Describes the journey of two researchers to learn about climate change and support literacy pedagogy for young children. The authors argue that climate change and social justice are inextricable from each other; that children in the younger grades are capable of learning about climate change; and that literacy study is suited to this work.

Contents Foreword  Carla Shalaby  xi Preface  xiii Content and Organization of the Book  xvJumping Into the Work  xvi Acknowledgments   xvii 1.  Being of Use: Teaching Children About Climate Change Through Literacy  1 The Imperative to Address Climate Change as an Issue of Justice  2Why Children and Elementary Teachers  4Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy With Children  5Seeds and Roots: Our Yearlong Climate Justice Inquiry Group  7 2.  Lighting Our Way: Anchoring Themes for a Literature-Rich Climate Curriculum That Centers Diverse Books  11 Anchoring Themes for a Literature-Rich Climate Curriculum  13Anchoring Theme 1: Interconnectivity  14Anchoring Theme 2: Relationality  20Children's Literature Can Root Explorations of the Anchoring Themes  27 3.  Starting Small: Growing Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy by Enhancing Existing Curricula  31 Making Space  32Textual Entry Point  33Skills, Strategies, and Practices Entry Point  37Topical Entry Point  42Place-Based Entry Point  44Starting Small Plants Seeds  46 4.  Going Big: Growing Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy Through Unit Design  49 Principles for Designing Literacy Units About Climate Change  50Exemplar Units From Pre-K to Teacher Education  62Tips and Tools to Support Literacy Climate Unit Design  69 5.  Embracing Feelings: The Importance of an Emotionally Affirming Stance in Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy  73 Big Feelings to Anticipate During Climate Education  74Lessons From Trauma-Informed and Healing-Centered Pedagogies  75Starting With Inner Work: Educators Making Space to Feel and Engage in Meaning-Focused Coping  77Classroom Practices to Support Emotionally Affirming Reading and Writing About Climate Change  79Embracing Feelings Prepares Us for Sustained Action  92 6.  Nourishing Our Hearts: The Promise of the Arts in Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy  95 Roles of the Arts in Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogy  96Examples of Various Art Forms From Literacy-Based Climate Pedagogies Used With Elementary Teachers and Children  101Sustainable Art-Making  109Arts Nourish Our Hearts  110 7.  We Are Not Alone: How Elementary Teachers Can Take Action Now to Cultivate Sustainable Futures  113 Growing Meaningful Literacy Pedagogy  114Cultivating Connections and Meaningful Professional Learning  118Caring for Each Other, Our Profession, and Our World When Our House Is on Fire  122 References  127 Children's and Young Adult Literature  140 Index  143 About the Authors  153