This has been a year so far where the concept of “green” is moving into the mainstream, and is no longer relegated to “environmental activists.” However, we need to remind ourselves that it was the activists and the “gentle subversive” (Rachel Carson) who worked for years bringing environmental issues to the forefront.

Highlighted in this weblog entry is Project Green Classroom, an environmental science investigation. In this project, students investigate 6 elements of the classroom to answer questions related to the environmental quality of their classroom, and also as a way to inquire into the nature of environmental science.

Using very simple tools, students investigate the following elements: weather, air quality, the physical plant, populations, microbes, and trash. Observations are made and recorded on a data chart, and students are encouraged to compare their results with other classrooms and schools.

Project Green Classroom, can be used as a first step toward the exploration of things green, including the classroom, but the school as well. Links are included that take the investigators to green sites around the world.