Professional Learning Opportunities on Climate Change and Environmental Justice
This week we feature a number of professional learning opportunities to help you advance environmental literacy in your classroom.
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Bananas About Bananas
Through readings, activities and discussions, students trace the journey of bananas from farm to home and beyond, consider its environmental impact, and envision a greener journey.
Lesson Series Summary
Unit Overview
Through readings, activities and discussions, students trace the journey of bananas from farm to home and beyond, consider its environmental impact, and envision a greener journey.
Grades
- Kindergarten
- Grade 1
- Grade 2
Lesson Type
In-class or online lesson
Environmental Topics
Pollution, Resource Conservation, Sustainable Human Development, Waste Management
Environmental Literacy Core Principles
For a summary of the environmental literacy principles and concepts embedded in this lesson series, please visit Green Guardians Environmental Literacy Core Principles.
Standards
ELA: RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.K.3, RI.K.4, RI.K.6, RI.K.10, RI.1.1, RI.1.2, RI.1.3, RI.1.4, RI.1.6, RI.1.10, RI.2.1, RI.2.2, RI.2.3, RI.2.4, RI.2.7, SL.K.1, SL.K.2, SL.K.3, SL.K.5, SL.K.6, SL.1.1, SL.1.2, SL.1.3, SL.2.1, SL.2.2, SL.2.3
Science: K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, K-2-ETS1-1
Guides
This project may easily be extended into optional family discussions and activities around environmental literacy. To facilitate this engagement, a family guide (in English and Spanish) has been created. We encourage teachers to send the family guide to parents and guardians together with the storybooks and activities.
Lessons
Three lessons of 30-40 minutes each.
Lesson 1: The Banana’s Journey
Through a story and related activities, students explore the journey of bananas from farm to home and to the garbage dump and discuss how they get from point to point.
Lesson 2: The Pollution Problem
Through a story and related activities, students learn about the environmental impacts of the journey of bananas. These include the vehicles that transport them, the places they visit, the packages in which they are contained, and how the resulting waste is disposed of.
Lesson Materials
Lesson 3: Bananas and My Blue and Green Earth
Through a story and related activities, students discuss ways to make the bananas’ journey cleaner and greener. Concepts like clean energy, composting, and “shop local” are introduced.
Lesson Materials
Crossword on Air Pollution
Air pollution poses a huge threat to public health. Solve this crossword puzzle with your students to get familiar with key concepts and terms.
Clean Air, Nature Detectives, Tough Choices, and Summer Pilot!
Fifty two years ago, the United States Congress passed the 1970 Clean Air Act. Since then, it has reduced and controlled air pollution nationwide. This week we explore how we can improve air quality, keep the vulnerable safe, and ensure clean air for all.
Green Guardians K–5 Environmental Literacy Curriculum
Green Guardians lesson series are the only plug-and-play curriculum materials designed for elementary grades that cover core subjects through an environmental and climate change lens.
A Peek into Composting
Students explore the idea of “composting” as a way to recycle organic waste. They define compost, talk about what can and cannot be composted, and learn how they can help reduce waste sent to the landfill by turning certain food scraps into homemade fertilizer.
Lesson Overview
In this 40-minute lesson, students explore the idea of “composting” as a way to recycle organic waste. They define compost, talk about what can and cannot be composted, and learn how they can help reduce waste sent to the landfill by turning certain food scraps into homemade fertilizer. It is possible to compost both inside and outside the home by choosing the right size and type of bin. Red worms are also an option for speeding up the process of decomposition.
Grades: K–2
Environmental Topics
- Organic Waste
- Resource Conservation
- Green Guardianship
Lesson Materials
Relevant Lesson Series
This lesson can be taught with the lesson series below:
Crossword on Our Oceans
Do you know that the oceans are home to the most diverse living things on Earth? Solve this crossword puzzle to learn about marine ecosystems and the threats facing our oceans today.
National Oceans Month, Climate Change and Our Oceans, and Summer Pilot!
To raise awareness about the key role the oceans play in our lives, the United Nations designated June 8 as International World Oceans Day. As of 2022, the U.S. has proclaimed June as National Oceans Month. This week we look at ways we can promote interest in and sustainability of our oceans.
Green Guardians’ Lesson Series Summer Pilot
Our lesson series are designed to provide teachers with the confidence and resources to advance environmental literacy in their classrooms. This summer, we invite 3rd–5th grade teachers to pilot one or more of our lesson series.
Climate Change and Our Oceans
Students learn about climate change and the oceans. A whale watching trip opens Luna’s eyes to the effects of climate change on gray whales. That weekend, she and her friends visit the local aquarium to tour a special exhibit on climate change.
Unit Overview
Through readings, activities and discussions, students learn about climate change and the oceans. A whale watching trip opens Luna’s eyes to the effects of climate change on gray whales. That weekend, she and her friends visit the local aquarium to tour a special exhibit on climate change. They learn about the threats to marine life due to rising ocean temperatures and acidification as well as their impacts on human beings. Wanting to do something to help save the ocean, they join a beach clean-up and pledge to do their part in keeping our oceans healthy and thriving.
Grades
- Grade 3
- Grade 4
- Grade 5
Lesson Type
In-class or online lesson
Environmental Topics
Green Guardianship, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Pollution, Resource Conservation, Sustainable Human Development, Waste Management
Environmental Literacy Core Principles
For a summary of the environmental literacy principles and concepts embedded in this lesson series, please visit Green Guardians Environmental Literacy Core Principles.
Standards
ELA: RL.3.1 RL.3.4 RL.3.7 RI.3.1 I.3.2 RI.3.3 RI.3.4 RI.3.5 RI.3.7 RI.3.8 W.3.1 W.3.3 W.3.4 SL.3.1 SL.3.2 SL.3.3 RL.4.1 RL.4.2 RL.4.3 RL.4.4 RL.4.7 RI.4.1 RI.4.2 RI.4.4 RI.4.5 RI.4.8 RI.4.9 W.4.1 W.4.3 W.4.4 SL.4.1 SL.4.2 SL.4.3 RL.5.1 RL.5.2 RL.5.4 RL.5.7 RI.5.1 RI.5.2 RI.5.4 RI.5.5 RI.5.9 W.5.1 W.5.3 W.5.4 SL.5.1 SL.5.2 SL.5.3
History Social-Science: HSS-3.4.2 HSS-4.1 HSS-4.1.3
Science: 3-LS3-2 3-LS4-4 4-LS1-1
Guides
This project may easily be extended into optional family discussions and activities around climate change and its effects on the ocean. To facilitate this engagement, a family guide (in English and Spanish) has been created which teachers may choose to forward to interested parents and guardians.
Lessons
Four lessons of 40-60 minutes each.
Lesson 1: Whale Watching
Through a story and related activities, students follow Luna on her whale watching trip. As a gray whale appears to everyone’s delight, Beth, the marine biologist, explains how and why this specimen is malnourished due to changes in its ecosystem because of climate change and that gray whales and other marine species are suffering.
Lesson 2: At the Aquarium
The story continues as Luna shares her whale watching experience with her friends. They wonder what other effects global warming is having on marine life and decide to visit a special exhibit, “Climate Change and Our Oceans”, at the local aquarium. They learn about how warming ocean temperatures as well as ocean acidification are affecting marine animals, causing massive biodiversity loss.
Lesson Materials
Lesson 3: The Ocean and You
In the third lesson, the children turn their attention to the impacts of climate change on the coastal communities. Luna and her friends learn about how the vulnerable areas in California will be affected by sea level rise in 2030, 2050 and 2100 if little or no action is taken to slow or stop the pace of global warming.
Lesson Materials
Lesson 4: A Beach Clean-up
In this lesson, Luna and her friends decide to volunteer at a beach clean-up. They collect and record different types of trash on the beach and learn about the effects of plastic pollution on the ocean and coastal and marine animals. Determined to keep the ocean healthy, Luna pledges not only to minimize her carbon footprint but also to reduce the amount of plastics she uses.