Sound the Alarm — Declaring a Climate Emergency

• In this lesson, students will consider how climate emergencies are created, how they can be a governmental policy tool, and how individuals can take positive action.
  
• Students will participate in a poster-making activity to teach their peers and community about climate change, and they will learn how to urge their leaders to declare a climate emergency in order to facilitate swift climate action.

Positives

• This resource is dense, thorough, and engaging on multiple levels. 
• The included materials are filled with notes, images, videos, and tasks that will make implementing this resource easy. 

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should have prior knowledge of climate change, eco-anxiety, and how governments can make changes around climate change. 
• Additional tips are provided to address eco-anxiety.
  

Differentiation

• Connections can be made in language arts classes focusing on persuasive writing, in art classes working on messaging through art, or in health classes discussing the effects of stress and anxiety on health. 
• This lesson is meant to take two fifty five sessions, but consider modifying this into three or four sessions for students to take more time to process, discuss, plan, and work.
• Have students spread the word of their work on social media or in their communities, encouraging others to pressure leaders to declare a climate emergency.