Ecoliteracy
Understanding the state of the planet allows us to be more fully aware of the challenges, the complexity of how they are linked to each other, and to explore what it means to us. We get a broad view through information and ecological connectivity. We engage through feelings and actions. The key components include water, energy, soil, air biodiversity, and social aspects.
Teaching Goal: Students understand the state of the planet and the interconnections, and what it means for them.
Meta Goal: To become aware of the global situation, and personally engaged
Source: Rimanoczy, I. (2020) The Sustainability Mindset Principles: A guide to developing a mindset for a better world. Routledge
Buttons
Click on a button below to access an assortment of different artifacts on the topic of Ecoliteracy.
Scholarly Journals
Ecoliteracy VS Ecological Literacy VS Environmental Literacy
This scholarly journal is written by four authors who examine the historical evolution of the terms: literacy, ecoliteracy, ecological literacy, and environmental literacy, to help clarify the meaning behind these words as they are often misused.
Articles
Five Ways to Develop Ecoliteracy
This article is a guide for educators to socially and emotionally engage ecoliteracy in their teaching through five practices. The article demonstrates how educators can apply the principles of social and emotional intelligence to incorporate the knowledge and practices of sustainability and empathy for the ecosystems and the environment.
Freshwater Pollution and Solutions
In this National Geographic article, the freshwater crisis is explained in three segments: water pollution, freshwater pollution effects, and freshwater pollution solutions. At the end, there is a TED-talk styled video that gives hope in restoring the freshwater supply.
Ecoliteracy: Learning from Living Systems
Websites
What is Ecoliteracy?
Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
Water Calculator and Educational Materials
Climate Change
The purpose of this website is to educate students on earth-conscious behavior, this website offers educational tools that can be used in the classroom, including experiential exercises, case studies, and videos that may be adapted to college-level courses. It also provides free downloadable activities, games, handbooks, apps, and articles on a variety of topics.
Ecoliteracy
Scientific Facts and Educational Resources by the EPA
Sea Level Rising- Interactive Map
Air Pollution
Educational Videos
TED Talk on Food Waste
Tristram Stuart describes the food waste problem by explaining how developed countries are producing food at unnecessary-massive scales. He claims that half of the food produced by Western countries gets wasted. Additionally, he explains the main forces contributing to this waste in Western countries and suggests alternative usage to throwing the unused food away; like using it to feed livestock.
A Different Kind of Protein
How to Change Your Diet to Help the Environment
In Kwartler animation, he goes around the planet and suggests how the different facets of our world (from our society’s infrastructure and humans’ homes, to the plight of domestic dogs and various forms of technology) would change without our presence. The animation reveals the damage humans have done to the planet and the life on it.
Human Damage to the World
What Happens After You Throw Something Away
This is a TED-Ed presentation by Sidhu using statistical information on water in an easy-to-understand video. The question Sidhu is trying to answer is “Are we running out of clean water?” The talk addresses how humans are overusing and depleting the world’s water supply and the major consequences that follow.
Animation about Running Out of Water
Connecting with Nature
Games
BrainPOP
BrainPOP is an online website that has many online games related to the environment. It is currently a free resource but may require payment in the future. In addition to games, BrainPOP offers planned lessons for teachers, ways for students to demonstrate learning by making a movie or a map, and readings.