This inspiring video is about three young kids from Lexington that work together to get their town and school to adopt solar panels and protect an area of forest near their homes.
Mari, Alice, and Lily spoke at town hall meetings, got petitions signed, and supported each other in taking action for the environment.
Teaching Tips
Positives
It is engaging and shows that young people can have a big impact.
The ways that the three girls are able to create change are well explained.
Additional Prerequisites
There may be an ad before the video.
Harry Potter is referenced as a role model.
Differentiation
A possible activity could be to have students go to their town hall meetings and read their opinions on legislation that is being voted on.
Students could brainstorm ways that they can make an impact at their own school, like having solar panels installed, starting a Meatless Mondays program, start a school garden, or plant native trees on school grounds.
Some related resources are this StC lesson plan where students learn about youth activists and environmental campaigns and this activity called Meet the Greenhouse Gases.
Scientist Notes
The resource is suitable to spur young people to raise their voices on the present state of the environment and the need for future climate action. It will build their capacity to collaborate and lead in climate justice and environmental justice movements to save the planet. This video is ideal for classroom.
Standards
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Civics
D2.Civ.12.3-5 Explain how rules and laws change society and how people change rules and laws.
Dimension 4: Taking Informed Action
D4.8.6-8 Apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in their classrooms and schools, and in out-of-school civic contexts.
D4.7.3-5 Explain different strategies and approaches students and others could take in working alone and together to address local, regional, and global problems, and predict possible results of their actions.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
