Generation Carbon Read Aloud
Videos
Grades3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8Science, Health
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by The Carbon Almanac
What it is
- This video features students around the world reading "Generation Carbon, It's Time to Start: A Carbon Almanac for Kids".
- The read-aloud features student readers from Toronto, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, France, Costa Rica, and the United States.
- Students will learn about the greenhouse effect, its impact on the environment, what they can do to make a difference, and how to inform others about climate change.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Students will love hearing other students read the pages of the book.
- The message for students to do their best and not cut out everything that they need or enjoy is comforting and can ease the minds of students who may feel overwhelmed.
- References to popular children's movies will excite students and keep them engaged.
Prerequisites
- Students should understand basic environmental actions, like recycling.
- Some students may need to practice strategies for dealing with big emotions as they learn about climate change. The Climate Emotions Wheel resource can help them do this.
- Teachers may want to print the Game Plan Talk Tracker for students. Teachers can find the image of this page here.
Differentiation & Implementation
- To encourage students to participate in the Bedtime Story Challenge, teachers can have a few copies of the Generation Carbon book on hand to lend to students, or they can team up with their library.
- Students can choose one action item from the book and create posters to encourage others to participate.
- Teachers can follow this book with a lesson featuring green careers, like those mentioned. The lessons Green Careers: A Public Speaking Lesson for grades 3-5 and Chief Heat Officer: Green Career Lesson for grades 6-8 are great options.
- Students can practice having conversations to inform others about climate change.
- Inspired by the video, students can create a brief picture book to inform others about climate change, record them reading it, and share it with their grown-ups.
From the scientist review
This is a rather thorough explanation of the climate crisis, tackling everything from the greenhouse effect, to carbon pollution, to the overuse of plastics. The science within is sound. The only flaw is that, even though this is just two years old, they mention the degree of global warming as 1°C (1.8°F). The current estimate is 1.17°C (2.11°F). This resource is recommended for teaching.
Ready to use it?
Hosted on youtube.com
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
