Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the next generation’s understanding of and response to environmental challenges. By integrating climate-conscious curriculum and practices, educators can inspire students to build a more sustainable future.

Designing a climate-conscious curriculum involves incorporating climate science, sustainable living, and environmental advocacy into your lesson plans. While science class may be the obvious place to discuss climate change, these topics can in fact be discussed in all subjects. For example, a history class could learn about past environmental movements, while a math class could graph average global temperature over time. There are a wealth of relevant lesson plans available online; consider starting with NOAA’s Climate Education Program (a repository of information and resources for teaching climate literacy).

A great way to gain support in this journey is to join a group of like-minded educators in your community. These groups provide valuable resources, support, networking, and opportunities for collaboration. If such a group doesn’t exist in your area, consider starting one to expand your impact! You can also join the CLEAN Network, a national network of over 800 professionals committed to climate education, at the “Definition” link below.

In addition to these larger projects, here are some quick ways to promote sustainability in your classroom: 

• Consider adding houseplants to improve air quality and create a calming environment.
• Model a low-waste lifestyle by reducing single-use plastics and reusing supplies where appropriate.
• Encourage the use of green classroom supplies, such as notebooks made from recycled paper.
• Look for opportunities to support (or start!) school sustainability projects and student environmental clubs at your school.

Check out the “Action” link below for some more quick tips. These changes may seem small, but they can have a significant impact, especially when your students and/or colleagues are inspired by your actions and choose to take action themselves. Don’t underestimate your potential for impact!