Students explore the interactions between humans and the environment. The unit begins with students observing and exploring their school surroundings, asking questions about what they see, hear, and feel. Students are introduced to key concepts through literature, exploration, and collaborative activities. Stories such as Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer, The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle and Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse guide students in making connections between the weather, plants, and human actions.
Lessons also emphasize social-emotional learning (SEL), encouraging students to reflect on how exploring their environment makes them feel and how changes in their surroundings can impact their emotions. The unit culminates in an action project where students create and share a plan to improve their school environment for both people and nature. This project empowers students to see themselves as problem-solvers and stewards of their environment.
“There is something for all different kinds of learners. We are moving spaces, drawing, talking in big and small groups, writing. Some of my kiddos who would have been disengaged quite possibly the entire time were engaged in at least two or more parts of this lesson.”
“This did a great job of piquing students’ interest and sparking opposing points of view, which created lively discussions on the topic.”
“The message that there are solutions to help us combat climate change and that people are working together to solve problems helped students stay in a place of curiosity; they didn’t show anxiety over the content.”
“My kids have said, ‘Oh good, I like doing this,’ when we were starting the lesson each day. It’s a great topic. I also think it has made them more curious and do their own research.”
“This lesson brought in cultural stories from the original people who inhabited California. This is a perspective that is not often taught in science. I think that the kids liked having science be a little less facts and figures and more story.”
“I have learned ways to improve my teaching, and I have been at this for 38 years. The students are gaining a deeper understanding of what climate change is: what causes climate change, and the impact of climate change on crop yield.”
“I heard comments like, ‘I didn’t realize how much climate change affects my community,’ and, ‘This project made me think about what I can do to help.'”
“I love how the data was more interactive and chunked into smaller pieces. I also like how there was a way to bring all the knowledge and wondering back to come up with a conclusion to the problem.”
“When you’re out in the workforce, you’re trying to solve problems that don’t have a clear, immediate answer. So doing stuff like this helps give students practice.”
“They’ve never thought about stuff like this before, and now they’re sharing it. One girl said this was the only class that she went home and talked to her parents about.”
“Every lesson was so thoroughly designed, the case study design book was beautifully organized, and it helped to give my class a real-life understanding of how college/graduate-level academic research works. Being able to connect their research back to environmental issues they actually experience was simply icing on the cake. Well done!”
“I am so amazed and impressed by the depth of resources that you embedded in the teacher guide. This is really well put together.”
Angelle Lailhengue, Curriculum Developer
Meagan Nelson-Palamara, Curriculum Developer
Emily Schell, University of San Diego
Roni Jones, Ten Strands
Priscilla Barcellos, Lakeside USD
Karen Cerwin, WestEd (retired)
Matt Ellinger, Designer
Elaine Klein, BSCS
Stacey Lane, Illustrator
Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation
Elisa Alamillo, Los Angeles USD
Brooke Bismack, Laguna Beach USD
Christine Chaussee, Los Angeles USD
Kimberly Krause, Laguna Beach USD
Michelle Read, Los Angeles USD
Anne Ronkainen, Round Valley School District
Alicia Saucedo, Laguna Beach USD
Yolanda Viramontes, Los Angeles USD
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