Datta 1

FIGHT AGAINST GLOBAL

WARMING

Riya Datta
617220
Harold M. Brathwaite
Advisor: Mrs.Fera
April 28th,2016
Word Count: 2571

Table of Contents

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Investigating.Page 3-4
PlanningPage 4-5
Taking Action...Page 5-6
Reflecting.Page 6-7
Appendices...Page 8-9
Works Cited.Page 10

INVESTIGATING:

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The topic I chose for my personal project is global warming. Global warming and climate change
is considered one of todays biggest concerns. This is a big topic that even adults have a hard
time understanding and a concept that is even more abstract to children. But I feel that it is
important that kids gain knowledge about such a big world issue and what humans are doing that
is making the problem worse. My inquiry question was "Why is it important to start taking action
now and how will it better the future?. I want children to read my book and think about the
effects and impacts of global warming and also be aware that there are things they can do to help
our planet. This will help them reflect and think about how their actions will create a better
future.
a) My goal for this project was to help kids understand what global warming is, how it is
starting to affect us and why it is considered one of todays biggest global issues. Since
my personal project was directed towards kids ages five and up I felt that the most
effective way to communicate my ideas and what I want them to learn would be by
creating a storybook. I decided to write a short 12 page book that summed this global
crisis up and made sure that it was easy to understand and to the point. In my book I also
added a lot of pictures and made each page a different colour in efforts to make it more
attractive and appealing.
b) The area of interaction that my topic connects to is environments because my goal is to
make sure that children are aware of the global warming crisis which will hopefully result
in them wanting to help our planet and create a better future. Global warming has a really
big impact on our ecological systems and the rising temperatures are making it hard for
many plants and animals to survive and adapt quickly to these new changes. This topic
helps us explore our relationship with the environment, how we affect it and how it
affects us. My approaches to learning mainly include communication because I am the
type of person who likes being informed as well as informing others. I like to
communicate my ideas creatively and effectively and I also enjoy raising awareness
about societal issues. I learn best my listening to others and by reading and I
communicate my understanding best by presenting and writing. The approaches to
learning I underwent through this project include thinking which involves identifying the
problem and coming up with solutions. I also had to make a lot of connections in my
book to other things in order for the young population to understand.
c) I have always been an environmentally friendly individual and have always been part of
eco clubs at school. Global warming is a topic that really interests me and I love gaining
knowledge on this topic, spreading it to others as well as thinking of ways to help. I do
little things such as reuse, reduce and recycle on a daily basis, plant trees and other plants
in my backyard and help others stay alert about the things they are doing which can harm
our planet. I was influenced as a young kid and I felt that this project was an opportunity
for me to inform not my friends, or adults but young children and effectively spread
awareness. I already had some knowledge on this topic heading into this project but I was
eager to learn more. I wanted to go in depth and understand as much as I can.
d) The plan I developed for completing the project was very simple as it included research,
organizing my ideas, planning my book, writing my book and finally illustrating it. The

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research and planning component took the most time and involved a lot of thinking
because I had to focus on specific things I wanted in my book. I worked on this project
almost every day in order to make sure that I would not leave things for last minute. I
also had to plan out the different connections my book would have to make in order for
kids to understand it and also come up with some analogies and metaphors.

PLANNING:
a) The criterion for the product was to make sure that the book was very concise, to the
point and easy to understand. I had to include many connections and make sure that
everything was simplified but fun and engaging at the same time. Another important
thing was that I had to make my book attractive and colourful so that kids would be more
interested in reading the book. It was also important for me to include as many pictures as
I could and have minimal writing which I found very challenging as global warming is a
very complex topic. I made sure to include fun and different illustrations that would be
eye catching to children. I knew I had to stick by these guidelines in order to successfully
create my storybook.
b) The process I took to complete my product included research, organizing my ideas,
planning my book, writing my book and finally illustrating it.
i. Research: My first step was to research information and facts on global
warming and to make sure that I had enough knowledge on the topic. This
required me to go in depth and understand the topic well. I also had to
research ways that kids can help save our earth and the little things they
can do day to day that make a big difference.
Organizing my ideas: This was a very important step because I had to go
through all my research and decide what I wanted to write in my book and
what I did not consider important. I had to make sure that I did not include
unnecessary additional information that would bore my readers.
Planning my book: This step required me to plan the layout of my book
and think about how I wanted to present all my information. I also had to
plan my storyline and create a timeline of the events that would take place
throughout the book. It was important for me to write about things in order
and help the reader understand everything.
Writing my book: For this step I just had to take all my information and
planning and bind my story together. This stage included rough drafts of
stories and once I wrote my final copy it also included my editing process.
Illustrating my book: The final step was illustrating my book and adding
colourful and appealing pictures. Instead of drawing every picture and
background, I decided to use public domain images from google. I do
not own any of the pictures used in my book and they are all public
domain images found online.
ii. Many sources were consulted that helped me achieve this goal. For
example the internet was a very important source as it helped me with my

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research process. Books were also very important as they provided me

with simplified and accurate information. I also used the library catalog at
Harold M Brathwaite for research. During the strike in 2015 I went to
volunteer at my old elementary school and I was able to gain some
knowledge and ideas from my old teachers there as they helped guide me.
iii. I created my book using an app called Bookemon on my ipad. I also
used other editing apps that allowed me to edit images. This helped me use
certain techniques which made my book seem more professional and
attractive.
c) Many kills were necessary for this project and I think the main ones were time
management and organization. Time management was important because writing a book
is a process and it takes time. It was important for me to break my project down into parts
and make sure that I completed them on time. Everything was connected as well because
the next step in finishing the project could not be taken without completing the previous
ones. I finished my project because I made sure that I stayed on track. Organization was
very important as well because I had to make sure that the story made sense. I had to plan
out my storyline and pick my illustrations carefully in order to make my book effective. I
had to organize all my thoughts and ideas and place them in a certain part of my story.
This was hard because I had many ideas that I wanted to incorporate but I had to figure
out when and where in my book.

TAKING ACTION
a) My final product somewhat aligned with my initial plan. I was expecting my book to turn
out better but as I was creating it, I realized how hard and challenging it really was. I had
a lot of trouble finding the right images because using public domain images meant that
you had a limited selection where you had to choose from. When I was writing my book I
was distracted with school and I was very busy as well which is the reason I feel that my
storyline did not turn out as strong as I wanted it to. Overall I feel that my product is
satisfying and does meet some of my expectations and I could have put in more time and
effort to improve it.
b) Before writing my book I had to come up with an interesting way to present my story
which I believe was very challenging. I remember talking to my friends and family as
well as some teachers from my elementary school on what kids these days like reading
and how I can make my story book visually appealing for them. Interviewing others and
getting their opinions required both communication and collaboration skills. I had to be
able to tell people what I was writing my book about, the ideas I wanted to incorporate in
order to get feedback on how I should present all my information and what kind of
images would best suit it as well. Thinking skills were also very important in completing
my project because I had to make sure that my story line was simple and to the point so it
would be understandable for a young child. I also had to make sure that there was a flow
to my story and that I explained everything properly to avoid any confusion. In addition, I

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had to take something that I wanted in my story but was very complicated and condense
it and simplify it by using simple language conventions. Most importantly, I had to make
sure that the reader was hooked at all times which meant keeping my book interesting.

REFLECTING
a) I believe that my product successfully met my criteria because I was able to make my
book visually appealing by using vibrant colours. I simplified my writing to make sure
that kids would be able to understand it and would have fun reading my book. I did not
over complicate things or use big words that kids would have trouble comprehending. I
kept my book simple and fun and used many images and symbols to convey my message
about global warming. I also added an interactive component at the end of my book
which invites the reader to write down their thoughts about global warming and how they
can make a difference in this world. By doing this I was able to engage the reader and
have them brainstorm ideas as well and make them feel like its their own personal book
in which they can write all their ideas in! I also included many analogies in my book
where I relate a certain part of global warming to something else in efforts to prove a
point or clarify a concept. I also have more pictures than words and overall kept my book
concise and into a well put together storybook.
b) I faced many challenged during the process as I have already mentioned. I had a lot of
difficulty with my illustrations because my original idea was to draw every picture out
and fax it on to the computer. I was not able to do this and I did not know what else to do.
I could not just take images from google as that would be violating copy right laws. I then
met with Mr. Walker, a student councilor at Harold Brathwaite who told me about public
domain images found on the web. Public domain images are images that no one owns
which meant I was able to use them without having to give credit to anyone. I used public
domain images and backgrounds throughout my book but the only problem there was that
I had very select choices to choose form. I did not have a variety of images and I had to
work with what was available. When working with a topic like global warming which is
considered very complex, it is a challenge to simplify it and write it in a form so kids are
able to understand it. This was also very hard but with the help of pictures, diagrams and
metaphors I was able to put my book together. I was very successful with the layout of
my book and putting it all together after having my story ready and my images chosen. I
really enjoyed organizing the pages and I knew exactly how I wanted each page to look. I
believe I succeeded in making my book physically appealing.

c) This project helped me gain a lot of knowledge on what is happening to our planet and
how global warming is slowly getting worse year by year. Coming into this project I
already had a rough understanding but now after researching and writing a storybook I

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feel like I know many global warming issues in depth and know of ways that we can
help. I also gained a lot of knowledge on the different countries that are trying to help
fight global warming and others that are making it worse. This project extended my time
management skills as well as my organizational skills as understanding a topic and
writing a book about it takes a lot of time and clarity. This project helped me grow and it
allowed me to try something that I have always wanted to try but never got a chance to.
d) This project allowed me to become an inquirer because throughout my personal project I
was researching on my own and showing independence. I was also enjoying what I was
learning and I was eager to share my findings with other people especially young children
so I can raise awareness. It helped me become a communicator because I was able to
express my ideas and information in new forms and also do it creatively. Throughout this
project I was also able to collaborate with others and get their opinions on certain things.
Finally the personal project allowed me to be a risk taker as I was able to try something
new and step out of my comfort zone. It allowed me to work with new ideas and
strategies and create something that I never thought I would be able to create by myself.

APPENDICES A
ROUGH STORYLINE:

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What does the future hold?

Have you ever wondered what the earth will be like in the next 20 years? or 30 years? how about
100 years from now? what if there is no planet earth? What if there are no human beings? What
if there is nothing leftWhat does the future hold?
Mother earth is our home. It was our parents home and it will also be a home for our kids but
our planet is starting to get really sick. It is like our planet has a fever that does not seem to be
getting better but worse almost every day..little by little.
Scientists call this global warming. Our planet has been constantly heating up for the past ten
years. This is something that has never happened before and it is now one of todays biggest
concerns.
Lets think about it this wayEarths atmosphere acts like a big greenhouse or a glasshouse, the
type we usually see when we visit farms or gardens. The purpose of a greenhouse is to trap heat
inside and stay hotter than the atmosphere around it. This creates a good environment for plants
that require a regulated climate in order to grow. Our planet works similarly because there is big
invisible greenhouse blanket surrounding it.
But when greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane are released into the
atmosphere in large amounts the blanket is starts to get thicker and thicker... this traps heat in the
atmosphere and makes the earth warmer.
Many places that were warmer are now getting colder and many colder parts of the world are
now getting much more cold or even warmer. Our planets climate is changing rapidly and we are
facing many consequences. For example, storms are becoming stronger and more destructive.
There has also been an increase in the number of wildfires and more places are starting to

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experience droughts. In some parts of the world the warmer temperatures are causing heavy,
intense rainfalls. This is affecting humans and ecosystems.
Your planet needs YOU. You are the future. Do you have what it takes to save this planet before
its too late? There are many little things you can do every single day that make a big difference.
For example
You can plant a tree - plants help absorb carbon dioxide that is in the atmosphere
You can Carpool, walk, ride your bike or take the bus to where you need to go
Remember your 3 Rs and much more.
So lets save this planet and create a future before we get lost in the past.

WORKS CITED
Bookemon Book creator app and website<http://www.bookemon.com/>

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Denchak, Melissa. "Are the Effects of Global Warming Really That Bad?" NRDC, 15
Mar. 2016. Web. 19
Apr. 2016. < https://www.nrdc.org/stories/are-effectsglobal-warming-really-bad>
Denchak, Melissa. "How You Can Stop Global Warming." NRDC, 11 Mar. 2016. Web. 2
Apr. 2016.<https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming>
"Effects of Global Warming." National Geographic, 2007. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
<http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/globalwarming/gw-effects/>
"How To Stop Global Warming: Top 50 Things to Do." Global Warming Facts. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 4 Apr.
2016.< http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips/2/>
Lazar, Tara. "How To Develop Children Story Ideas and Create Picture Books." Write
to Done. N.p., 20 Feb. 2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.< http://writetodone.com/six-besttips-writing-childrens-picturebooks/>
Public Domain images from google<google.com>
West, Larry. "10 Things You Can Do to Slow Climate Change." About.com News &
Issues. N.p., n.d. Web.
20 Apr. 2016.<
http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm>
Woodford, Chris. "Global Warming for Kids: A Simple Explanation of Climate
Change." Explain That Stuff.
N.p., 2006. Web. 3 Apr. 2016.<
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/globalwarmingforkids.html>