Teaching Climate Justice Pedagogy through Curriculum Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to advance climate justice education in teacher preparation programs. The paper presents educative curriculum resources and pedagogical practices for integrating climate justice education in pre-service elementary science teacher courses. The resources include a model unit designed as educative curriculum material, along with companion guides for both pre-service teachers and teacher educators. The pedagogical practices center on curriculum analysis of the model unit, designed to support pre-service teachers in learning both the rationale for and pedagogies of climate justice education. The model unit, Watching Over Water in Times of Changing Climate, is based on 2^nd grade interdisciplinary standards that investigate issues of water and climate justice at the regional and local level. This paper shares a menu of options for integrating the model unit in elementary science methods courses, including practical activities and reflective discussion or writing prompts. In addition, we present case studies and empirical evidence from the implementation of the resources and practices, including thematic analysis of pre-service teachers’ responses to reflective prompts. These resources and practices address a persistent gap in teacher preparation programs, specifically the disconnect between stated commitments to climate justice and the limited pedagogical tools available to enact those commitments.