Teaching Climate Change to Children
Literacy Pedagogy That Cultivates Sustainable Futures

Rebecca Woodard (Author), Kristine M. Schutz (Author), Carla Shalaby (Foreword by)

9780807769782

Paperback / softback, published 22 March 2024

176 pages
22.9 x 15.6 x 1 cm, 0.272 kg

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.

• 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