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Originally appears in the Spring 2021 issue.

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By JoEllen Schuleman and Amber Carlin-Mishkin

In a world that begs for informed and engaged citizens, sustainability education answers that call. This topic requires students to take responsibility for their own lives and their own learning. It centers on the idea that we must individually make conscious choices, raise awareness in others, and meaningfully influence the future. As educators, we know that we must teach sustainability so children learn how to affect and enhance — rather than diminish — the quality of life for future generations. Sustainability education has the power to do all that since it links knowledge with action.

Many educators already, and quite naturally, bring sustainability or “green” conversations into the classroom. All too often, though, schools relegate this learning to the subject of science. But its reach is so much greater. With a little ingenuity and thoughtful planning, it is possible to add green conversations to almost any subject in the K–6 classroom. We believe it is the missing link in our quest to protect the planet, address inequalities, and confront climate change. Sustainability education invites children to invent solutions, become leaders, take action, and persuade others — all very important skills, and all potentially learned in unique ways across a variety of content areas.

We would argue that the richness and promise of sustainability education lies in how it naturally leads to high-level discourse. Some teachers might underestimate a younger student’s ability to engage in those conversations. In fact, it is more easily attainable without a substantial mindset and application shift than one would think. It is merely a matter of remembering what the goal of education is, which is to ask children to synthesize diverse categories/realities in order to become self-sufficient/independent thinkers and contributing members of society. In short, making room for sustainability is an essential and easily walked path in education when reframed a bit.

In 2016, the UN developed a sustainability framework that outlined and adopted 17 goals for the sustainable development of our planet. These Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seamlessly integrate environmental, social justice, and other “green” topics across all curricular subjects. By design, these goals encourage students to connect large, multinational issues and, in turn, engage in agency and action for the survival of our planet. When applied to the classroom, they have the power to transform students into global thinkers — an essential skill in an increasingly connected world.

The SDGs

The SDGs in the classroom

Using the SDG themes gives educators and students a framework or blueprint for organizing.

Students will be most familiar with 13) Climate Action, 14) Life Below Water, and 15) Life on Land. Those tend to get the most teaching time and usually fall under the science umbrella. But what about bringing up sustainability themes during Math or Social Studies through the use of a beloved book? Where could that lead? Through literacy-based activities, a teacher can further unlock a child’s potential to transform our world. Using a carefully chosen book could not only aid in fostering lifelong and empathetic learners, but may also bring a child closer to other people in an integrated and seamless manner. Children might see familiar reflections or become immersed in an entirely new culture.

How does this look in real-time and in an actual classroom? Teachers should purposefully select books in order to have green conversations. Based on our experience, we have identified three key qualities such books should have.

Examples of literature links

One example of a social responsibility-based book that promotes a broad awareness of the world is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkawmba and Bryan Mealer. This book could fit into Social Studies, Science, or an English Language Arts (ELA) unit and is full of compelling green conversations. In it, there are opportunities to talk about food insecurity, the absence of basic access to running water, lack of electricity, deforestation, poverty, access to quality education, gender inequality, and so much more. Let’s dissect one of these topics to illustrate the complexity. William’s family has no electricity and cooks food over an open flame in their home. What are the repercussions of this? 1) Health – breathing in smoke leads to health issues; 2) habitat destruction – the wood or coal must come from somewhere, and cutting down forests can lead to droughts; 3) educational disparities – he cannot read or study at night due to a lack of light; 4) carbon release – burning organic materials releases carbon into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. But then you must also ask hard questions. What are the choices available to this family? Are there any alternatives? William’s family and their village are not trying to harm the planet. They are trying to survive. This then ignites a purposeful discussion about both the needs of people and the greater needs of the planet. This conversation could lead students to engaging in academic debate, inspire a call to action, or jumpstart an opinion-writing piece.

Another example is IF… A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers by David J. Smith. This book easily links with many math units and can be used as a hook for lessons on measurement, comparative size, scale, number lines, fractions and percentages, exponents, and more, all while introducing topics that span freshwater, life expectancy, energy, food production, and distribution of the world’s wealth. All of the topics in this book are worthy of deeper examination and discussion by students. Teachers might give students a menu of culminating projects that will continue the conversation. Or, better yet, they could organize an entire day built around green conversations and growth options related to the book. Here are a few examples:

Discourse to action

The bottom line is that while saving our planet might sometimes feel like tackling a one-dimensional list of small, ineffective actions, in truth, it is precisely those small pieces that provide a multi-layered complexity to this mission. Sustainability education draws upon a wide range of skills. On an individual level, students can take an active role and contribute real, even if small, change for a sustainable future. On a broader level, students develop knowledge, tools, and motivations for actions that contribute to our increasingly interconnected world. Kids need and deserve that potential. Weaving green conversations into the daily routines of a classroom and across many content areas is exactly what we need in this moment in time. We all must push boundaries in our curricula in order to see and properly discuss the intricacies of our climate crisis. Our future depends on teachers remaining inquisitive, focused, and engaged in cross-curricular sustainability education within the classroom so that children can weave those lessons into their lives.

JoEllen Schuleman is an Elementary Science specialist at PS 199 in New York City with a passion for inspiring agency and a connection to the planet in her students. JoEllen is one of the founders of Rootprint*. She has a B.A. in Government from the University of Texas and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston. She is a lifelong learner, an experienced provider of PD, and a former science coach. She also co-created a proprietary K–8 curriculum integrating hydroponics into science. She is a two-time Master Teachers Fellow with Math for America and a member of the NYCDOE Elementary Science Leadership Team.

Amber Carlin-Mishkin began her education career in 2002 with the NYC Teaching Fellows and is currently a 4th-grade teacher at the Maurice Sendak Community School in Brooklyn, New York. Amber is a co-founder of Rootprint and was previously the Director of Education Programs for an NYC nonprofit sustainability science organization where she co-created proprietary K–8 programming (125+ lessons) linking hydroponics and sustainability with NYC Science Scope & Sequence. Amber earned a B.A. from Fordham College and an M.S. in Education from Brooklyn College. She is an urban gardener, a hydroponic enthusiast, and a former cattle farmer.

*Rootprint NY is an educational consultancy focused on designing innovative hydroponics and sustainability programs, customized project support, and professional development in both formal and informal educational settings.

Sources:

Kamkwamba, William, and Bryan Mealer. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Movie Tie-In Edition). Penguin, 2019.

Smith, David J. If… A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers. Kids Can Press Ltd, 2014.

“Sustainable Development Goals | Unfoundation.Org.” Unfoundation.Org, https://www.unfoundation.org/what-we-do/issues/sustainable-development-goals  .