Building Climate Change Responses for East Bay Classrooms
April 2023
Elementary students are increasingly asking their teachers about climate change and its impacts on their families and communities. In response, teachers are asking partners like CRS to help them navigate the ocean of information, curate practical lessons and useful resources, and plan projects for students to engage in solutions-focused, hope-infused actions.
To provide teachers with information, peer-to-peer sharing, and partnership in planning, CRS will be offering two summer Climate Change and Environmental Justice institutes: one virtual (on July 28), and one in person (on July 31 and August 1).
As part of a statewide effort to develop a new curriculum for K-12 students to understand climate change and take part in solutions to the many challenges it brings, CRS has teamed with Oakland educators in the OTACA project. We’re developing lessons for grades 3, 4, and 5 to explore topics such as drought, power outages, and wildfire. Teachers at the summer institutes will have a chance to review and contribute ideas to this developing curriculum and to pilot the new lessons in their classrooms in the 2023-24 school year.
The institutes will also showcase some of the amazing projects teachers have been bringing to life in their classrooms. One shining example of how teachers have helped their students to build climate literacy through exciting action projects was with Jamila Edwards’ 4th-5th grade class at Sequoia Elementary in Oakland.
During a lively “Energy Shark Tank” presentation, students worked in groups to present research posters to panelists, including CRS staffer Eric Havel, “advocating” for a specific form of energy, such as geothermal or solar. Later in the month, students presented persuasive, colorful climate change education public service announcement posters.
Congratulations to Jamila Edwards and her students!
Know a teacher who would like to attend? Share this Registration link.
