The Sound of Silence

Step by step:

Warm-up exercise: the class prepares for the activity by "warming up" the 5 senses. The teacher asks them to associate a smell, a taste, a material, a sound and an image with a series of words that will be listed, such as:

Happiness, sadness, anger, fear and enthusiasm

At this point, the teacher divides the class into small groups and each one is given the following assignment:

 Imagine, and then draw, two scenes:

1. a natural landscape, uncontaminated and without any human beings;
2. a place or space where human intervention, work, machines etc. are very present.

Then, for each scene drawn, associate a particular sound, smell, taste and tactile sensation that specific image arouses in you.

Suggestions for the teacher: During the activity, the teacher can play background music or different sounds that can stimulate the imagination (the sound of water, the sounds of the city, the rustling of the wind, etc.)

Once the work is finished, each group shows their posters and the associations made.                

Final reflection: What can be noted about the associations made for each scene?

The teacher points out that noises and smells can be created and referred to humans – a bridge to the question: how can the presence of human beings pose a risk to the environment?

The teacher then introduces the definition of ANTHROPIC RISK, i.e., those situations linked to actions of human beings that cause survival and damage issues to the environment. The class is invited to reflect with the help of the teacher on this specific type of risk and try to answer the following questions:  

1. To what extent can humans cause damage to the environment and to other humans?
2. What examples come to mind? (pollution, deforestation, overbuilding, etc.)

Lastly, the teacher shows the class the following video and collects final comments from the class.