Civics Lesson: YOUth Action
Lesson Plan
1 hour 10 minutesGrades3, 4, 5Civics, English Language Arts
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Written by Lindsey Pockl, Monica Lilley
About this lesson
In this lesson, students learn about youth activists around the United States, discuss a local environmental issue, brainstorm ideas for climate action, and write a paragraph response.
Inquire: Students share their concerns about the environment and assess their ability to make change.
Investigate: Students either watch a video about a youth activist and conduct research on youth activists or listen to a read aloud of the book Old Enough to Save the Planet.
Inspire: Students think about local environmental issues and write a paragraph explaining the importance of one issue impacting their community.
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Suggestions
- The Investigate section of this lesson features two options and is scalable to student needs. Teachers can choose the one that fits best for their students or extend the lesson into another class period and do both options. Alternatively, students work in groups and use the two options as stations or centers.
- Teachers and students should be mindful of feelings towards the effects of climate change, remembering that some classmates may have personal experience with climate change impacts.
- Students can be guided to explore youth climate activists in their state or region, or they can compare and contrast different regions throughout the United States
- Teachers can add additional requirements for the paragraph writing activity in the Inspire section to highlight specific skills already taught or that need further practice. Additionally, teachers can use this writing practice in a workshop format and include outlining, peer review, editing, and final drafts.
- Students can practice presentation and listening skills by reading their paragraphs aloud to a classmate, small group, or the class.
- This lesson aligns with Australian science standards ACSSU075 and ACSHE062.
Prerequisites
- Students will need enough devices to complete Option #1 in the Investigate section. If there are not enough devices for every student, this can be completed in groups or as a whole class.
- Students should have a basic understanding of the effects or impacts of climate change.
- The words on the video read aloud are not always visible. Teachers may want to find a paper or digital copy to display while reading.
- The Explore Youth Activists Student Document should be printed or shared digitally with the students before class. Teachers should decide the number of youth activists students will research and take notes on.
- Teachers may need to prepare pre-established writing supports or scaffolds to meet specific student needs including sentence frames or sentence starters.
- Teachers may need to have ready a few examples of environmental issues in the school or surrounding community to help students brainstorm in the Inspire section.
Differentiation
- This lesson includes two versions of the worksheet in the Student Document for the Investigate section as well as two options for the activity to meet a range of student needs.
- Students can work independently or with a partner for any activities. Additionally, some class discussions or guided instruction could be guided independent work.
- Depending on standards and grade levels, students can compare and contrast youth activists facing similar climate impacts and challenges but in different regions or engage in similar actions and solutions.
- As an extension activity, students can read and listen to How Kids are Thinking About Climate Change to learn how a group of fifth graders made a 3-minute podcast sharing about their local environmental issue: causes and effects of wildfires. Students can turn their letters into podcasts and share them with the community.
From the scientist review
This lesson has students identify key environmental problems that concern them, learn from other young environmental activists, evaluate other activists' work, and take action to solve the environmental issues in their community. All materials embedded in the lesson are properly sourced. Accordingly, this lesson has passed our scientific credibility.
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About the teacher writers
Lindsey Pockl
Lindsey worked with SubjectToClimate to develop accompanying materials for lesson plans for grades 3-12.
