This was originally posted on Awakening Seed’s main website:
May has arrived, our school year is about to come to an end, and our study of climate change with the 1st-4th graders is also winding down. Although approached slightly differently in the 1st grade than with the 2nd-4th graders, in the end the passion for the topic was high in both groups.
First graders worked in small groups on either deforestation or ocean plastic pollution. They had three major projects assigned to culminate their work: a poster made at home expressing what they’d learned, a collage art piece on their topic using recycled materials, and a poem about their art piece. They brought their posters to school and used them to teach a peer about their topic. The collages were stunning and expressed their passion for helping the planet survive climate change. Their pieces can be found at this link. Most recently, they are each in the process of finishing up a poem about their art. Here are a few of their poems:
Trash in the Ocean
trash in the ocean
bobbers floating
whales suffering
plastic in their stomachs
turtles trapped
mouths covered with plastic
warm water
smoke polluting
we hope
for a better future
—Jack
Deforestation. the poem
forest fire,
full moon,
knocking down trees,
elephant close to fire,
thinking about death,
sparks coming out of fire,
foot close to fire,
dark sky,
house close to fire,
people scared and worried.
—Easton
the ocean dying
plastic runs
water hot
turtles get stuck
water is affected
a lot of dying
poisons everywhere
losses everything
can we help
the environment?
—Allie
The 2nd-4th graders covered more climate change topics and worked with partners to conduct their research. They, too, made projects at home, but shared them in a different way. Their work was shared with other classes, and were then set up like a science fair for parents to come see. Each guest was given tokens and a sheet of prompts to ask each student. Once the student provided an answer, they received a token. Several students made their presentations using Canva and shared them on their iPads. Others made posters, did plant experiments, and made 3-D models. Parent feedback was strong, and, in fact, one grandmother commented, “I’ve judged science fairs at the state level and I’ve never seen anything like this.” Students definitely owned their information and were eager to share their interest in climate change.
In addition to this work, the 2nd-4th graders compiled their facts to create an infographic that lists six different aspects of climate change and suggestions for addressing each category. They, too, wrote poems and ended their studies with a conversation about climate justice. Our work with climate change will continue in the future as we inspire our students to be committed advocates. As we teach them about the challenges, we are also teaching them to be strong and believe in themselves. It’s a big part of the Seed mission, to inspire “global citizens by fostering curiosity, celebrating uniqueness, and promoting social justice.”
