Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan
In this lesson, students explore the Hawaiian term aloha ‘āina and learn how it relates to sustainability and use the concept of aloha ‘āina to write their own song or poem.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students brainstorm a definition and personal understanding of aloha ‘āina and its relationship to sustainability.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students review figurative language, identify figurative language in Hawaiian and English song lyrics, and evaluate their effectiveness.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students identify personal action that helps the ecosystem and use figurative language to write a song or poem that captures what aloha ‘āina means to them.
Grade 9-12
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students learn about Hawai‘i specific climate change through visual analysis of public art and create a walking tour in their local community.


Step 1 - Inquire: Students learn about the impact of climate change in Hawai‘i and explore artwork about climate change.


Step 2 - Investigate: Students visit and analyze local public art that tells the story of environmental impacts in Hawai‘i.


Step 3 - Inspire: Students design a local walking tour that includes public art, climate change impacts, and solutions.

Grade 9-12
Subject English Language Arts,Visual and Performing Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students learn how to analyze greenwashing and logical fallacies, debunk false advertising, and design an infographic to raise awareness.


Step 1 - Inquire: Students identify inaccurate narratives about products used at the beach and learn how misleading marketing can damage the climate.


Step 2 - Investigate: Students identify and analyze logical fallacies, especially greenwashing, and determine how they affect audiences.


Step 3 - Inspire: Students design an infographic to debunk a logical fallacy about reef-safe sunscreen and offer alternative, locally-made products.

Grade 9-12 | ap-college
Subject English Language Arts,Health
Resource Type Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan
In this lesson, students use tourism ads to learn about rhetorical appeals and explore how tourism contributes to a larger carbon footprint.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students discuss perspective and persuasion using images of Hawai‘i.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students analyze rhetorical appeals through oil company advertisements and activist artwork on the carbon footprint of travel.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students design a postcard from the future that uses rhetorical appeals to sway audiences about how climate change will impact Hawai‘i if tourism remains the same.
Grade 9-12
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze the biodiversity represented in the Kumulipo creation chant and create a children’s book about protecting species.


Step 1 - Inquire: Students discuss origin stories and why stories are important to understanding a place.


Step 2 - Investigate: Students read the Kumulipo, the creation chant of the Hawaiian people, and learn how biodiversity within the chant is threatened by climate change.


Step 3 - Inspire: Students collaborate to create a children’s book about plants and animals from the Kumulipo, including how to protect these species from climate change.

Grade 9-12
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan

indigenous-storytelling-an-opinion-writing-lesson
Lesson Plan
Students discuss Kame‘eleihiwa’s view of past and present, reflecting on food choices and climate change.


Inquire: Students calculate the carbon footprint of their food and diet to reflect on how personal food choices affect climate change.

Investigate: Students read ‘ulu mo’olelo alongside articles and podcasts, and analyze how perspective affects storytelling.

Inspire: Students write an opinion article about ‘ulu as a climate change resilient food. 
Grade 9-12
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan

Varied Content Thumbnails (7)
Worksheets
In this activity, students analyze and reflect on representations of the climate crisis as interpreted by a range of visual artists working in a variety of art styles. The Art Works for Change gallery used in this activity includes artists’ statements with suggested climate actions. 
Grade 9-12
Subject English Language Arts,Visual and Performing Arts
Resource Type Worksheets

9-12 Thumbnails (8)
Lesson Plan
Students discuss the food they eat, and how it relates to climate change, and write a letter to a food company. 

Inquire: Students chart foods they have eaten recently and wonder how food is meaningful.
Investigate: Students compare and contrast foods that contribute to and mitigate climate change, and explore how food is part of their identity.
Inspire: Students write a persuasive letter to a company about how their products can help diets be more climate-friendly.
Grade 9-12
Subject English Language Arts,Health
Resource Type Lesson Plan


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