Ocean Heroes: Coastal Frontline Communities and Climate Justice

• This video highlights programs and efforts to engage with youth and many disadvantaged groups about the risks of our changing oceans, careers in science, and ways to express their feelings through art.
  
• It covers issues of climate justice for many groups and the need to advocate for action to protect the oceans.

Positives

• Although the video covers serious topics related to climate change, it presents youth taking action to help the environment, resulting in a positive and hopeful tone.
• Advocacy through art is highlighted, and this can serve as an entry point for many students to care and take action for the ocean and the environment.
• The video lays out a nice blueprint for ways that youth can organize to engage their community in taking positive steps to combat climate change and threats to the ocean.

Additional Prerequisites

• Learners should be familiar with the effects of climate change on the ocean and coastal communities, such as sea level rise, coastal flooding, ocean acidification, and coral bleaching.

Differentiation

• This video would be a great source of inspiration for an interdisciplinary project engaging civics and science, or art and science for climate change advocacy.
• Consider having students investigate ways they could improve their local watershed or waterways and create an action plan.
• Have students write a poem or illustrated essay describing their connection to water and how they could protect this vulnerable resource.
• Encourage students to host an action day at school to create art to advocate for the environment or to clean up trash in their watershed.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.