Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!
Empathetic Environmentalists Unit
Provided by: Empatico
IntersectionalLesson Plans Grades 3-5
Synopsis
In this five-lesson unit, students will develop a connection to nature and their communities, understand how climate change impacts their environment, and identify the unique strengths they have to help fight against climate change. Students will take a nature walk, interview community members, learn the difference between weather and climate, and have the opportunity to share their experiences with a partner class in a different part of the world.
Share: This lesson plan is licensed under Creative Commons.
Subjects: SCI, SS
Authors: UCI Science Project, Empatico, Longview Foundation
Region: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Polar Regions, South and Central America, California, Arizona
Key Focus Areas
Core Component 1: Incorporating SEL in Age-Appropriate Ways
Many of the lessons begin with mindfulness and gratitude exercises, helping students regulate their emotions and prepare for challenging topics like climate change, which may cause anxiety. The program also includes a resource for educators to use as a tool for helping students work through difficult feelings as they learn about climate change.
Core Component 2: Discovering Science, Connecting Realities, and Cultivating Stewardship
In Lesson 1, students will take a nature walk and write down what they notice and appreciate about the environment around them. Students will also be inspired by stories of young people who are participating in activism. Then, in Lesson 4, students brainstorm how they can use their strengths to protect the environment.
Core Component 3: Promoting Global Awareness, Cultural Understanding, and Celebrating Diversity
Students partner with those from classrooms around the globe and share their experiences, thoughts, and discoveries throughout the lessons. This encourages students to be open to other perspectives and realities that may differ from their own.
Students also create their own climate stories and share them with the class, recognizing that everyone has a story that is unique to their circumstances.
This lesson also leans into the ideas of:
Details
- Teachers will need to print handouts for students before each of the lessons.
- Lesson 1 directs teachers to play the read-aloud video for the book We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. To directly support the Anishinaabe/Métis author, teachers may wish to purchase the book and read the physical copy for students.
- This unit can be used in a classroom without participating in the virtual exchange. Teachers who opt out of this piece will skip Lesson 5.
- To participate in the Empatico cross-cultural exchange, teachers must sign up for an account and complete additional steps.
- Some links to additional resources are broken.
- These resources have been carefully selected and reviewed by ECCLPs. Please note that they have not undergone SubjectToClimate's independent review process.
Teaching Tips
Standards
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
