The sixth and final session of the virtual Climetime professional learning series “Our Climate is Changing, Why Aren’t We?” featured a showcase that provided teachers from NEWESD 101, ESD 123, ESD 105, and NCESD an opportunity to share their experiences. For this session, each participant was asked to create a slide that showcased how they used one or more of the books from the book study with students or in work supporting students and educators. The session supported the educators as they continued learning from one another through stories of implementation and impact. They taught one another about climate science content, attending to the NGSS, focusing on SEL, and centering messages of advocacy and hope.
Example Slide: Bemiss students “Join Hands to Save the Planet”
Students see themselves in the science
The resulting slide deck was an archive of best practices demonstrating the influence of the learning on teachers who were able to adapt to multiple contexts, including those who are not in traditional K-5 classroom roles. Using a “Talking Stick” sharing protocol to ensure balanced, equitable conversation (and to model another strategy that can be utilized with students), educators met in grade-alike and other groupings. The conversations were high energy and left many of the educators saying, “We need more time to share!”
Implementation strategies ranged from the curation of a list of climate and environmental science-centered books to integration with science kits and GLAD units. They included supporting learning across the curriculum (including intentional integration at natural overlaps such as the Crosscutting Concepts and ELA comprehension skill of “Cause and Effect” and the Science and Engineering Practice (and CCSS math and ELA practice) of “Arguing from Evidence.” And throughout, there was an overarching theme: to inspire students of all ages to take action in their communities. As a kindergarten teacher said: “We chose hearts because we love the Earth!”
