This toolkit is designed to teach students about climate change, its causes and how to take meaningful actions at home, at school and in their community.
The lesson begins with a brief discussion to activate prior knowledge, followed by a slideshow presentation that provides information about climate change causes, both human and naturally occurring and its effects around the United States. Students are also introduced to other youth who are making a difference in their own communities. During the slideshow the students will have a note taking sheet to complete.
At this point the teacher can choose from 3 activities or have the students complete them all. The activities are:
1. The students plan and write a picture book on climate change to share with elementary students.
2. The students will brainstorm climate change actions to undertake and add to a bulletin board display of actions completed with the goal of seeing how small actions all together can make a big difference.
3. Students will create implement and monitor progress for a climate change action plan, all the while raising awareness in their school or community around their chosen action.
The focus of this resource is on developing an awareness of climate change and the sense that a number of small actions together can make a difference.
Youth for the Planet: Taking Action in Your Own Community is best suited for a middle school science classroom. It helps to address outcomes related to climate change and weather as well as human impacts on the Earth. This resource could be used as a final activity in a unit on climate change or as a special project in conjunction with Earth Day.
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Very Good | The resource allows for the students to gather information on climate change and its causes before creating a plan to create change in their community. The resource is geared for the students to consider all aspects of the issue. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
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Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | The resource addresses all aspects of the issue of climate change via the slideshow presentation and note taking sheet included in the toolkit. The teacher will have to emphasize the social aspect with certain slides as it may not always be evident. |
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
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Respects Complexity | Very Good | The resource explains very well the issue of climate change and its causes. It also gives the students concrete and manageable ideas for taking action. |
Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
Acting on Learning | Very Good | The final activity in the resource is to create an action plan for climate change in which the students define the issue, complete research, and craft a message in order to raise awareness and create change in their community. |
Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
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Values Education | Very Good | The students are given the chance to identify and express their own values via the choices of activity for their action plan. |
Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | This is not a focus in the resource. |
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
Personal Affinity with Earth | Very Good | A sense of stewardship is created as the students work on an action plan to create change in their community for the betterment of their environment. |
Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
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Locally-Focused Learning | Very Good | The final activity is to create an action plan to foster change in the community. |
Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
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Past, Present & Future | Satisfactory | The resource does address the present and the future; however, the past is not a part of the material. |
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. |
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Open-Ended Instruction | Very Good | The resource presents factual information allowing the students to explore the topic and develop an understanding of the issues surrounding climate change. |
Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
Integrated Learning | Satisfactory |
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Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
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Inquiry Learning | Good | |
Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
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Differentiated Instruction | Good | This resource addresses the needs of most learners in an engaging manner; however, it does not provide strategies for learners with difficulties. |
Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
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Experiential Learning | Very Good | The action plan allows for the students to take the information they have learned and apply it in their community and home life. |
Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
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Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | |
Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
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Assessment & Evaluation | Good | Although no tools are provided for the assessment of learning, the worksheets that are included can easily be collected for assessment. |
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | |
Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
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Case Studies | Good | The students do learn about other youth who are working to make a difference in their community in the slideshow. |
Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
Locus of Control | Very Good | The students are allowed to make a number of decisions in the actions that they choose. |
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. |