This video explains the connections between climate action and equity.
Students will learn about ways to improve buildings to make them more sustainable and comfortable, while addressing climate change and equity.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video proposes retrofitting as a way to tackle climate issues in today’s world.
It explains the role of engineers and architects in ensuring sustainability and equity.
It provides discussion questions and links to additional information.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should understand the concept of inequity.
Differentiation
Teachers can use part 2:18-2:47 to describe retrofitting and its importance.
This video can be used to teach the importance of a ‘can-do’ attitude.
This resource could be used in a social studies class to start a conversation about the realities of inequity and steps that can be taken to bridge the gaps.
Teachers can use this as a hook to teach students about Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) guidelines.
Part 4:26 could be used in a history class to discuss the effects on Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans.
Energy poverty is described in this video and teachers can use it to explain the effect of the building environment on the well-being of inhabitants.
Scientist Notes
The resource emphasizes the link between environmental sustainability and equity. It offers a fundamental understanding of approaching significant environmental issues from an equity lens. It is advised to use this resource in the classroom.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ETS1: Engineering Design
HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.5.9-12 Evaluate how political and economic decisions throughout time have influenced cultural and environmental characteristics of various places and regions.
Dimension 4: Taking Informed Action
D4.6.9-12 Use disciplinary and interdisciplinary lenses to understand the characteristics and causes of local, regional, and global problems; instances of such problems in multiple contexts; and challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address these problems over time and place.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
