Engaging in Environmental Justice Research
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Provided by: Ten Strands|Published on: August 1, 2025
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this 11th grade Seeds to Solutions unit from Ten Strands and the San Mateo County Office of Education, students investigate how climate change and environmental hazards intersect with issues of equity and justice, focusing on which communities are most affected and why.
- Lessons guide students through analyzing civic data, examining compounding environmental risks, and engaging in explanatory modeling to propose informed, justice-centered solutions. (Language warning for optional video link.)
Subjects: Civics, Geography
Authors: Seeds to Solutions, Ten Strands
Region: California, Louisiana
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This unit does an excellent job of explaining a complex concept like intersectionality and environmental injustice in a way that is scaffolded and easy to understand.
- There are many opportunities for student exploration, collaboration, and discussion, making this unit engaging and memorable for students.
Prerequisites
- Some students may need terms defined such as Superfund sites, frontline communities, and gentrification.
- Teachers should note that the video, "What It's Like to Live in Cancer Alley," in the optional resources in Lesson 1 does contain two instances of the word "sh*t." Also, in these resources, the link for the City of Richmond Climate Change Adaptation Study is broken.
- In Lesson 2, the link to the video within the slides may not load, but the link for the same video within the materials section should work. Additionally, the links to the EPA EJScreen, the California library map, and the City of Merced Action Plan are broken.
Differentiation & Implementation
- This unit includes lesson materials that are accessible for students using screen-reading technology.
- Health teachers can lead students in an exploration of the health impacts associated with various environmental hazards to prepare students to begin this unit in their science or social studies classes.
- Teachers implementing this unit can collaborate with other teachers in media studies, art, ELA, and other departments to leverage their expertise on the topics of artivism, effective writing, and other subjects that can support the discussion of tactics in Lesson 6.
This resource contains a number of lessons about Environmental Justice. These lessons describe what environmental justice and injustice are, who is involved, why we do not know much about it, how disasters and other injustices are related to environmental justice, and what we can do about it. Learning about these topics allows students to broaden their perspective and connect the idea of justice to environmental issues and climate change. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
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Ten Strands
Ten Strands is a California–based nonprofit established in 2012. Their mission is to strengthen the partnerships, strategies, and systems that advance environmental literacy, ensuring all California TK–12 students thrive in sustainable, resilient schools and engage in meaningful environmental learning experiences, both in and beyond the classroom. They operate with a small, diverse, and nimble staff and strategic partners throughout the state. Ten Strands utilizes the largest and most diverse institution in California—the public school system—to impact 58 county offices of education, more than 1,000 school districts, approximately 10,000 individual schools, over 300,000 teachers, and 5.8 million children.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
