Climate and Health Youth Education:
Toolkit and Supplemental Resources
Many people know about climate change, but few understand its connection to health. As acceptance of climate change increases, demand for education on the topic has also increased (see Most Teachers Don't Teach Climate Change; 4 In 5 Parents Wish They Did). A subgroup within the APHA Environment Section developed a structured lesson for grades 9-12 (based on the existing curriculum created by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) to make that connection to health.
In addition, a cross-group of members from the Children's Environmental Health committee and APHA Maternal and Child Health Section have developed the following tools and resources to promote uptake of the lesson plan and provide support to potential guest lecturers!
APHA’s new Climate and Health Youth Education Toolkit provides a user-friendly collection of these resources to aid public health professionals in using the lesson plan to give guest lectures on climate, health and equity for students in grades 9-12.
We challenge you to reach out to a local high school and offer to guest speak. You can also teach at summer camps or other programs where students learn. The lesson takes about 100 minutes and can be broken up and modified to your liking!
Below, you will find Recruitment Tools, to help spread the word about the lesson plan; Lesson Plan Resources, to help you implement the lesson; After You Teach Materials, to extend the lesson and keep APHA informed; Other Resources that might be useful in your classroom experience. Click on the sections to discover more!
Supplemental Resources
Recruitment Tools
Customizable Email template for you to initiate contact with a local high school. Don’t have time to implement this lesson yourself but still want to be involved? Here are links to help us spread the word.
Recruitment Flyer If you know someone or an organization that might be interested in implementing this lesson plan, share this flyer with them and help us spread the word about Teaching Climate and Health!
Social Media Recruitment Folder Prefer to share on social media? Posts and captions are available for various social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Lesson Plan Resources
Everything you need to successfully implement the Climate and Health Lesson Plan for high school students.
The Climate and Health Lesson Plan, in APHA’s Climate and Health Youth Education Toolkit, is 100 minutes, developed by a subgroup within the APHA Environment Section and adapted from NIEHS Climate Lesson Plans to connect climate to health.
This one-pager contains all the resources hyperlinked in the lesson plan in an easy-to-find document.
Get students moving! Incorporate this fun activity as part of your lesson. Climate to Health Relay Race
After You Teach
Youth Take Action Handout Share this one-pager with students after you have finished the lesson plan! This handout contains resources to help students get involved in the climate movement, from projects they can do at school to involvement on a grander scale.
Ask the school for permission to post on social media tag @APHAEnvironment and use #ClimateChangesHealth
Complete the quick survey (https://bit.ly/3tprHd0)
Additional Resources
Tips from a High School Teacher To make the most impact, we got advice from a current high school teacher to help us prepare for the classroom.
Even if you can’t implement the lesson plan yourself, if you contact a school or teacher who would like to know more about taking climate action, give them this Schools for Climate Action Replication Guide. ecoAmerica developed this guide for passing along to teachers or students interested in committing their school district to local climate goals.
Mental Health and our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report. This report by ecoAmerica and the American Psychological Association provides major findings on the impacts of climate change to children's mental health and offers recommendations and action steps relevant to teachers, children's advocates, caregivers, and more.
Questions?
Contact co-chairs, Leyla McCurdy, Patricia Lasley, or Kristie Trousdale for more information about the committee.