Provided by: Climate Mental Health Network |Published on: September 27, 2023
Cultivates 21st Century SkillsActivity - Classroom Grades
Synopsis
This activity allows students to describe, draw, or color in their feelings about climate change in a climate emotions wheel and encourages them to share their feelings with others.
This activity is based on research from the University of Helsinki and is available in 15 different languages.
Share: This lesson plan is licensed under Creative Commons.
The blank activity sheet is provided in the resource and can be printed out for students to complete.
The wheel covers a wide array of relevant emotions.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should understand each emotion on the wheel, so define any words that your students are unfamiliar with.
There are links to Parent Resources, Creative Art Therapy ideas, and a Guide for Action and Self Care at the end.
Check in with students as they complete this activity and be aware that some students may need to talk with a guidance counselor or other trusted adult to process negative emotions.
Differentiation
This activity can fit within a larger unit on the impact climate change has on personal health.
Core Component 1: Cultivating Agency through Technology, Leadership Skills, and Multifaceted Literacies
Students will learn how to use their emotions to energize them towards climate action. For example, the guide suggests channeling outrage into climate action, which will lead them to feelings of pride or empowerment.
Core Component 2: Build Emotional Strength for Climate Advocacy
The guide provides students with prompts and guidance to work through emotions, recognize their purpose, and make them constructive. Students learn strategies for dealing with emotions. Students will identify their most common climate emotions and work through prompts to deal with them.
Core Component 3: Global Competence and Citizenship Development
Students are encouraged to seek out others to have conversations and find common ground. Students will understand that they are not alone in their climate emotions.
Teaching Tips
Standards
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.