Translating Climate Education: Primary Climate Change Education for Spanish-heritage speakers in Out-of-School Experiences

Abstract

Climate change education is becoming a prominent topic covered in K-12. However, studies have shown that misconceptions about climate change are pervasive within secondary students (Shepardson et al., 2011; Lambert et.al, 2012). Additionally, curricula are typically developed without consideration for the sociocultural context within which it is enacted. Therefore, it is important to understand what a climate change curriculum might look like at the primary level to might better assist student learning and understanding of climate change at the secondary level. Using a socio-constructivist approach to learning, a 6-week unit on climate change for a fourth grade class was developed in partnership with an Ann Arbor-based Spanish literacy program. The unit consisted of 5 lesson plans and an evaluation. After course implementation and reflection at the end of the year on learning outcomes, the lesson plans were updated with three additional lessons included all translated in English along with a list of recommendations.