are there local languages in or near where you live? Do you or anyone you know speak any of the
local languages?
5. Ronan says that we must “padayon,” keep going, even when times are hard. Have you ever had
the experience of not giving up, of going on, despite difficulties. Your experience of not giving up
could be in any area of your life: school, sports, personal relationships, etc.?

TAKE PART
Choose one of the following projects:

Project 1
Community Cleanup Drive: Organize regular cleanup events for parks, rivers, or beaches, focusing
on areas most affected by pollution. Document the impact through photos and data, such as
counting the types of rubbish collected and readings of air and water pollution and presenting your
photos and data to local officials.
Project 2
Environmental Awareness Campaigns: Create posters, social media posts, or videos highlighting
local or global environmental injustices. Share information with affected communities and ask them
how people can help.
Project 3
Local Environmental Issue Research: Investigate how certain communities where you live or other
places (including other countries) are affected by environmental problems (such as air pollution near
factories, deforestation, or insufficient green spaces). Present solutions to local councils or
community groups.
Project 4
Advocacy Campaign for Green Spaces: Petition for the creation or improvement of parks, for tree
planting, or for community gardens in underserved areas. Engage stakeholders, including local
governments and businesses.
Project 5
Praise and Suggestions Workshops: Collaborate with peers to praise what is being done to address
environmental injustice in your region. Also, draft suggestions for what else can be done. Work with
environmental groups to deliver the praise and suggestions to local authorities.

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THINK AND WRITE

1. Write a short text explaining how economic inequality contributes to environmental injustice. Use
examples from the earlier text in this lesson or other texts you have read.
2. Write a short opinion piece on a specific example of environmental injustice (for example,
deforestation in the Amazon or elsewhere).
3. Research a specific case of environmental injustice and write a report on your findings.
4. Imagine you are someone your age who is suffering environmental injustice. Write a letter / email /
social media post on their behalf. What is the injustice? How does it affect the writer, their family,
and friends? What might be done to help the writer? How did you feel when you read what they
wrote?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• UNDP article, “Five steps to environmental justice”:

[Link]
• Youth Civil Rights Academy article on Environmental Justice:
[Link]
• Subject to Climate article on, “How to Teach about Environmental Justice”:
[Link]
• University of Michigan lesson plans for teachers on teaching environmental justice:
[Link]
• A three-and-a-half minute subtitled video explaining climate justice:
[Link]

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COPYRIGHT

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