Using literature in climate change education

With COP29 coming to a close this week, you might be looking for ways to continue the conversation around climate change and sustainability in your classroom. Teaching climate change can feel daunting, but combining science with literature can be an engaging way to continue these topics. Read on to discover some of DE’s top picks. 

Exploring ecosystems through stories 

Example Text: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

• Science Connection (EYFS and KS1): Use this story to discuss the importance of trees and their role in ecosystems. Link it to lessons on habitats, food chains and the impact of deforestation.
• Activity: Ask the children to design a poster showing how they’d protect their local environment, incorporating scientific vocabulary like ‘habitat’ and ‘biodiversity’. 

Climate Change Through Poetry

Example Text: There Will Come Soft Rains by Sara Teasdale

• Science Connection (KS2 and KS3): Discuss how climate change could alter ecosystems. Use the poem to explore human impact on the planet and adaptation in nature.
• Activity: Have your class write their own poems imagining how wildlife might adapt to future climate scenarios, linking to curriculum topics like adaptation and interdependence.

Sustainability Through Novels

Example Text: The Overstory by Richard Powers

• Science Connection (KS4): Dive deeper into the interconnectedness of trees and ecosystems, emphasising sustainability. Discuss photosynthesis, carbon storage and climate mitigation.
• Activity: Encourage pupils to map out the carbon cycle, linking the story’s themes to scientific processes they’ve studied.

Understanding Renewable Energy Through Nonfiction

Example Text: How We’ll Live on Mars by Stephen Petranek

• Science Connection (KS3 and KS4): Discuss renewable energy solutions on Earth and beyond, linking to climate change and sustainability.
• Activity: Assign pupils to create a fictional news report from a sustainable Mars colony, including renewable energy technologies and environmental adaptations.

Combining Literature and Experiments

Pair texts with practical science lessons, like creating a terrarium or testing renewable energy models, to help pupils visualise and apply what they’ve learned.

You can find all the units linked above - and much more - by heading to www.developingexperts.com now.