Positives:

• This article is very useful in introducing the concept of environmental racism.
• The language is straightforward.
• The linked reports and news articles provide students with concrete examples of environmental racism.
• Students can see that racist policies have led to people of color disproportionately bearing the burden of environmental hazards.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students will need a device to access the links.

Differentiation 

• This article can serve as an introduction to the topic of environmental justice. After discussing the article, students can dive deeper into specific case studies of environmental racism.
• Civics or government classes could research environmental policies that protect people from environmental injustice and find out if similar policies exist in their community. If they do not, students could write to their elected officials to request that a policy be put in place to protect historically marginalized communities from environmental health problems.
• Other resources on this topic include this article on air pollution in the Bronx, this media literacy lesson on the connection between Black Lives Matter and climate change, and this TED video on the disproportionate effects of climate change on people who did not cause it.