SubjectToClimate’s original lesson plans are enjoyable and inspiring to me and my class. They span all grades and subjects and are entirely free to use. I can find a lesson for any standard I’m teaching, and I love that each lesson has elements of justice, social-emotional learning, and student action. Teachers' time is precious, so all the lessons are designed to be accessible and easy to implement in the classroom.

When I’m looking for a lesson to teach, sometimes I need to hit specific standards while other times I have a little more flexibility. If I have more flexibility, I can hone in on a particular topic or find a lesson that I think will be especially engaging for my class. The Teacher Slideshows within each lesson also make it easy to visualize the lesson being taught in the classroom.

Implementing the lesson depends on the teacher. I recommend veteran teachers start by taking a look at the Lesson Plan Document, which is the primary teacher-facing document, and the Teacher Slideshow, which is the primary student-facing document. I look at these documents and review the resources, student activities, learning outcomes, and accompanying materials. If everything looks good, I’m ready to teach. Occasionally, I might adjust the Teacher Slideshow to better suit my class and schedule. For teachers who are new to teaching SubjectToClimate lessons, I also recommend reading through the Teaching Tips, which can be found at the bottom of each Lesson Plan Document. These are tips on how to best differentiate the lesson and what you and your students will need to know in advance of teaching the lesson. I also appreciate the Scientist Notes, which give me more confidence to teach the lesson. Some of the lessons are part of a unit, but they can all be taught as standalone lessons.

Once a class experiences a SubjectToClimate lesson, their teacher can leave a review of the lesson. This quick action step can have a big impact by sharing best practices and helping to build a stronger SubjectToClimate community.

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About the Author: Ben Charles

Ben has been a teacher for over nine years and has spent time teaching in Cambodia, New York, and Los Angeles. He loves spending time in nature and is passionate about environmental action.