Youth Fellowship

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An important need in climate education is to include youth voices in the planning and development of climate science education programs across Washington. EarthGen’s Youth Fellowship hosts a small group of high school students in service to this need.  Fellows complete approximately 50 hours of training, research, and implementation over the course of the school year. In the first part of their fellowship, youth receive approximately 20 hours of training about climate change and climate justice in asynchronous and synchronous formats. During the second part of their fellowship, the youth develop a research question and collect data on what students across Washington would like to see included in climate science education. Data collection includes focus groups, interviews, and surveys. At the culmination of the experience, Youth Fellows analyze their findings and share their results in a creative format. Each youth has an adult sponsor to support their work and are awarded a stipend.  

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: EarthGen Washington

Phenomenal Investigations Activity

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An adaptable exploratory and reflective activity that works with all ages and uses the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS*), Asking Question and Defining Problems Practice and one of several possible Crosscutting Concepts to explore students’ awareness, prior knowledge and cultural experiences related to a phenomenon or Disciplinary Core Idea .

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Emma Pesis, Brad Street

Schoolyard Habitat Comparison

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This document provides a simplified version of an investigation that uses quadrats to compare habitats in your schoolyard. Depending on your focus, the activity can be adapted to compare the diversity or amount of ground insects, invertebrates or plants in two areas. Students use the Next Generation Science Standards’ Planning and Carrying Out Investigations practice and the Cause and Effect and/or Stability and Change crosscutting concepts to build understanding of the needs of animals, differences in ecosystems and/or change in ecosystems.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Emma Pesis, Brad Street

Schoolyard Stormwater Walk Activity

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This is a mapping activity that uses the student’s schoolyard to investigate how rain/stormwater interacts with different surfaces and where stormwater problems may occur. Students use Next Generation Science Standards’ Science and Engineering Practices in a near-by, relevant place.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Emma Pesis, Brad Street

Should we remove the Electron Dam?

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 This inquiry unit leads students through the different perspectives behind a decision to have a dam removed. This unit looks at similar Washington state dam removal decisions as well as the complex issue of having the Election dam removed near Puyallup, WA. Students will be introduced to the stories and traditional ways of knowing about salmon that the Puyallup Tribe has built their culture upon. Then they will explore the science behind hydroelectricity and build models to discover how carbon neutral energy is gathered through hydro dams. This inquiry unit ends with students researching different perspectives surrounding the current (2021) decision to remove the Electron dam including: the Tribe’s Fishery department, the ecosystem, the city council, the fishermen and the hydro-electrical company who currently owns the dam. With their research, students will do a socratic seminar to mimic the court case lawsuit that is ongoing against the Electron Dam. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Elsie Mitchell