Environmental Restoration: Social Studies Lesson
Lesson Plan
1 hour 30 minutesGrades9, 10, 11, 12Social Studies
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Written by Breck Foster
About this lesson
Using case studies, students apply international principles to evaluate human-environment relationships.
Inquire: Students brainstorm the potential benefits of environmental restoration on people, nature, and the climate.
Investigate: Students learn about the UN’s 10 Principles of Ecosystem Restoration and explore case studies from across the globe.
Inspire: Students apply their understanding of ecosystem restoration by analyzing efforts in Oregon and writing a manifesto.
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Suggestions
- The standards listed in this lesson have been updated to align with Oregon’s 2024 Social Science Standards.
- This lesson can be used to help students make sense of current environmental and ecological disasters by looking at potential ways society can respond positively.
- This lesson can be taught on its own or within a unit on sustainable development, culture and geography, industrialization and globalization, or rebuilding after a war or disaster.
- Teachers can highlight other parts of the United Nations report, Ecosystem Restoration for People, Nature, and Climate, or assign it as additional reading depending on classroom context and grade level.
- Students can use the mind map template provided in the Student Document or design their own mind map.
- This lesson can be extended by applying environmental or ecosystem restoration to a local event, or a current event in the news. Students can research the event and write a proposal for ecological restoration that identifies who should be held accountable, the costs and benefits of the project, and the relevant ecosystem restoration principles. For example, proposals could include how underrepresented groups from the community will be included in creating the solutions.
- This lesson ties in nicely with Project Drawdown’s three critical principles related to climate change: “reducing sources, supporting nature’s ‘sinks’ for storing carbon, and centering equality in global action.”
- Students can apply ecosystem restoration to the examples of ecocide from SubjectToClimate’s 8th-12th grade social studies unit: History Unit Plan: Ecocide and International Law. Below are some helpful related resources:
- The Kakhovka Dam Disaster: Responsibility and Consequences explains the challenges of investigating the incident, assigning blame, and the cost of rebuilding.
- This NPR article shows satellite images of the damage highlighting the “bruising” effects of war that have left a scar on the Earth and widespread agricultural loss.
Prerequisites
- Several of the Oregon case studies in the Inspire section are in progress, ongoing, or unresolved. Teachers should check for updated information on cases before teaching the lesson.
- Depending on classroom context, teachers can select one required source for each case study or pre-select one case study for students needing support.
- Teachers can pre-select key vocabulary from the Teacher Slideshow to make a classroom anchor chart.
- Teachers can write out sentence starters or frames to the chart in the Student Document for students needing extra support. Additionally, teachers can provide a template for students to complete the Manifesto writing in the Inspire section. A simple frame can include “We believe… We commit to… We will hold _____ accountable by…”
- Teachers should be aware that students may have been personally impacted by ecological disruption and discussing these issues may be difficult. Providing students an opportunity to identify and reflect on their feelings will help them be able to fully participate in the lesson.
Differentiation
- Students needing support can be assigned a case study within their reading and comprehension levels. Additionally, teachers can lead a reading group on one case study for students needing support.
- Students can read required sources of a case study with a partner or in a small reading group, stopping after each paragraph or section to summarize aloud before moving on.
- Students can do the readings from the Investigate section and write the manifesto from the Inspire section for homework.
- Students can use sentence starters or frames to complete each row in the chart.
- For an oral or collaborative option, students can co-write a partner manifesto with one student scribing and one speaking.
- Students or the class can set up a tracker and tracking log for three of the six Oregon cases that are unresolved or still in process. Throughout the year, students can check for updates once or twice a month and update the class tracker.
- Students can search for official legal documents related to their case study. Examples include a settlement agreement or a DEQ Record of Decision.
- Students can compare and contrast one of the global case studies in the Investigate section with one of the Oregon case studies in the Inspire section. Students can make a chart or write a comparison of how success is measured and determined in each.
From the scientist review
In this lesson, students learn about nature and its interrelationship with humans. The lesson has also been designed to support advocacy for ecological justice and equity to accomplish climate change and sustainable development goals.
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About the teacher writer
Breck Foster
Oregon State Lead
Breck Foster, M.Ed., is SubjectToClimate's Oregon State Lead. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master of Education in Educational Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, and brings 21 years of experience in education. She engages students in climate action through her school's Green Team and is active in statewide initiatives, including Oregon Educators for Climate Education and the Oregon Climate Education Thought Leaders Committee. Fun fact: she enjoys cooking and neighborhood walks with friends, family, and their dog.
