250 to 250: 29. Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” Narrated by Katherine Richardson

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” Narrated by Katherine Richardson

Katherine Richardson is a Professor in Biological Oceanography at the University of Copenhagen and active in the development of Earth system science. She leads the Queen Margrethe and Vigdís Finnbogadóttir´s Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Ocean, Climate, and Society and is an architect of the Planetary Boundaries Framework. Richardson tells of marine biologist Rachel Carson, whose 1962 book Silent Spring exposed the dangers of pesticides and sparked the modern environmental movement.

Rachel Carson was a scientist and writer.

• In 1962, she wrote the book Silent Spring.
• The book explained how some pesticides harmed nature.
• One pesticide, DDT, poisoned birds, fish, and other animals.
• Some companies criticized Rachel Carson's ideas.
• Many scientists and Americans supported her work.

Silent Spring became a very popular book.

• The book helped start the modern environmental movement.
• In 1970, Americans celebrated the first Earth Day.
• The U.S. government created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Rachel Carson reminded people that humans are part of nature.
• She encouraged everyone to protect the environment for future generations.

POP Quiz: N-400 Vocabulary Deep Dive (Latin and Greek Root Words!)

• "-cide": from the Latin "caedere," meaning "to cut" or "to kill."
• "Pest-": from the Latin "pestis," which originally referred to a plague, pestilence, or a destructive disease.
• Rachel Carson fought against DDT, a powerful pesticide that kills insects and animals.
• "Geno-": from the Greek "genos," meaning "race," "family," or "tribe".
• N-400 Part 9:7b. Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in genocide?
• Explain "genocide."

Family Fun

• Elle Cree / She Creates: Rachel Carson coloring page
• EPA: Watershed: Kids' Corner
• FWS: Let's Celebrate Rachel Carson activity book
• Migrant Clinician: Pesticide Comic Books (English and Spanish)
• NPIC: FAQ Comics (English and Spanish)
• PBS: American Experience: Rachel Carson (stream or borrow the DVD from the library) | short lessons
• Rachel Carson: Interactive Timeline
• Rachel Carson Landmark Alliance: Birthplace of Silent Spring
• TED-ed: How one scientist took on the chemical industry - Mark Lytle
• uscitizenpod: 10 Citizenship Questions in Honor of Earth Day (pdf)