Earth Day Collaboration

Elementary and Secondary Working Group Meeting

April 22, 2023

Members of the elementary and middle/high school working groups gathered at Casey Trees on Earth Day 2023. After a competitive game of Kahoot — with questions related to climate justice — the group did a circle discussion with some prompts:

1. What was your relationship with the environment like growing up? 

2. How do your students talk about the earth and environment?

After this grounding, the working group leadership team briefed everyone on the inspiration behind the resource the group would be developing that day:a math-based activity for students to better understand their water footprints. The group paired off and researched information about the production and distribution of sugarcane, avocado, beef, and cotton and how impactful each is on water. To help students extend their learning and application, the group also developed language to better understand the significance and repercussions of these industries on water. This lesson will be refined by the working groups to be published through DCAESJ as a resource for educators to adopt methods in their classrooms. 

One member shared:

I like how action-driven this work is. I always feel like I contributed to something someone can use tangibly.

Resources

• View-only copy of the meeting slideshow

• Water footprint activity

• “I Do, We Do, They Do” thinking routine