This abstract demonstrates how to start engaging students in learning, addressing, and taking action on climate change.

Educators tend to take a passive approach to teaching about climate change and environmental justice. Zachary Herrmann and Taylor Hausburg share five strategies for meaningful project-based learning drawn from their work with over 100 educators from 20 countries. These practices can give students meaningful opportunities to problem-solve in their communities and inspire future environmental work.

Well-designed project-based learning helps students learn about climate change while developing interventions to address it.

To help teachers get started, our team at the Penn Graduate School of Education Center for Professional Learning is partnering with educators across the globe to create transformative learning experiences tied to climate justice. In August 2022, we launched a professional learning program, called Project-Based Learning for Global Climate Justice, that virtually convened over 100 educators from 20 countries. These educators learned about issues of global climate justice and engaged in a workshop where they designed projects for their schools and communities. Throughout the fall, many of these educators convened in virtual small groups we facilitate to support each other as they implemented projects with their students. Through this program, educators are demonstrating how to do this challenging work well and how impactful it can be.

—Zachary Herrmann and Taylor Hausburg