Democracy in Action

The festivities of the 4th of July are done for another year - the sparklers are all gone and the red, white and blue streamers are put away until next summer. As the celebration of our nation’s independence comes to a close, let’s investigate what makes our country run. The United States of America is a democracy. We all know that, but what does that really mean? A democracy is a form of government in which the right to govern is vested in the citizens of a country and exercised through a majority rule. All citizens have equal access to power and enjoy legitimized freedoms. This means that citizens like you and I have a voice in the shaping of our government, as well as having a voice in the shaping of our natural resource policies and management. Use Project Learning Tree’s “Democracy in Action” to explore democratic systems as they pertain to environmental policies and decision-making.

Family Fun:
Make your family a democracy! Vote on what kind of “green” changes to make in your home and set up policies for sorting and returning the recycling.

Book List

Grades PreK-2
Beard, D. B. and H. Maione. 2009. Annie Glover is Not a Tree Lover. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Doppert, M. 2000. The Streets are Free. Annick Press, Limited.
Hamilton, J. 1993. Eco Groups: Joining Together to Protect the Environment. ABDO Publishing Company.
John, J. 2009. Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids’ Letters to President Obama. McSweeney’s Publishing.
Maestro, B. and G. Maestro. 1990. More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution. HarperCollins Publishers.


Grades 3-5
Brooke, B. and R.L. Zeff. 2000. Environmental Action Groups. Facts on File, Inc.
Collard, S.B. and C.D. Buell. 1999. Acting for Nature: What Young People Around the World Have Done to Protect the Environment. Heyday Books.
Fitzpatrick, A. 2007. Democracy. Creative Co.
Hamilton, J. 1993. Eco Groups: Joining Together to Protect the Environment. ABDO Publishing Company.
Maestro, B. and G. Maestro. 1990. More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution. HarperCollins Publishers.
Swinburne, S.R. and J. Brandenburg. 2001. Once a Wolf: How Biologists Brought Back the Gray Wolf. San Val.
Travis, Cathy. 2006. Constitution Translated for Kids. Synergy Books.
Wadsworth, G. 1992. Rachel Carson: Voice for the Earth. Lerner Publishing Group.

Grades 6-8
Archer, J. 1998. To Save the Earth. Penguin Group (USA).
Byrnes, P. 1997. Environmental Pioneers. Oliver Press, Inc.
Fitzpatrick, A. 2007. Democracy. Creative Co.
Graham, K. 1996. Contemporary Environmentalists. Facts on File, Inc.
Graham, K. and G. Chandler. 1996. Environmental Heroes: Success Stories of People at Work for the Earth. Pruett Publishing Company.
Halpin, M. 2004. It’s Your World - If You Don’t Like It, Change It: Activism for Teens. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Jakobson, C. 1992. Think About: The Environment. Walker & Company.
Pringle, L. 2000. Environmental Movement. HarperCollins Publishers.
Rooney, F. 2007. Exceptional Women Environmentalists. Orca Book Publishers.
Sonneborn, L. 2007. The Environmental Movement: Protecting Our Natural Resources. Facts on File, Inc.
Travis, Cathy. 2006. Constitution Translated for Kids. Synergy Books.
Wadsworth, G. 1992. Rachel Carson: Voice for the Earth. Lerner Publishing Group.
Whitman, S. 1994. This Land is Your Land: The American Conservation Movement. Lerner Publishing Group.
Wilson, M. 2006. Democracy. Cengage Gale.

Grades 9-12
Archer, J. 1998. To Save the Earth. Penguin Group (USA).
Byrnes, P. 1997. Environmental Pioneers. Oliver Press, Inc.
De Tocqueville, A., G. Bevan, and I. Kramnick. 2003. Democracy in America. Penguin Group (USA).
Doherty, B. 2002. Ideas and Actions in the Green Movement. Taylor & Francis, Inc.
Gay, K. 1994. Pollution and the Powerless: The Movement for Environmental Justice. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Graham, K. 1996. Contemporary Environmentalists. Facts on File, Inc.
Graham, K. and G. Chandler. 1996. Environmental Heroes: Success Stories of People at Work for the Earth. Pruett Publishing Company.
Halpin, M. 2004. It’s Your World - If You Don’t Like It, Change It: Activism for Teens. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Rooney, F. 2007. Exceptional Women Environmentalists. Orca Book Publishers.
Sonneborn, L. 2007. The Environmental Movement: Protecting Our Natural Resources. Facts on File, Inc.
Wall, D. 1993. Green History: An Anthology of Environmental Literature, Philosophy and Politics. Taylor & Francis, Inc.
Whitman, S. 1994. This Land is Your Land: The American Conservation Movement. Lerner Publishing Group.
Wilson, M. 2006. Democracy. Cengage Gale.