Emily Townsend

K-8 ELL Teacher

I taught for over a decade in classrooms from K-8th grade, both as an ELL specialist and general education teacher. I love working collaboratively with other teachers to create interdisciplinary content that meets the needs of all learners. I love spending time outside in every way- camping, hiking, and learning about new flora and fauna. I've lived in many places across the country and have seen the effects of climate change on our land and water, I am excited to work with a team who is passionate about teaching about our planet and the effects of human activity. 

Lesson Plans

K-2 Thumbnails
Lesson Plan

Importance of Biodiversity Lesson
In this lesson, students learn about habitats and how plants, prey, and predators interact based on their needs. Students see how factors like warming temperatures and human interactions can alter habitats and affect wildlife.
 
Step 1 - Inquire: Students watch trail camera clips to note the biodiversity in a habitat.
 
Step 2 - Investigate: Students play the Biodiversity Game to simulate the interactions between living things.
 
Step 3 - Inspire: Students sketch a picture showing an interaction they had during the game and explain it using cause and effect language.
Grade k-2
Subject Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plan
K-2 Thumbnails
Lesson Plan

Endangered Animals and Number Sense Lesson
In this lesson, students use a base number to compare the numbers of extinct, endangered, and vulnerable species and consider how to help protect animals and plants.
 
Step 1 - Inquire: Students estimate the number of living things in a group to get a sense of the large number of species in the world.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students write numbers to represent the number of living things on the IUCN's Red List.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students compare and contrast numbers to compare groups of living things, reflecting on how to help living things in their community.
Grade k-2
Subject Mathematics
Resource Type Lesson Plan
K-2 Thumbnails
Lesson Plan

Conservation Action: Biodiversity Lesson
In this lesson, students learn about how people are protecting living things and create their own plan to protect living things.
 
Step 1 - Inquire: Students learn about how artists are helping species in critical categories on the Red List.
 
Step 2 - Investigate: Students watch a video illustrating the actions taken by humans to help protect a species.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students design a solution to help a living thing. 
Grade k-2
Subject Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Water All Around: Science Lesson
This lesson features a read-aloud to activate background knowledge and connect to all types of water around the world. After learning about freshwater and saltwater, students take a deep dive into estuaries through yoga and role-play. 

Inquire: Students listen to a read aloud of the book Wet by Carey Sookocheff and write about their own interactions with water.
Investigate: Students view graphics and obtain background knowledge about the types and locations of water in the world.
Inspire: Students engage in a series of yoga poses to learn more about estuaries and make connections between estuaries and the concepts they learned in the Investigate section.
Grade k-2
Subject Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plan
K-2 Thumbnails (41)
Lesson Plan

Math Lesson: Sea Level Rise
In this lesson, students use graphing and measurement to collect data on the potential causes of sea level rise as they visit different learning stations.  Students consider how to use art as a medium to inform others about their learning and dispel misconceptions.

Inquire: Students complete a graphing activity to represent the changes in sea level rise and predict why this is happening.
Investigate: Students test their ideas about why the sea level is rising, discover their misconceptions, and confirm predictions through measurement and graphing. 
Inspire: Students link art to awareness and create a mural to spread knowledge about sea level rise in their own community and dispel misconceptions.
Grade 3-5
Subject Mathematics
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Plant Lesson: Experiment
In this lesson, students design and execute an experiment to learn about what plants need to survive and communicate their findings to others.

Inquire: Students observe the differences between freshwater, brackish water, and saltwater in order to make predictions about what plants need to survive.
Investigate: Students design and carry out an experiment to test their predictions about what type of water is best for some plants. 
Inspire: Students communicate what they learned in an original song. 
Grade k-2
Subject Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Plant Lesson: Salt Effects on Farming
In this lesson, students reflect on plant growth in salty soil through art and reading leveled texts. Students write their own text to explain their learning. 

Inquire: Students use art to reflect on the effects of salt on some plants.
Investigate: Students read about the effects of salinity on crops around the world and consider the requirements for plant survival in a different context.
Inspire: Students combine knowledge from the unit and write a text about their learning.
Grade k-2
Subject Biology,Visual and Performing Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Weather and Climate Graphing Lesson

In this lesson, students read charts and graphs about weather, climate, and climate change and represent data in a graph.


Step 1 - Inquire: Students compare types of data representation using a matching game.


Step 2 - Investigate: Students analyze data representation in relation to their understanding of weather, climate, and climate change.


Step 3 - Inspire: Students represent data in a graph and make predictions based on evidence.

Grade 3-5
Subject Earth and Space Sciences,Mathematics
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Read-Aloud Guides

Read Aloud Guide: Wet
This read aloud is an entry point to discussing the importance of water in our lives. Students will listen to a story about a young child who interacts with water throughout the day. Students will make connections to their own lives and consider where and how they use water.
Grade k-2
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Read-Aloud Guides
Worksheets

Biodiversity: Number Sense Printable
In this activity, students engage with reading, writing, and comparing numbers to better understand the effects of human activity on the world’s organisms. Each section of the 1,000 Number Packet highlights a different species whose habitat has been impacted by climate change. 
Grade k-2
Subject Mathematics
Resource Type Worksheets
Worksheets

Conservation Plan Research and Writing
In this activity, students will research and write about a threatened species from their area. This activity encourages students to consider how to help a species that may be threatened due to climate change, which is an entry point into a discussion about how our actions may be harmful or helpful to other living things. 
Grade k-2
Subject Science,English Language Arts
Resource Type Worksheets
Varied Content Thumbnails (18)
Book

Leveled Reader: Farming in Bangladesh
Through this book, students will learn about the impacts of sea level rise on farming communities in Bangladesh. There are three versions of the text representing varying Lexile levels.
Grade k-2
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Book
Varied Content Thumbnails
Bundle

Climate Anxiety: SEL Resource for Teachers
In this resource, teachers can learn how to handle students' anxiety with understanding while providing a safe space to discuss and explore their feelings.
Grade k-2 | 3-5 | 6-8 | 9-12
Subject English Language Arts,Health
Resource Type Bundle
Book

Farming in Pakistan: Leveled Reader
Through this book, students will learn about the impacts of sea level rise on farming communities. There are three versions of the text representing varying Lexile levels.
Grade k-2
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Book
public-speaking-lesson-green-careers
Lesson Plan

Green Careers: A Public Speaking Lesson
In this lesson, students act as science communicators to explain patterns in temperature changes over time.


Inquire: Students are introduced to the STEM career of science communication, and learn key information about the job.

Investigate: Students consider the best methods for sharing weather and climate data with a specific audience.

Inspire: Students share climate data as science communicators.
Grade 3-5
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan
reading-lesson-sustainable-seafood
Lesson Plan

Reading Lesson: Sustainable Seafood
Students read and analyze information about where we get our seafood and sustainable seafood practices.

Inquire: Students read and view information to answer, “Where do we get our seafood?”

Investigate: Students read and view information about methods of catching and raising fish for food and its impact on communities and ecosystems.

Inspire: Students read about sustainable practices and consider if the sources of seafood in their community are sustainable.
Grade 6-8
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Worksheets

Brainstorming: What Is Climate Change?
This activity acts as an anticipation guide to learn what knowledge students already have about climate change.
Grade 3-5
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Worksheets
Book

My Hearing Spot: Decodable Reader
In this decodable book, students will learn how to use a "sit spot" or a quiet place in nature to observe and notice animals and plants in their area. This encourages students to notice the natural world around them and engenders a desire to protect it. The book features r-controlled vowels, high-frequency words, words with consonant blends, short vowels, and long vowels using silent e.
Grade k-2
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Book
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
Teaching Materials
Lessons, Units, and Activities Teaching Resources News for Students
Educator Support
Professional Development Teacher Guides Climate Change Explainers Guidance for School Administrators
About Us
Our Team Press and Media Our Partners
Get Involved
Donate Volunteer Partner with Us Careers Contact Us
Your Account
Register My Profile My Library Sign up for our newsletter
State Hubs
New Jersey Oregon Wisconsin Maine New York Connecticut Michigan
Candid Gold Transparency 2024 4 Star Rating Badge