Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!

Clarissa Torres

8th Grade Science Teacher

Aloha everyone! I graduated with my Master of Arts in Teaching degree in 2022, and I am currently working on my Doctorate of Education Degree. I have been teaching since 2022, and I am eager to continue learning about ways to engage our students and have them make connections with real-world applications since learning does not stop when they leave the classroom. My passion for environmental science began last summer when I participated as a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad teacher fellow, and it is so important for our students to want to become passionate leaders in their community.

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan

Hawaiian Fishponds: Sustainability Lesson

In this lesson, students learn the connection between sustainability and survival, and the importance of Native Hawaiian sustainability practices.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students play a collaborative fishing game to explore the connection between sustainability and survival.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn about the term sustainability and about Native Hawaiian sustainability practices for survival by learning about Native Hawaiian fishponds.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students develop a presentation on their solution for overfishing based on the information that they learned about Native Hawaiian sustainability practices.
Grade 6-8
Subject Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Waste Management: Design Thinking Lesson

In this lesson, students explore the components of a landfill, focusing on how landfill liners prevent leaks and learning how solid waste is one of the causes of climate change.


Step 1 - Inquire: Students learn how long it takes for a plastic bottle to decompose and the importance of landfill design to protect groundwater.


Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn the components of landfill designs.


Step 3 - Inspire: Students experiment with different materials to find out which material is best at preventing water leakage and relate the experiment to landfill engineering.

Grade 6-8
Subject Engineering
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Invasive Species Prevention Science Lesson

In this lesson students learn how invasive species are detrimental to the ecosystem of native species and create a prevention poster.


Step 1 - Inquire: Students relate their knowledge about competition with competition among organisms within an ecosystem.


Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn how invasive species impact native species and biodiversity.


Step 3 - Inspire: Students develop a prevention poster describing how their invasive species was introduced into their community.

Grade 6-8
Subject Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan

Water Conservation Lesson
In this lesson, students learn about the importance of water conservation as it relates to a changing climate, create a timeline of Native Hawaiian sustainability practices, and promote a law to address water conservation in their community.


Step 1 - Inquire: Students learn about the importance of water conservation.


Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn where their drinking water comes from, calculate their water footprint, and learn about Native Hawaiian sustainability practices to conserve water.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students review past water conservation policies as inspiration for creating and promoting new conservation policies.
Grade 6-8
Subject Civics,English Language Arts
Resource Type Lesson Plan
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