THE GREEN WAVE IS COMING. WILL IT LIFT ALL BOATS?

“One way or another, the choice will be made by our generation, but it will affect life on earth for all generations to come.” —Lester Brown

Dear Educators,
How do you talk with your students about climate change? This is a question I'm hearing from many of you—and not just science teachers.

You'll find some great tools for teaching about climate change solutions in the current Stop Global Warming Cold issue of YES! We're also featuring lesson plans from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights together with YES! articles to support teaching on green jobs and justice.

These solution-oriented, inspiring materials will get your students thinking, talking, and stepping up to the challenge of climate change.

I'm sad to let you know that I'll be leaving YES! in early April, but I'm delighted that the program continues to reach increasing numbers of educators working for positive change. If you, or someone you know, is interested in joining the YES! team working on positive solutions, please see our Education Outreach Manager job description.


Kay Hubbard
Education Outreach Manager, YES! Magazine

P.S. Encourage your teaching colleagues to sign up for a free one-year subscription to YES!

Former YES! Interns Report Back
Share these inspiring stories from two former YES! interns. Ryan describes his work with a pioneering school in Guatemala and Sarah reports on her experience at the University of Washington's Focus the Nation teach-in.


NEXT TIME: Hear from a middle-school teacher in Tumwater, Washington, about her innovative approach to teaching about global warming.
MORE OF YOUR STORIES: Examples of teaching about human rights, immigration, and sustainability.
Please send us your stories of inspiring teaching to share with our growing network of YES! educators.

Here are lesson plans from our partner the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. You can use these with selected YES! articles to teach about building a green and just economy, cities that serve communities and nature, and a just world that works for all.

The lesson plans focus on five aspects of the Center's Green-Collar Jobs Campaign: The Green Wave and My Community :: Exploring Eco-Privilege :: Green Jobs, Not Jails! :: Model Cities and You :: Finding the Solutions

Introduce your students to these lessons with this 2 minute video of Van Jones, founder of the Ella Baker Center, as he speaks about building a green economy that lifts people out of poverty.

How to Go Carbon Free in 10 Years Ask your students to evaluate the efforts of this imaginary family to become carbon free in 10 years—then have them come up with their own plan. Interactive graphic. Available as a downloadable pdf poster.

The Page That Counts Get your students thinking and talking about the effects of military and domestic spending on U.S. employment with these surprising statistics. Bill McKibben Steps Up The Middlebury College professor offers food for thought on what it will take for us to meet the challenges of climate change. McKibben spells out the specifics including how we'll need to change our habits and change what we want from the world. Youth Feel the Power Inspire your students to take action by sharing Shadia Fayne Wood's empowering story of her involvement with other youth as they “realize their potential as climate activists.”

Brower Youth Awards—Earth Island's New Leaders Initiative
The Brower Youth Awards are a major component of Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative created in memory of David Brower—community activist, environmentalist, and founder of Earth Island Institute. The Awards recognize six young people annually for their outstanding activism and leadership on a project with positive environmental and social impact. Share these two inspiring stories of youth engaged in building a more just and sustainable world with your students.

Carlos Moreno, 19
Boston, Massachussetts
Carlos is all about being the change—invite your students to hear about his commitment and dedication to his Boston community and how he lives the change he believes in.

Jon Warnow, 23
Burlington, Vermont
Listen to Jon's energetic acceptance speech as he invites all of us to “step outside our comfort zones” and remake our world.

Ask your students to consider Walt Whitman's preface to Leaves of Grass and whether they agree or not with his advice.

Walt Whitman (Click on title to view a larger portrait and biography of Whitman) “This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone who asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown.” (Preface to the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass) Tools for Teaching: This portrait and quote are part of Robert Shetterly's Americans Who Tell the Truth. See the accompanying curriculum materials with suggestions on how to use the portraits and biographies.

37th Annual Conference
of the North American Association for Environmental Education October 15-18, Wichita, Kansas

Check out the call for student posters or enter the NAAEE photo contest.

Maestros y profesores de español

Here is a powerful pair of learning tools about social change in Argentina.
Invite your students to discuss an article in Spanish from our Latin America issue and view a short excerpt from the film Argentina: Turning Around.
READ: Horizontalidad: donde toda la gente lidera by Marina Sitrin
(article in English)

It's Not Too Late
Van Jones' one-minute video will inspire you with the message that we're all in this together and we can fix the social, economic, ecological, and spiritual crises we face.

The Night Schools
India's Night Schools offer a unique form of place-based learning.

 www.yesmagazine.org

Photo by Xavier Cortada

The Longitudinal Installation
Miami artist Xavier Cortada's installation at the South Pole will visually challenge your students to think about how climate change affects us all—pole to pole.