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Proof Points
I recently returned from the Bright Start International Conference, where I explored early childhood policies and best practices from around the globe. This week’s newsletter is brought to you by Caroline Preston, managing editor at Hechinger, who oversees our climate and education newsletter. You can subscribe to it here. I’ll connect with you again in two weeks!
Best,
Jackie Engaging Young Minds with Climate Change
“What does ‘endangered’ mean?” Vicki Sando asked her first-grade class at P.S. 41 in Manhattan on a recent Monday.
This marked the beginning of a three-day lesson where students would create devices to protect turtle eggs from various threats. After watching a video about dangers faced by sea turtles, such as rising sea levels and climate change, the students divided into groups. Armed with a budget of $1 for supplies, they brainstormed ways to use cardboard, cotton balls, and other materials to construct their egg containers.
This project encourages hands-on learning and teamwork, requiring students to think creatively and apply math skills to solve real problems. Sando, a STEM teacher, emphasizes a solutions-based approach when teaching about climate change. For instance, she has her kindergarten students design barriers to prevent playground flooding. “They need to learn about these issues early on; ignoring them won’t help anyone,” she explained. “It turns them into problem solvers.”
A decade ago, many viewed climate change as an abstract concept. However, with increasing temperatures, wildfires, and severe storms becoming commonplace, even young children are noticing its effects. Recently, my 3.5-year-old asked about the smoky sky caused by a nearby fire: “Why is the sky fuzzy?”
In Sando’s classroom, a whiteboard displays materials available for the egg drop challenge alongside their costs.
Experts like Kottie Christie-Blick, a climate education consultant and instructor at the University of San Diego, stress the importance of introducing climate change topics in early education. She notes that lessons should cultivate an appreciation for nature and understanding of how living beings are interconnected with their environment.
Emily Townsend, an education specialist at SubjectToClimate, suggests that lessons should focus on how climate change impacts animals rather than humans initially. This approach makes the topic more relatable for young students. Kimi Waite, an assistant professor at California State University, Los Angeles, adds that lessons can connect directly to students’ communities by using tools like Google Maps to analyze local tree coverage and heat islands.
While discussions about climate change can be distressing, young children typically approach these topics matter-of-factly and often believe they can find solutions. Experts recommend incorporating practices like morning circles in classrooms to help students express any emotions related to disasters they may have witnessed. If students seem overwhelmed during discussions, Townsend advises allowing them time to step back.
By integrating climate change education into early learning environments, educators can equip young students with critic
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