Full Description
Teaching Climate Change to Children describes the journey of two literacy researchers to learn about climate change and support relevant literacy pedagogy for young children (pre-K-6). The authors argue that climate change and social justice are inextricable from each other; that children in the younger grades are capable of learning about climate change; and that reading, writing, and language study is well-suited to this work. Three anchoring themes are offered to support literacy climate pedagogy--interconnectivity, relationality, and action--with rich classroom examples and different entry points to engage with these themes, either by "starting small" or "going big." The text includes chapters on the importance of taking an emotionally affirming stance and on the potential of incorporating arts-based methods. With love for the Earth and one another at its core, this accessible book takes a broad view of what it means to cultivate sustainable futures for our planet, for teachers, and for children in today's schools.
Book Features:
A unique focus on teaching about climate change to young children, as opposed to adolescents.
Insights drawn from a yearlong teacher inquiry group with classroom teachers and from literacy methods courses with preservice teachers.
Explicit attention to the importance of humanizing and care-based practices in literacy climate pedagogy.
Classroom examples collected across four urban public schools where teachers used the activities and resources discussed in the book.
User-friendly textboxes with suggestions and questions to guide discussion, reflection, and action.
Contents
Contents
Foreword Carla Shalaby xi
Preface xiii
Content and Organization of the Book xv
Jumping Into the Work xvi
Acknowledgments xvii
1. Being of Use: Teaching Children About Climate Change Through Literacy 1
The Imperative to Address Climate Change as an Issue of Justice 2
Why Children and Elementary Teachers 4
Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy With Children 5
Seeds and Roots: Our Yearlong Climate Justice Inquiry Group 7
2. Lighting Our Way: Anchoring Themes for a Literature-Rich Climate Curriculum That Centers Diverse Books 11
Anchoring Themes for a Literature-Rich Climate Curriculum 13
Anchoring Theme 1: Interconnectivity 14
Anchoring Theme 2: Relationality 20
Children's Literature Can Root Explorations of the Anchoring Themes 27
3. Starting Small: Growing Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy by Enhancing Existing Curricula 31
Making Space 32
Textual Entry Point 33
Skills, Strategies, and Practices Entry Point 37
Topical Entry Point 42
Place-Based Entry Point 44
Starting Small Plants Seeds 46
4. Going Big: Growing Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy Through Unit Design 49
Principles for Designing Literacy Units About Climate Change 50
Exemplar Units From Pre-K to Teacher Education 62
Tips and Tools to Support Literacy Climate Unit Design 69
5. Embracing Feelings: The Importance of an Emotionally Affirming Stance in Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy 73
Big Feelings to Anticipate During Climate Education 74
Lessons From Trauma-Informed and Healing-Centered Pedagogies 75
Starting With Inner Work: Educators Making Space to Feel and Engage in Meaning-Focused Coping 77
Classroom Practices to Support Emotionally Affirming Reading and Writing About Climate Change 79
Embracing Feelings Prepares Us for Sustained Action 92
6. Nourishing Our Hearts: The Promise of the Arts in Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy 95
Roles of the Arts in Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy 96
Examples of Various Art Forms From Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogies Used With Elementary Teachers and Children 101
Sustainable Art-Making 109
Arts Nourish Our Hearts 110
7. We Are Not Alone: How Elementary Teachers Can Take Action Now to Cultivate Sustainable Futures 113
Growing Meaningful Literacy Pedagogy 114
Cultivating Connections and Meaningful Professional Learning 118
Caring for Each Other, Our Profession, and Our World When Our House Is on Fire 122
References 127
Children's and Young Adult Literature 140
Index 143
About the Authors 153
