Over the course of three days, March 29th through 31st, educators were immersed in learning about a one-of-a-kind open educational resource GLAD unit, Voices of Hope. This unit, developed and trained by NCESD’s Kate Lindholm, with the help of Dr. Sara Martinez, Strategic Steps focuses on finding hope in climate science and building student agency in grades 4 through 7 as they learn about and come to understand climate science.
A Voices of Hope input chart developed in front of students as they make sense of climate science.
Teachers check the temperature of different surfaces to assess how temperature is impacted by surface type. This is just one investigation of the Voices of Hope unit.
A key piece of the unit is, with the help of their teachers, the development of an action plan by students. Throughout the unit students are introduced to individuals and organizations that are taking action to positively impact the climate. As they learn what others are doing, they are called to take action and make a plan on how they can make a difference. The unit also provides students with visual and linguistic tools to deepen their understanding of climate science and the language we use to talk about it.
During the workshop, teachers learn the GLAD strategies used in the unit, the climate science to support student learning as well as their own, science investigations that are integrated into the unit, and how to help students find the hope in the climate science topic. Teachers leave the workshop with a resource kit to fully implement the unit upon returning to their classrooms.
“I loved the class! Kate did an amazing job!“ is just one piece of feedback received after the conclusion of the Voices of Hope GLAD Unit workshop.
