This article outlines how gerrymandering impacts climate change legislation at the state level.
This article includes information on redistricting vs. gerrymandering, gerrymandering and its effects in Ohio and Texas, different ways of redistricting, and environmental justice.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This article shines a light on the problem of gerrymandering in the United States and how it hinders climate legislation.
This article links to many other resources for further research.
Additional Prerequisites
States redistrict their congressional maps after the decennial census, which happens every ten years. The last redistricting happened in 2020.
Differentiation
Art students can analyze the political cartoon at the top of the article.
Students in social studies or civics class can research their home state to see how their districts are drawn. Students can discuss whether they think their districts are gerrymandered or not.
Students can conduct further research using wonderful resources from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Two great resources include these climate opinion factsheets and these climate opinion maps.
Scientist Notes
This resource provides insights on redistricting and issues surrounding politics of climate change. It explores the political will from the different political parties towards addressing issues on environmental justice and climate change. This is recommended for teaching.
Standards
English Language Arts
Reading (K-12)
R.6-8.12 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
Social Studies
Civics & Government
Civics & Government 1 (D1): Students understand the ideals, purposes, principles, structures, and processes of constitutional government in the United States and in the American political system, as well as examples of other forms of government and political systems in the world by evaluating and comparing the relationship of citizens with government in the United States and other regions of the world.
