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Teaching Environmental and Sustainability Education in the Classroom

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Nicole Slattery

Education plays a crucial role in how we help students understand the complexity of local and global environmental challenges, and build capacity for individual and collective climate action. Teacher candidates are well-positioned to make positive contributions to the lives of youth and become conduits for change.

This is a compiled list of resources available through the University of Toronto Libraries to support and encourage teaching Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) in the classroom.

Web Resources

Resources for Rethinking is a great starting point for teacher candidates interested in incorporating resources for environmental and sustainable education into their teaching. The resources can be tailored by province and territory, as well as by grade. The resource includes lesson plans, literature, videos, and activities (including outdoor activities) for teachers to use.

Canadian Geographic Educator Resources

Canadian Geographic Education offers free, bilingual resources for grades K to 12 on a variety of topics related to climate change, citizen science and our environment.

Picture Books and Literature

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

Water is the first medicine that affects and connects us all … When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people’s water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource. Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, this picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.

Ibqal and his ingenious idea: how a science project helps one family and the planet by Elizabeth Suneby

It is monsoon season in Bangladesh, and that means Iqbal’s mother must cook indoors over an open flame, even though the smoke is making her and the family sick. When Iqbal learns about the district science fair, with the theme of sustainability, he is determined to win first prize. For his science fair project, he will build a cook stove that doesn’t produce smoke. This book offers a child-centered look at a global environmental and health problem that affects more than three billion people.

Nibi’s water song/ Nibi a soif, très soif by Sunshine Tenasco

Nibi (meaning water in Anishinaabemowin) is an Indigenous girl on the search for clean water to drink. Though she is faced with repeated obstacles, Nibi’s joyful and determined energy become a catalyst for change and action as her community, and in widening circles, the country and government rally around her to make clean drinking water available for all. There is a strong underlying message that even when a problem seems too large to face, every bit helps.

Greta et les géants : une histoire inspirée du combat de Greta Thunberg pour sauver la planète by Zoë Tucker

This book follows Greta, a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest threatened by Giants. When the Giants first came to the forest, they chopped down trees to make houses. Then they chopped down more trees and made even bigger homes. The houses grew into towns and the towns grew into cities, until now there is hardly any forest left. Greta knows she has to help the animals who live in the forest, but how?

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

In a futuristic world ravaged by global warming, people have lost the ability to dream, and the dreamlessness has led to widespread madness. The only people still able to dream are North America’s Indigenous people, and it is their marrow that holds the cure for the rest of the world. But getting the marrow, and dreams, means death for the unwilling donors. Driven to flight, a fifteen-year-old and his companions struggle for survival, attempt to reunite with loved ones and take refuge from the “recruiters” who seek them out to bring them to the marrow-stealing “factories.”

Films and Videos

WALL-E (2008)

WALL-E depicts a future of the Earth in squalor, completely covered in trash and left behind by its former human inhabitants. This animated film showcases our planet’s growing problems with pollution and waste.

The Lorax (2012)

The Lorax explores the interconnected world of humans, animals and trees. The animated film demonstrates the possible damage of over-consumption and deforestation, and highlights the importance of empathy and coexistence with nature.

Vanishing Point (2015)

This feature documentary tells the story of two Inuit communities of the circumpolar north—one on Canada’s Baffin Island, the other in Northwest Greenland—that are linked by a migration led by an intrepid shaman. Navarana, an Inughuit elder and descendant of the shaman, draws inspiration and hope from the ties that still bind the two communities to face the consequences of rapid social and environmental change.

Unbreathable (2020)

This documentary is a timely and powerful look at the Clean Air Act in the United States and the challenges that many still face to ensure healthy air for everyone. Weaving historical milestones with current day stories of environmental injustice, the film is an excellent tool for educational engagement on climate justice, pollution and advocacy.

ON-CORE Video Streaming

ON CORE is a bilingual video streaming platform designed for the Ontario curriculum (K-12). Educators can search by age, course codes, subjects and curriculum stands in order to tailor videos to lesson plan and curricular objectives. Below are some possible videos that can be used to support environmental and sustainable education:

Grades K-2 – Sustainability, Ecosystems and Climate Change – Videos
Grades 3-5 Conservation of Energy and Resources – Videos
Grades 6-8 Canadian and World Studies – Sustainability and Stewardship – Videos
Grades 9-12 Social Studies – Natural Resources Around the World – Videos

Manipulatives

OISE Library’s Curriculum Resources Collection include many manipulatives, which are tangible objects that students can manipulate to acquire a deeper understanding of concepts in the classroom, for student teachers to utilize. Within the collection, there are many manipulatives that could be relevant to ESE lesson plans and activities.

Tree Biodiversity Kit (CR 582.1603 T786 OVERSIZE)

This kit includes teacher and student guides that scaffolds student understanding and completion of the tree species identification activity. The kit focuses on biodiversity, species identification and climate markers.

Renewable Energy Kit (CR 333.794 R411 OVERSIZE)

The Renewable Energy Kit is comprised of many components that allows students to explore how the sun, wind, and water can supply energy to make things move and work.

Environmental Situation Cards (CR 574.5 E61)

Presenting 50 common issues affecting people around the globe, this resource asks questions for students to consider on areas such as global warming, renewable resources, fossil fuels as well as common conversation topics. Each card features information about a topic along with follow up questions which would be useful to practice reading comprehension or provide provocations for journal writing or group discussions.

An Introduction to NoveList K-8 PLUS

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Lenora Huynh

OISE Library is introducing the NoveList K-8 PLUS database that helps all teachers, parents, and library workers who need guidance when selecting the best books for young readers in the classroom and beyond. NoveList has various features that are unique; elements such as Identity Related Tags, the Appeal Mixer, and Recommended Reads List have wonderful functions that support children of all ages in their reading needs.

In this post, we will be learning how to use this database. NoveList K-8 PLUS can be found through the University of Toronto’s Library Search by typing its name and filtering the requested format to “database.” Thereafter, a search result for this database will show up as pictured below:

Library Search link to NoveList K-8 PLUS

Once the link redirects to the NoveList K-8 PLUS database, we can explore each of its features. The following tutorial videos provide introductions, details on the database functions, and how we can get started:

Identity Related Tags

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Appeal Mixer

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OISE Spotlight: Dr. David R. Olson

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Desmond Wong

Written by Faizan Rana

In this post, the OISE Library will highlight the work of OISE Professor Emeritus, Dr. David R. Olson in disseminating academic knowledge within his subject expertise. Throughout his career at OISE, Dr. Olson has played a pivotal role in developing the field of Educational Psychology, particularly within areas pertaining to children’s literacy. Additionally, Dr. Olson has served as the Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology from 1982-1990, where he advanced Literary Theory by discussing how cognitive understandings of text were derived from cultural evolutions. Later, in a 2009 interview, Dr. Olson commented on the cultural importance of digitizing materials citing its role in “democratized literacy” by linking communities.

Recently, Dr. Olson has released his 20^th book publication titled, Making Sense: What it Means to Understand. This book explores a primary branch in his research interests about how literacy progression in children affects their acquisition and development of understanding. Pursuing what he refers to as a “theory of mind”, this concept refers to how children become conscious that others’ views of the world differ from their own perspective. Fundamentally, Dr. Olson discusses how the languages children are taught affect their “theory of mind” & colour their perspectives and interpretations of the world. Fundamental to the “theory of mind” is the notion of “understanding.” This book aims to better elucidate the role of understanding which has been theorized as the primary faculty of the mind by philosophers and scholars, including Descartes, Locke, & Kant. Thus, this book aids in delving deeper into early childhood processes of understanding that have not been extensively examined in modern sciences.

Through his many years of scholarly research, Dr. Olson has maintained a strong reputation within areas of educational literacy. This is evident through his publishing a recent book in 2016, The Mind on Paper: Reading, Consciousness and Rationality, which posits how reading and writing function as “doorways” into our conscious representations of language that are less explicit, and consciously manifested in verbal speech. Dr. Olson discusses how this is vital in enabling human beings to make meta-representational concepts concrete in a systematized manner. Not only does this enable literacy to flourish, but also serves as a prerequisite to complex thought and rationality. In large part, these factors are what give literacy its value in society and why education is always a pivotal part of political debate. Additionally, this book provides insight into literacy from the perspective of cognitive sciences which has limited research. This book also explores theories relating both writing and mind such as Vygotsky’s theory of language as well as pedagogical & psychological aspects of reading. This book is an important contribution for educators, or scholars interested in literacy & developmental psychology.

In the same vein, Dr. Olson earlier work, The World on Paper: The Conceptual and Cognitive Implications of Writing and Reading (1994), also focuses on how aspects of reading and writing have developmentally but also historically advanced to shape perceptions of language, the mind, & nature by consequence. Our understanding of the world is then in a way drawn from how we represent “the world on paper” as suggested by Dr. Olson who drew on contributions from various fields like linguistics, anthropology, & psychology within this book. Within this book, Olson begins by arguing against common assumptions that writing is merely a transcription of speech or that alphabetic language systems are better than syllabic alternatives. Once again, Olson draws on areas of psychology and anthropology from renowned theorists like Vygotsky & Cole to reinforce his stances. Olson then takes a historical approach to examining changes in writing practices from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance in regard to theological practices. Notable cultural shifts are also mentioned with the advent of the printing press making written books, maps, & paper credentials more commonplace which invariably impacted societal social dynamics. Near the end, Olson returns to his own research on children’s understanding of utterances. All in all, this book is great in providing context for historical influences on literacy development & modern influences educational literacy.

In another earlier work, Psychology and Educational Reform (2003), Dr. Olson offers a critical examination of why schools remain rigid in spite of calls for reforms is provided via a theoretical psychology perspective. In this examination, Olson discusses how educational institutions shape the minds of their students & lay people. He mentions how schools are consistently able to do so by meeting both student body & bureaucratic societal performance expectations, thus reinforcing their institutional position. This somewhat parallels his most recent book on Making Sense… in how literacy shapes children’s theory of mind. Moreover, Dr. Olson mentions a tension between the needs of educational institutions (e.g., evaluation, teaching, and taxpayer responsibilities) and the needs of students (e.g., learning, goals, & ambition). Any educational reform would need to balance both “institutional” and “pedagogical” needs to succeed. This explains why Dewey’s late 1970s push for more collaborative rather than rote-memorization schooling was denied as it focused too heavily on solely children’s needs.

All of these books written by Dr. Olson are available via the OISE Library collections either in physical or eBook formats.

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Land-Based Learning

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Morgan Dew-Jones

This month’s book display at the OISE ground floor display case focuses on Indigenous pedagogies, and land-based learning. The books in this display have been curated to offer a taste of the variety of materials that can be used to further knowledge in this area found at OISE. This display includes different genres – from monographs to picture books – and cultural backgrounds from Inuit, Cree, Diné, and Hawaiian to offer a breadth of perspective. Each centre and affirm Indigenous knowledge systems, practices, and celebrate the land as a central component of these systems and these communities.

Peter Cole’s poetic free-verse account, Coyote and Raven Go Canoeing: Coming Home to the Village offers an impactful discussion on navigating academia as an Indigenous person, and more broadly offers a salient critique of settler society. He engages with themes of colonization, language, education, and climate change through a narrative recounting of his academic journey, told through a canoe journey. Accompanied by Tricksters Coyote and Raven, Cole centres Indigenous knowledge as legitimate and existing outside of academic walls, and the centrality of language to Indigenous knowledge. Nearly celebrating its tenth anniversary, the themes and discussions Cole presents bear significant consequence for Indigenous people in academia, today more than ever.

The Earth Memory Compass: Diné Landscapes and Education in the Twentieth Century, published in 2018, explores the history of western education among Dine people in the 20^th century. Farina King looks at the experience and impact of day schools, boarding schools, and then places that in context of the current trends of community driven schools. This monograph emphasizes the importance of early education and Dine cultural values, broader history and impacts of federal education policy on Dine communities through boarding schools and their assimilationist goals, while highlighting and centring Dine community and cultural perseverance against assimilationist policies and trauma.

Herman Mitchell’s 2018 monograph Land-based education: embracing the rhythms of the earth from an Indigenous perspective is beautiful narrative, analytical and reflective piece that explores the education by examining the land as both the classroom and the teacher. Drawing on Cree oral histories, knowledge and traditional practices, Mitchell centres and validates Indigenous ways of knowing as legitimate knowledge. Mitchell is able to weave these knowledge practices together with western education models and frameworks, making it accessible and actionable for educators seeking to engage Cree land practices and knowledge systems. This monograph is particularly relevant and impactful for bridging the discussions on land-based learning and knowledge practice with climate change.

The Seeds We Planted: Portraits of a Native Hawaiian Charter School is a detailed case study of the creation and development of a culture-based charter school in urban Honolulu. Noelani Goodyear-Ka‘ōpua explores the school from its inception to a legitimate alternative to the existing settler-colonial school system. She places the case study in the context of the larger socio-political context around colonial education policy, and community education sovereignty. Goodyear-Ka‘ōpua centres oral histories and consistently references Hawaiian language to express contextual and knowledge depth, such as the anticolonial sovereignty pedagogy of aloha ‘āina, which refers to land-centered literacy, making the land, connection to land, language and land practices the focus of learning. Also celebrating its tenth anniversary, this case study remains a prominent work in the discussion of education sovereignty.

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Environmental and Sustainability Education Research

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Nicole Slattery

Learn

In the 21st century, concerns about global environmental and climate change has led many leaders, advocates and communities to take urgent action against the looming climate crisis. Over the past few weeks, world leaders and delegates have met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt at the United Nations 27th Conference of Parties (COP 27). The goal of these conferences is to encourage action and discussion of the world’s collective climate goals.

Education plays an important role in facilitating programming, researching and advocating for sustainability and climate action. Environmental and Sustainability Education (EE) aims to foster environmentally conscious students in a culturally appropriate way to build capacity for community-based decision making and environmental stewardship (Ministry of Education, 2009).

OISE Library has many resources available for folks interested in exploring climate and sustainability focused education in their research at OISE.

From the Collection

Occupy education: living and learning sustainability

Occupy Education, by Dr. Tina Evans, examines the critical role of education, particularly new pedagogies and education practices, and how they can effectively address the eco crisis of the 21st century. The book focuses on the critical role of sustainable education to foster social change in order to address global and local climate issues such as natural resource shortages, ecological breakdown and economic instability.

Advancing Environmental Education Practice

The book Advancing Environmental Education Practice by Marianne Krasny examines the potential outcomes of environmental education beyond knowledge and attitudes to include nature connectedness, sense of place, efficacy, identity, youth assets and individual wellbeing. The book challenges knowledge-attitudes-behaviour pathways that underpin common environmental education practices.

International Perspectives on the Theory and Practice of Environmental Education: a Reader

This book International Perspectives on the Theory and Practice of Environmental Education by Giuliano Reis and Jeff Scott shares critical perspectives on the conceptualization, implementation and alternative practices of environmental education for diverse groups of learning in international education settings. This book fosters conversations amongst researchers, teacher educators, schoolteachers, and community leaders in order to promote new international collaborations around current and potential forms of environmental education.

Engaging environmental education: learning, culture and agency

Robert Stevenson and Justin Dillon’s book Engaging environmental education addresses the critical challenges of making environmental education engaging for students and citizens. The book examines many case studies that emphasize different socio-cultural approaches to environmental learning within and outside formal education contexts.

Listen to: Teaching in a Climate Crisis

Hosts Yana Lee & Jackson Fowlow from OISE’s Master of Teaching program, discuss how teachers can best address the climate crisis, and who’s leading the way here in Canada? The podcast has a number of insightful and inspiring discussions; however, Episode 7: Leading Research, and Hope is an interesting conversation about climate change education, and teaching evidence-based hope in classrooms.