Teaching Climate Change to Children

Rebecca Woodard is an associate professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Illinois Chicago and faculty director of the Chicago Area Writing Project. Kristine M. Schutz is an associate professor in curriculum and instruction and co-coordinator of the Language, Literacies, and Learning MEd program at the University of Illinois Chicago.

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