"Carl Gets Some Rest"

Provided by: EPA |Published on: January 7, 2026

Ebooks

K12

Scientist Reviewed ↗

Synopsis

This children’s story from the EPA can be read together as an ebook or printed and used as a coloring book to help students learn about other forms of transportation that kids can use.
There are also notes in the book that explain how car use causes air pollution and that using alternatives can help reduce this pollution.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Science, English Language Arts

Authors: EPA

Region: Global

Languages: English

View Resource

Teaching Materials

Positives

The "Message to Adults" at the beginning of the book provides excellent context about air pollution and solutions to reduce driving.
Students will love coloring the cute characters in this story!

Prerequisites

Before reading, it may benefit students to have a discussion about air quality and how it can impact students' health. Teachers may want to precede this lesson with this one to help students understand the health effects of poor air quality.
Some students may become anxious and frustrated if they don't have control over their transportation use or don’t have alternatives available to them, so teachers can lead off with this acknowledgment.

Differentiation & Implementation

To demonstrate their understanding, older students can finish the sentence stem, "I can give my car some rest by..." and draw a picture of them riding their bike, taking the bus, etc.
If students live in a rural area without buses or trains, they can discuss alternative ways to give their cars a rest, such as carpooling.
To continue thinking about alternatives to taking a car to school, students can watch this animated video.
Teachers can use this story to make connections to the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

Scientist Reviewed

This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.

Learn about our review process →

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.

Cookie Preferences

"Carl Gets Some Rest"

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources