YA Eco Mysteries, Memoirs, Novels & Travel
Environmental Education
Searching for Ways to Introduce Climate Change
18/11/21 11:01
Searching for Ways to Introduce Climate Change?
Melting Ice in The Antarctic_Boris Datnow
Since climate change will impact daily life—now and in future—it is both a critical problem that needs to be addressed and one that can be adapted to effective teaching, across the curricular. Science-based information, methods, and resources help educators broach this complex subject, no matter what area they teach.
Understanding the impact of climate change is an essential step toward preparing our students to become knowledgeable, active, and just stewards of our state’s and our planet’s natural environment adversely impacted by climate change.
For Free Teacher Handouts and Lessons Plans visit: mediamint.net:
Teaching Environmental Science/Climate Change/ Through Fiction.
Fiction can be a powerful way for students to understand how climate change has and will impact their future. Fiction is one way (cli-fi) can serve as a springboard for lively discussions. In addition, stories offer ways in which students can envision and adjust to climate change.
Links to Additional Resources.
Climate Change Fiction for Kids: https://mediamint.net/page7/files/Climate%20Change%20Fiction%20for%20Kids.html
Red Flag Warning: An Eco Adventure by Claire Datnow
YA/Teen Eco Fiction. https://mediamint.net/page7/files/Teen%20Eco%20Fiction.html
The Winds of Change: Children’s Environmental Climate Fiction: https://dragonfly.eco/the-winds-of-change-childrens-environmental-climate-fiction/
INTERVIEW: CLIMATE CHANGE FOR TEENS
https://mediamint.net/page7/files/Interview:%20Climate%20Change%20for%20Teens.html
Climate Change Fiction: Multicultural, Diverse, Global, and with Animals, Too! a guest blog by author Claire Datnow: https://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2021/03/climate-change-fiction-multicultural-diverse-global-and-with-animals-too-a-guest-blog-by-author-claire-datnow/
Interview with Mary Woodbury Climate Fiction:
https://dragonfly.eco/indie-corner-claire-datnow/
How To Teach Climate Change Without Panicking Your Students: https://blog.planbook.com/teach-climate-change/
Melting Ice in The Antarctic_Boris Datnow
- Why Teach Climate Change?
Since climate change will impact daily life—now and in future—it is both a critical problem that needs to be addressed and one that can be adapted to effective teaching, across the curricular. Science-based information, methods, and resources help educators broach this complex subject, no matter what area they teach.
Understanding the impact of climate change is an essential step toward preparing our students to become knowledgeable, active, and just stewards of our state’s and our planet’s natural environment adversely impacted by climate change.
- Ways to Introduce Climate Change: Instead of burdening educators with additional stand-alone, complex areas to study, the good news is that Environmental Literacy can become a part of subjects and activities already in your state’s core curriculum standards in science, math, social studies, and language arts.
- Climate Fiction: As Earth’s changing climate becomes an ever-increasing concern, young readers are turning to climate fiction as a way to engage their imaginations and deal with their fears in the safety of their present environment. The teens in these climate fiction stories demonstrate courage, tenacity, compassion, imagination, and foresight. So, although the events may be upsetting, the reader empathizes with the main characters and finish the last page feeling informed, hopeful, resolute, and inspired.
- Connecting Scientific Concepts with Fiction/Storytelling can be a powerful way to make future consequences more immediate to ourselves and our students. Fiction can be woven into teaching environmental science and climate change as outlined in the core curriculum standards
For Free Teacher Handouts and Lessons Plans visit: mediamint.net:
Teaching Environmental Science/Climate Change/ Through Fiction.
Fiction can be a powerful way for students to understand how climate change has and will impact their future. Fiction is one way (cli-fi) can serve as a springboard for lively discussions. In addition, stories offer ways in which students can envision and adjust to climate change.
- After reading appropriate fiction, Language Arts teachers can Inspire Lively discussions by interweaving the Theme of Climate Change.
- Social Studies Teachers and can Inspire Lively discussion around the impact of Climate change on marginalized groups in their own communities and around the globe (Social Justice).
Links to Additional Resources.
Climate Change Fiction for Kids: https://mediamint.net/page7/files/Climate%20Change%20Fiction%20for%20Kids.html
Red Flag Warning: An Eco Adventure by Claire Datnow
YA/Teen Eco Fiction. https://mediamint.net/page7/files/Teen%20Eco%20Fiction.html
The Winds of Change: Children’s Environmental Climate Fiction: https://dragonfly.eco/the-winds-of-change-childrens-environmental-climate-fiction/
INTERVIEW: CLIMATE CHANGE FOR TEENS
https://mediamint.net/page7/files/Interview:%20Climate%20Change%20for%20Teens.html
Climate Change Fiction: Multicultural, Diverse, Global, and with Animals, Too! a guest blog by author Claire Datnow: https://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2021/03/climate-change-fiction-multicultural-diverse-global-and-with-animals-too-a-guest-blog-by-author-claire-datnow/
Interview with Mary Woodbury Climate Fiction:
https://dragonfly.eco/indie-corner-claire-datnow/
How To Teach Climate Change Without Panicking Your Students: https://blog.planbook.com/teach-climate-change/
Covid-19 and Antarctica
15/10/21 11:02
Antarctic Connections, Conundrums and Covid-19
A sizzling summer afternoon sheltering on our patio in Alabama, the connection between the us and the Covid-19 pandemic are painfully obvious. But the connection between the US and what goes on in the Antarctic is hard to grasp—it’s a conundrum.
By sheer luck this year, 2020, we visited Antarctic on the cruise ship, Zaandam. It turned out to be the most phenomenal and memorable cruise. A cruise of a lifetime. We barely made it back home before Covid-19 hit the US. Which got us thinking about ships and tourists, Covid-19 and pandemics, climate change and melting ice, and the connections and conundrums between all of this. Read More...
Science and Nature Writing
15/10/21 10:57
Environmental Literature Illuminates Our Connection to Nature
The storm winds of climate change are calling. They’re calling to scientists, and writers, and artists to weave stories that will inspire the children of tomorrow to dream up a brighter future. Happily, they are responding to that call with a spate of new nature and environmental stories that use science as a springboard to create powerful children’s literature.
Read More...
The Mobile-Tensaw Delta: A Mysterious Wilderness
27/05/20 17:46
The Mobile-Tensaw Delta: A Mysterious Wilderness
A writer’s words vibrate to the changing tides of time, like leaves whispering in a gentle breeze, or whistling in gale, or roaring in a hurricane. The mounting death toll of Covid-19 plays on our emotions, evoking rage, horror, misery, and dread. Now more than ever, writers seek words to bring calm, delight, joy, and encouragement. For us, looking at pictures of our travels to fascinating places nearby and faraway, recalls happy memories and good feelings. So, I’m dedicating this blog about our trip to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, to you! (see Blog Eco Mysteries and Earth Day). And we’re dreaming about taking another trip to the delta when the pandemic, finally abates. Perhaps, you will join us.
Mobile River, Tensaw-Mobile Delta (Boris Datnow) Read More...
A writer’s words vibrate to the changing tides of time, like leaves whispering in a gentle breeze, or whistling in gale, or roaring in a hurricane. The mounting death toll of Covid-19 plays on our emotions, evoking rage, horror, misery, and dread. Now more than ever, writers seek words to bring calm, delight, joy, and encouragement. For us, looking at pictures of our travels to fascinating places nearby and faraway, recalls happy memories and good feelings. So, I’m dedicating this blog about our trip to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, to you! (see Blog Eco Mysteries and Earth Day). And we’re dreaming about taking another trip to the delta when the pandemic, finally abates. Perhaps, you will join us.
Mobile River, Tensaw-Mobile Delta (Boris Datnow) Read More...
Environmental Education Conference
25/02/18 13:10
Environmental Education Association of Alabama
Conference Dauphin Island, Alabama
Rivers to the Gulf, Flowing Home
February 22-24, 2018
EEAA Celebrates 30 Years!
Just as the cold and rainy spell transformed into sunny and pleasant spring weather, Boris and I left for the much anticipated 2018 EEAA Conference at Dauphin Island, Alabama. I’ve written this blog to share a taste of the varied, worthwhile, and fun experience. Read More...
Conference Dauphin Island, Alabama
Rivers to the Gulf, Flowing Home
February 22-24, 2018
EEAA Celebrates 30 Years!
Just as the cold and rainy spell transformed into sunny and pleasant spring weather, Boris and I left for the much anticipated 2018 EEAA Conference at Dauphin Island, Alabama. I’ve written this blog to share a taste of the varied, worthwhile, and fun experience. Read More...
Environmental Fiction Middle Grades YA
30/07/17 16:00
Environmental Fiction Educates Inspires
This compendium of resources for environmental educators will help to inspire kids—of all ages—to become knowledgeable and wise stewards of our precious natural resources. Eco-Fiction straddles a wide-range of genres including mysteries, thrillers, adventures and literary. In broad terms, it is fiction that highlights the vital relationship between humans and the natural environment on which they depend. I've focused on 3 questions, and included a selective list of environmental/ecofiction.
Read More...
This compendium of resources for environmental educators will help to inspire kids—of all ages—to become knowledgeable and wise stewards of our precious natural resources. Eco-Fiction straddles a wide-range of genres including mysteries, thrillers, adventures and literary. In broad terms, it is fiction that highlights the vital relationship between humans and the natural environment on which they depend. I've focused on 3 questions, and included a selective list of environmental/ecofiction.
Read More...