As the editors say in the latest issue of Rethinking Schools magazine:
“Educators need to begin to treat the climate crisis with the urgency it deserves as arguably the most significant threat to life on earth….Educators across the curriculum need to collaborate to develop students as the scientist-activists they need to be. And despite the looming risks to the planet—or perhaps because of these—this can be exciting and joyful academic work….The fight for a climate-relevant education is part of the broader fight for a critical, humane, challenging, and socially responsive curriculum. It’s work that belongs to us all.”
And this issue of Rethinking Schools offers a thoughtful, creative, and engaging example of bringing important issues that affect climate change into classrooms. Educator Bill Bigelow outlines a unit he team taught for high school students about a topic not often considered in our classrooms: coal. The lesson juxtaposes what students learn in playing and analyzing a game created by the coal industry to teach elementary students about coal mining (using chocolate chip cookies), with the realities of the impacts of coal mining and mountaintop removal on people and the planet. The students are asked to think deeply and critically about a broad spectrum of issues and aren’t given easy answers or solutions. It’s a great unit that includes several of the elements of humane education, including offering accurate information, inspiring curiosity & critical thinking, and offering positive solutions. There are also a few suggested resources (films and websites) that educators might find useful for exploring these issues.
Find more articles from the latest issue here.
~ Marsha
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