This policy brief comprehensively explains the importance of funding female education and family planning initiatives in countries experiencing the most drastic effects of climate change.
The document seeks to educate policymakers regarding the need to include female education and family planning as essential components of climate decisions worldwide.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The policy brief thoroughly explains the benefits of funding female education and family planning information in low- and middle-income countries.
Clear connections are made to climate change and its effects on female populations in low and middle-income countries.
A direct correlation is made between higher education, planned families, and increased climate adaptation.
Since the document is presented as a PDF, it can be printed for use as a hard-copy information source.
Additional Prerequisites
One of the main ideas of the publication is the importance of family planning, so teachers may wish to research local school policies before assigning the reading.
Several countries are mentioned, so teachers may wish to provide either a globe or an interactive world map for classroom use.
Teachers must provide an email address and zip code to receive the publication.
The document can be downloaded in English or French.
Once downloaded, the policy brief can be shared via social media.
Students should know about family planning and climate change and should understand that, in many countries, girls do not have as much access to education as boys do,
Differentiation
Connections can be made in Social Studies classes while studying world geography, due to the many countries mentioned in the article.
Health classes will find the report beneficial when discussing the importance of family planning.
English classes can utilize printed PDFs when learning how to annotate informational resources.
The report is lengthy, so teachers may wish to use a jigsaw method of small-group instruction.
Teachers can use this article to introduce the concept of climate change as a social justice issue, combining this article with other examples of climate change affecting certain groups, such as minorities or those of low socioeconomic status, more than others.
Scientist Notes
This website provides a Project Drawdown publication (via a PDF download after providing an email address) that discusses the importance of incorporating and funding female education, along with female health and women's rights in the fight against climate change. A policy brief is discussed and elaborated on and surrounds the importance of incorporating women and families into climate change funding. This resource would be a great addition to an older classroom discussing the fundamental rights of women and the effect those rights have on the complex issue of climate change.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.4.9-12 Analyze relationships and interactions within and between human and physical systems to explain reciprocal influences that occur among them.
D2.Geo.9.9-12 Evaluate the influence of long-term climate variability on human migration and settlement patterns, resource use, and land uses at local-to-global scales.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
National Health Education Standards
Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
1.12.6 Analyze the relationship between access to health care and health status.
Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.
3.12.3 Determine the accessibility of products and services that enhance health.
Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.
8.12.4 Adapt health messages and communication techniques to a specific target audience.
