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Ben Charles

Chief of Partnerships and Communication

Ben Charles holds a Master's Degree in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. He has nine years of experience teaching grades 3–7 across multiple subject areas. His expertise includes interdisciplinary instruction designed to support diverse learners and foster meaningful student engagement 

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan

Education as a Solution to Climate Change Lesson
This lesson guides students to create their own education project as a means of informing and inspiring positive change.
 
Step 1 - Inquire: Students discuss what education and climate change are and whether they think education can be a solution to climate change.
 
Step 2 - Investigate: Students participate in a class activity to determine if learning new information can impact people’s intentions or behavior.
 
Step 3 - Inspire: Students create a climate change education project to educate members of their family, classroom, school, or community.
Grade 6-8
Subject Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Facts and Opinions Lesson

This lesson encourages students to think critically about facts and opinions and how they relate to climate change.

 

Step 1 - Inquire: Students determine whether statements are facts or opinions and then define the terms fact and opinion.

 

Step 2 - Investigate: Students watch three climate change videos, identify climate facts and climate opinions, and express their own opinions about climate solutions.

 

Step 3 - Inspire: Students create a poster about climate change and separate out facts and opinions.

Grade 6-8
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Food Lesson: Why Does What I Eat Matter?
This lesson encourages students to think about their food choices and where their food comes from.

Inquire: Students think about the factors that go into their food choices and fill out the food choice factor survey.
Investigate: Students conduct guided research on where different ingredients are produced.
Inspire: Students review the Food Tracker to prepare to track their food choices and write a paragraph prediction.
Grade 6-8
Subject Earth and Space Sciences,Geography
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Food Lesson: Climate Change's Impact on Production
In this lesson, students learn about the different ways farms and agriculture are being impacted by climate change.

Inquire: Students think about how climate change may impact agriculture.
Investigate: Students learn about some general ways agriculture is impacted by climate change and then choose a specific effect of climate change to see how it impacts agriculture.
Inspire: Students look at reduced food waste as a solution to climate change and engage in a discussion about their learning.
Grade 6-8
Subject Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Food Lesson: Farmers and Climate Change
In this lesson, students think about their ideal farm and look at case studies from around the world to investigate farmers' responses to the impact of climate change on food production.

Inquire: Students watch a video about how to create the perfect farm and visualize what their ideal farms would be like.
Investigate: Students explore resources on sustainable and futuristic food production methods that farmers are implementing in response to climate change.
 Inspire: Students create a design of a sustainable farm and brainstorm ways to partner with local farms.
Grade 6-8
Subject Economics
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Food Lesson: Impact of Food Production
This lesson teaches students about the different steps in food production and how each step contributes to climate change.

Inquire: Students think about the steps involved in the production of a single food.
Investigate: Students investigate specific foods to see how different stages of the supply chain contribute to a food’s carbon footprint.
Inspire: Students review their Food Trackers to identify which of the foods they consumed had the largest carbon footprint.
Grade 6-8
Subject Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Food Lesson: Food Insecurity
In this lesson, students learn about food insecurity and analyze potential solutions for their own community.

Inquire: Students learn the causes and consequences of food insecurity and ask questions they have about it.
Investigate: Students investigate food deserts and existing solutions.
Inspire: Students think about their community and analyze solutions to food insecurity that could be applied to their neighborhood.
Grade 6-8
Subject Civics
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Food Lesson: Creating a Concept Map
In this lesson, students unpack the complexities of the global food system and climate change.

Inquire: Students watch a video to think about the complexities of the global food system and its connection with climate change.
Investigate: Students create a concept map to connect different ideas and concepts relating to the global food system and climate change.
Inspire: Students use their concept maps to determine which topic has the potential to make the biggest impact on climate change.
Grade 6-8
Subject Social Studies,English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Solving Problems: Social Studies Lesson
This lesson supports students in identifying problems and creating a guide to solve problems on individual, local, and global levels.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students play the Knot Game and reflect on their collective ability to solve the problem at hand.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn about the ozone layer, identify the solutions, and brainstorm general strategies that are effective for solving problems.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students create a problem-solving guide to address a climate change-related problem.
Grade 6-8
Subject Social Studies,Career Skills
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Hip-Hop and Climate: Creative Writing Lesson
In this lesson, students explore the intersection of music and climate change, learn about environmental connections in rap music, and create their own original rap songs.

Inquire: Students share fun facts about hip-hop, learn about hip-hop as a cultural and social movement, and view examples of hip-hop intersecting with environmental concepts.
Investigate: Students research a climate change topic and create a class rubric for evaluating student-created raps.
Inspire: Students create and share an original rap about a climate change topic as a means to express their feelings and emotions through music.
Grade 6-8
Subject English Language Arts,Visual and Performing Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Curriculum Planning Guide

Curriculum Planning Guide: Grade 6-8 Math
In this Climate Curriculum Planning Guide, teachers will find examples of lesson plans, activities, and strategies for implementing climate change into Math instruction.
Grade 6-8
Subject Mathematics
Resource Type Curriculum Planning Guide
Lesson Plan

Social Studies Lesson: Strength in Community
In this lesson, students learn about the importance of communities working together to design climate change solutions.

Inquire: Students participate in a community-building web activity and then define and reflect on the term community.


Investigate: Students complete a jigsaw activity with resources about community resilience and strength in relation to climate change solutions.


Inspire: Students work as a class community to design and implement a campaign to lower emissions.
Grade 6-8
Subject Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Varied Content Thumbnails (5)
Curriculum Planning Guide

Curriculum Planning Guide: Grade 3-5 Math
In this Climate Curriculum Planning Guide, teachers will find examples of lesson plans, activities, and strategies for implementing climate change into 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Math instruction.
Grade 3-5
Subject Mathematics
Resource Type Curriculum Planning Guide
Varied Content Thumbnails (8)
Worksheets

Climate Change Worksheet: Word Problems
In this collection of worksheets, students will practice key math skills such as scale, area, and percentages. Students will explore these concepts through the lens of climate change.
Grade 6-8
Subject Mathematics
Resource Type Worksheets
6-8 Thumbnails (8)
Lesson Plan

U.S. Elections: Civics Lesson
Students learn about U.S. elections and research elections that impact climate issues.

Inquire: Students have a discussion about U.S. elections and learn facts about different types of elections.
Investigate: Students research a representative’s position on climate change and an upcoming election that will have a climate-related impact.
Inspire: Students create an action plan to brainstorm ways they can have an impact on elections.
Grade 6-8
Subject Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Varied Content Thumbnails (19)
Games

Facts and Opinions Game
In this game, students will identify climate-related statements as either a "fact" or "opinion". Through this game, students will strengthen critical thinking skills while developing a deeper understanding of facts and opinions. 
Grade 6-8
Subject English Language Arts
Resource Type Games
6-8 Thumbnails
Lesson Plan

Green Careers and ELA Lesson: Cow Burps & Methane Emissions
Students investigate methane emissions in agriculture and explore strategies for reducing them. They also research innovative solutions and climate-related careers focused on sustainability and methane reduction.

Inquire: Students analyze a case study about cow farming, methane emissions, and the impact on climate change.
Investigate: Students participate in a role-play and reflect on the leadership qualities and experience needed to put climate solutions into practice.
Inspire: Students select either an agricultural or entrepreneurial pathway to develop a comprehensive research-based project on climate solutions and then explore climate-related careers of interest.
Grade 6-8
Subject English Language Arts,Career Skills
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Varied Content Thumbnails
Curriculum Planning Guide

Sustainable Development Goals Curriculum Guide
This comprehensive Curriculum Guide supports educators in teaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations. It includes an overview of each goal and examples of resources that can be used to teach them in the classroom. The guide is designed to help students explore global challenges and consider ways to take meaningful action.
Grade k-2 | 3-5 | 6-8 | 9-12
Subject Science,Social Studies,English Language Arts,Mathematics,Visual and Performing Arts,Health,World Languages,Career Skills
Resource Type Curriculum Planning Guide
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