Featured in WBUR and The Boston Globe
Completed Events
Spring Forward has reached 3,200+ students and taught 200+ workshops across the country in less than 5 years!
Andover Climate Justice Workshop
April 23, 2024
New Spring Forward Member Ellie taught a workshop for Andover students. She led them through our Climate Justice Monopoly, allowing them to learn about climate justice and its social effects in a fun and interactive way!
Massachusetts Environmental Education Society (MEES) Conference
March 6, 2024
Spring Forward Heads Julia and Mina gave a presentation at the Massachusetts Environmental Education Symposium (MEES) Conference and spoke about Spring Forward's approach to Climate Education, with a focus on climate justice and systemic action. We had 40+ attendees at the event and the presentation was very recieved!
Fall Semester 2023
Presented at
NAAEE Conference in colloboration with MIT Climate Portal and Subject to Climate
Massachusetts Youth Climate Coalition Summit
CRSC Coalition
Merrimack College
Lessons at
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
Winsor Planet Protectors
International School of Los Angeles
Coming up...
Training for Mentoring New Teachers, training at the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society Conference, UMASS Boston Growing Women in Science partnership, lessons at the Park School, and more!
Policy Brief Publication
Out now!
Spring Forward published a policy brief in collaboration with the Woodwell Climate Research Center, which can be viewed here. The policy brief explains the debate of installing solar panels in place of trees, and the important considerations when making this decision. We hope that the brief will better inform policy around installing solar panels!
Spring Forward developed a letter template for students to use to reach out to their government officials. The template includes the contact information of relevent officials and explains the importance of maintaining and preserving forests. If interested, click on this link to access the document!
Workshop for Winsor Planet Protectors
December 1, 2023
Spring Forward Members Mina and Julia taught the Climate Justice Monopoly for Winsor School's Planet Protectors. Students learned about climate justice, engaged in the monopoly simulation, then reflected the significance of the game and its real-world implications.
North American Association for Environmental Education
October 19, 2023
Spring Forward members Mina and Julia presented at the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) about Spring Forward's work and our approach to climate education as youth. Their session was titled, "Integrating Climate Change into K-12 Education: Strategies and Collaboration," and they presented alongside Sylvia Scharf of MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative and Margaret Wang of Subject to Climate. Stay tuned for a recording of the presentation!
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Climate Solutions Showcase
May 10, 2023
Spring Forward members, Simone and Mina, enjoyed talks from national climate leaders and met several other organization heads from around the country. During the tabling portion of the event, they showcased the work of Spring Forward through their Climate Justice Monopoly, example lesson plan, and highlighted their partnerships work in news articles and policy briefs.
Presentation at the Winsor School
April 13, 2023
Spring Forward Members Mina, Julia, and Anaya presented at Winsor to talk about their work in Spring Forward and other climate organizations, like MYCC and CATE. They shared information about their projects and why they are interested in climate education. Winsor wrote an article about the presentation, which can be viewed here.
MA Environmental Education Society Conference Workshop
March 8, 2023
Spring Forward attended MEES's annual conference and facilitated a session on environmental justice education. 35 teachers attended Spring Forward's presentation and engaged in conversations around how to break out of the "traditional" teaching around solely nature, animals, and personal sustainability and instead tell the full(er) picture. Spring Forward emphasizes how people, communities, and systemic change need to be part of an interdisciplinary climate education.
Massachusetts Teachers Association CAN Conference Keynote and Workshop
January 28th, 2023
Spring Forward founders, Simone Colburn and Alice Fan, presented to over thirty teachers at the Massachusetts Teachers Association Climate Action Network Conference at UMass Lowell. They gave the conference's keynote presentation on movement building with teachers and students. They then led a workshop session on how to effectively teach about climate justice through Spring Forward's Climate Justice Monopoly lesson.
6th grade Belmont Climate Change 101 Workshops
October, 2022
Spring Forward led a workshop on Climate Change 101 for each of Belmont's Chenery Middle School's five 6th grade science classes reaching over 100 students. The students learned about climate justice, climate change in the media, and explored different types of change.
Cambridge Community Center workshop series
October - December 2022
Spring Forward led an eight week program at the Cambridge Community Center for fourth and fifth grade students. Throughout these eight weeks, the students explored what climate change is, who it affects, and most importantly the power they have to make a difference.
Students practiced persuasive letter writing to "people in power" about an issue important to them.
Northeast Cohort day of the International Climate Generation Summer Institute on Climate Education
July 22nd, 2022
Spring Forward led a training on how to teach about climate change for teachers at the Northeast Cohort day of the International Climate Generation Summer Institute. Spring Forward gave an hour-long training on how to effectively teach about climate change, justice, and action through telling the full story while empowering students.
Steadfast Solutions Summer Camp Workshop Series
July - August 2022
Spring Forward led a five week program at Steadfast Solution's two Boston sites, each with over twenty students. Throughout these five weeks, the students gained an understanding of the greenhouse effect, climate justice, and how they can make effective change.
At the end of the program, the students completed and presented their final projects to display what they had learned over the past five weeks!
Training for Peabody Essex Museum Staff
June 25th, 2022
Spring Forward led a training for staff working in the "Climate Action: Inspiring Change" Exhibition which will be available until June 2023. Staff learned more about how to explain the science behind climate change, climate justice, and about the importance of encouraging visitors to work towards systemic changes rather than individual change. We also discussed climate psychology and how visitors may be thinking about the crisis during the exhibition.
3 Climate Justice Activism Workshops For Winchester 6th Grade Classes
May 24th - 25th, 2022
Over 50 sixth graders in Winchester were introduced to the inequities climate change brings and how they can take action to change our system and fight for healthier air, land, water, and cities for everyone.
LILA International 6th grade Systemic vs Individual Change Workshop
April 12th, 2022
All 6th-grade students at LILA International School learned the difference between systemic and individual change. They investigated how individuals taking action for systemic change throughout history has been successful and how they can make collective and systemic change. At the end of the workshop, all the students practiced taking action for systemic change by beginning to write letters encouraging climate action.
Earth Day Workshop with Amigos 3rd Grade Class
April 10th, 2022
3rd graders at the Amigos School in Cambridge learned about the inspiring history of Earth Day, the science behind climate change, and how they can take systemic and collective action this Earth Day.
Climate in Media workshops with the Chenery School Five 6th grade classes
April 3rd, 2022
Spring Forward our climate in the media workshop for five 6th grade class at Belmont's Chenery School. The students learned about the power of media and how climate climate change is often framed in our media vs how the crisis should be framed.
Climate Justice Monopoly Workshop with Two Graham and Parks School 4th Grade Classes
March 22nd, 2022
Spring Forward led two in person workshops for 4th grade classes at the Graham and Parks school in Cambridge. The students had the opportunity to learn about climate change through playing Spring Forward's original climate justice monopoly. They came out of the workshop with many ideas about how unfair it is that people's wealth and location influence how affected people are by climate change.
Pierce School 5th grade class
March 1st, 2022
Spring Forward led a workshop for a 5th grade class at the Pierce School. The students learned more about climate justice and were excited to take some action!
Beaver School Social Justice Retreat
December 28th, 2021
Spring Forward partnered with Sunrise Cambridge to lead a workshop on climate justice activism for 3 classes of middle school students at the Beaver Country Day School's social justice retreat. The students were very engaged and really understood the general concepts of climate justice & systemic action by the end.
Pilot Teacher Training
January 8th, 2022
Spring Forward worked with Elders Climate Action to lead a pilot training for teachers and curriculum coordinators on how to teach about climate justice in an empowering way. 10 teachers attended and gave us feedback on how we can improve the workshop for a much larger training coming up in April.
Intro to Climate Change lesson for 1st graders at a Boston Public School
December 9th, 2021
Spring Forward led an intro to climate change lesson for 1st graders at a Boston Public School. The students had fun participating in a variety of activities which got them familiar with basic concepts surrounding climate change.
Climate Justice monopoly workshop at the Acton Boxborough Middle School
December 8th, 2021
Spring Forward led a climate justice workshop for the Acton Boborough Middle School. SF brought in original climate justice Monopoly boards for the students to play and learn about how climate change disproportionately affects frontline communities. The students were excited to play and understood how wealth, health, location, and identity based factors can effect how affected one is by the climate crisis.
Minni Space Deforestation Workshop
December 1st, 2021
Spring Forward led a deforestation workshop for the Minni Space's after school woodworking class. The kids made their own ecosystem of trees and then learned about how their ecosystem would be damaged by human activities causing deforestation. They also talked about how deforestation causes climate change which also hurts human's ecosystem. Then, the kids thought about ways we can restore the ecosystem such as using renewable energy and reusable products.
Trinity Climate Justice Discussion Workshop
November 21st, 2021
Spring Forward led a discussion on climate justice with Trinity's youth group. They began by watching a video and then discussing climate justice in school curriculums. Next, they talked about how climate justice is also a racial and systemic issue. The workshop wrapped up with thinking about local efforts being made to achieving climate justice in Boston.
ABRHS What Is Spring Forward
November 18th, 2021
Spring Forward presented to the Andover High School Environmental Club about what Spring Forward does, the importance of youth to youth education, our experience with environmental activism, and how to get involved in climate education.
YMCA Oceans Rising and Fast Fashion Workshop
November 10th and 17th, 2021
Spring Forward led an Oceans Rising Workshop for the Cambridge YMCA after school program. The students learned about why climate change makes the oceans rise and then completed an experiment investigating whether land or sea ice makes sea levels rise. Finally the students had a conversation about why oceans rising can be dangerous and what they can do to help stop it. The following week, we met with the kids again to talk about where their clothes come from, how it impacts the environment, and how they can help.
3 Health and Climate Change lessons with 3 Park School 5th grade class
November 3rd, 4th, and 9th, 2021
Spring Forward led 3 Health and Climate Change lessons for 3 fifth grade classes at the Park School. The students learned about how climate change affects people's health through a reporter activity on the Flint Michigan water crisis and then shifted to how people with pre-existing health conditions are disproportionately affected by climate change through a simulation activity.
Moses Youth Center Workshop Series
October - November, 2021
Spring Forward led a workshop series for Moses Youth Center where kids got an intro to climate change, learned about oceans rising, and talked about ways to make a difference. The kids had the opportunity to learn through hands on art and experiments.
Climate Change Program at Youth Development Organization
Every Wednesday from September 29th to October 27th, 2021
Spring Forward led a workshop series consisting of 7 workshops with a youth development organization in Andover. The students participated in a true/false on climate change activity, weather vs climate activity, greenhouse gas experiment, climate justice monopoly, renewable energy "shark tank, and an art build. The students not only gained an abundance of knowledge, but also had support in processing the information and thinking about how they can make a difference. The series will resume again in the spring!
Third Grade Park School Climate Justice Workshop
October 27th, 2021
Spring Forward led a climate justice workshops for a third grade class at the Park School. The students learned about how climate justice disproportionately affects frontline communities based on their wealth, health, location, and identity-based discrimination. The students participated in multiple activities and discussions.
2 Fifth Grade Winter Hill School Oceans Rising Workshops
.png)
October 15th and 22nd, 2021
Spring Forward led 2 Oceans Rising workshops for 2 fifth grade classes at the Winter Hill Elementary School. The students learned how to read weather maps which prove that temperatures are rising. They then connected these rising temperatures to oceans rising through a hands-on experiment. Finally, the students had a conversation about how they can help.
2 Second Grade Park School Intro To Climate Change Workshops
October 13th and 28th, 2021
Spring Forward led 2 intro to climate change workshops for 2 second grade classes at the Park School. The students learned about climate change and what they can do to make a difference.
Fast Fashion Workshop in Mucky Kids After School
September 30, 2021
Spring Forward led our Fast Fashion Workshop for Mucky Kids After School Program which was having a unit on Fiber Arts. The kids learned the life cycle of a shirt and how it uses so much energy that we get from burning fossil fuels. They then participated in a conversation on how to upcycle and discussed programs they can encourage their cities and schools to put in place to promote recycling clothing.
2 Workshops for Haggerty After School Program
September 22, 2021
Spring Forward led a what is weather? workshop for Pre-K and Kindergarteners and a Fast Fashion Workshop for first and second graders. The students learned through participating in games such as 4-corners and doing multiple hands on activities.
Mass Audubon Wild at Art Camp
July 29, 2021
Spring Forward led our intro to climate change workshop for Mass Audubon's Wild at Art Camp. The young campers very engaged and really enjoyed sharing their own knowledge about climate change as well. They loved working together to make a climate action tree poster at the end of the workshop.
Workshop for the SPELL Summer Program
July 22, 2021
Spring Forward led an oceans rising workshop for a rising 5th grade english language learners class in the SPELL Summer Program. The campers completed an activity which proved that temperature are rising and did a glaciers melting experiment.
Workshop for the Boston STEM Lab Camp
July 21, 2021
Spring Forward led our intro to climate change workshop for a very engaged small science camp: Boston STEM Lab. The young campers were excited to explore what climate change is and how they can make a difference.
Cambridge YMCA workshops
July 21 and July 28, 2021
Spring Forward led 2 intro to climate change workshops for the Cambridge YMCA summer program where the campers had a chance to learn about climate change and how they can make a difference. The workshop wrapped up with an awareness art activity where all the campers worked together to create a climate action tree sign. The following week, Spring Forward led 2 renewable energy workshops where campers made funny Mad Libs stories and created their own renewable energy vocab foldables.
Haggerty’s Strawberry Hill Camp Workshops
July 20, 2021
Spring Forward led an intro to climate change workshop for two Strawberry Hill Camp classes where the 20+ campers compared climate and weather and learned the ins and outs of climate change, including how they can make a difference with a tree awareness puzzle activity. Spring Forward also led a Science Behind Climate Change Workshop for older Strawberry Hill Camp campers. The campers proved there was climate change with a climate map activity and had the opportunity to create a climate picture book together.
Minni Camp Workshops
July 1, July 22, and August 26th 2021
Spring Forward led an intro to climate change workshop for the Minni Camp where the campers got a peek into many different topics of climate change and how they can make a difference. At the end of the workshop the 5-8 year old campers completed an art awareness activity involving coloring leaves to make a tree together. Spring Forward came back 2 more times Summer 2021 to lead fast fashion workshops involving bingo, picture posters, and a hands-on life cycle of a shirt activity!
2 Oceans Rising Workshops at Super Science Sampler Summer Camp
June 30 and August 9 2021
Spring Forward led two oceans rising workshops for Edge On Science's Super Science Sampler summer camp. The campers explored water expanding, glaciers melting, climate justice, and how they can make a difference through a hands on experiment, a four corners activity, and discussions.
Mucky Kids Camp Intro To Climate Change Workshop
June 30, 2021
Spring Forward led a workshop for the Mucky Kids Camp which introduced climate vs weather, how climate change happens, the effects of climate change, and how the campers can help stop climate change. At the end of the workshop the 5-7 year old campers completed an art awareness activity involving painting a tree branch and leaves. They also wrote letters to their principals and mayors about climate change.
Workshops at Munroe Center For The Arts Summer Camp
June 25 and July 2nd 2021
Spring Forward led a workshop on how climate change makes oceans rise and a workshop on deforestation for Munroe Center's summer camp. The 30+ campers learned about the science, climate justice, and how they can make a difference through a hands on experiments, a four corners activities, and discussions.
Tech and Climate Workshop
June 19, 2021
Spring Forward led a workshop on renewable energy for Tech Girls United's spring conference. The attendees learned about renewable and non-renewable energy and how engineers can make an impact. Attendees came out of the workshop with knowledge on the drawbacks of each type of energy and how we must strive to improve renewable energy to make it even more beneficial than it already is.
Sci4Teens Climate Change Bootcamp
June 6, 2021
Spring Forward led a "climate change bootcamp" to kick off Sci4Teen's climate article competition. Participants learned the ins and outs of climate science, about the effects of climate change, climate justice and its relation to renewable energy, and finally they had time to discuss, brainstorm, and meet their competition.
Teens and Tweens Cambridge Public Library Redlining Workshop
May 5th, 2021
Spring Forward led a redlining and climate workshop for the Cambridge Public Library's Teens and Tweens program. The students learned the ins and outs of redlining by comparing 1930s redlined maps with modern day heat maps, looking at the demographics and incomes of different areas and seeing how they match up with the old redlined maps, and participating a Game of Life inspired activity where they took part in valuable discussions. Finally, they got excited to take action to help the communities affected most by redlining.
Earth Week/April Break Workshops
90+
Sign ups
4
Workshops taught
4th
Session of SF Workshops
April 19th - 24th 2021
Spring Forward hosted a session of April Break climate workshops in honor of Earth Week where we taught four 60 minute workshops to elementary and middle students. The students learned about The Science Behind Climate Change through a map activity, climate policy through a letter writing activity, deforestation with a planting erosion project, and oceans rising with a hands-on science experiment.
NAV Garden For Girls Workshops
April 20th and May 4th, 2021
Spring Forward taught a climate change 101 workshop and a climate justice monopoly workshop for our partners, NAV Garden For Girls, program reaching over 20 young girls in Chicago. They learned all about what climate change is, it's effects, climate justice, and how they can help!
Cub Scouts Intro to Climate Change Workshop
April 19th, 2021
Spring Forward led an intro to climate change workshop for a Cub Scouts group made up of 5 and 6 year olds. They enjoyed sharing what their weather outside was and how it was different than climate, learned about the effects of climate change, and most importantly were excited to take action to help stop climate change and create a better world.
7 Third Grade Earth Day Workshops
April 13th - 16th 2021
Spring Forward taught Earth Day workshops at the King Open School, Amigos School, Andover High plain school, and Sanborn School teaching over 100 third grade students about the history of Earth Day, what creates climate change with discussion and a diagram drawing activity, the effects of climate change, and finally how they can participate in celebrating Earth Day by taking action.
Greenhouse Effect Diagrams
3 6th grade Redlining and Climate Workshops at the Lycee International Los Angeles School
April 15th, 2021
Spring Forward taught redlining and climate workshops to three 6th grade classes at the Lycee International Los Angeles School. Two of the workshops were taught completely in person and one was over Google Meets. The students made the connection redlined areas and which places are the hottest and most polluted today. They took part in discussions and activities to further think about the connections between redlining and climate and finally wrapped up with ways they can help.
7th and 8th Grade Boston Union School Climate Justice Activism Workshops
April 9th, 2021
Spring Forward taught 2 climate justice activism workshops to almost 50 students in two 7th and 8th grade classes at the Boston Union School. The students reviewed what climate inequity is and what climate justice is so they could understand what we're striving for and it's importance. They were able to explore different types of change, learn Spring Forward member's journeys being youth activists, and were provided with next steps to getting involved.
3 Climate Justice Monopoly 4th Grade
Classes at Graham and Parks School
March 26th, April 1st, April 7th 2021
Spring Forward led an original climate justice activity based off the board game, Monopoly, in three different Graham and Parks School 4th grade classes. The students shared what they knew about climate and justice and then were able to put the terms together to form their own definition of climate justice. Next, they played Spring Forward's climate justice monopoly board game which demonstrated how wealth, location, and health can lead to people being more or less affected by climate change. Throughout the game students participated in meaningful discussion and they came out of the lesson with their own opinions on climate justice.
Thanks SO much! What a great program. You two are pros!
I want to join my voice to my students and really thank you for your great work with us. I feel that the students really learned a few things about social justice and climate change. I also feel that the students had a great opportunity in meeting you and learning how to play Monopoly. Many, many thanks from all the class of SEI 4th grade.
- Graham and Parks 4th Grade teachers
Kidpass Livestage Workshops
February 22nd 2021 and March 18th 2021
Spring Forward taught two forty minute Kidpass live stage workshops reaching 30 preschool and elementary school students. The attendees participated in a true or false activity, learned all about the greenhouse effect with a diagram art activity, and explored different ways that they could make a difference by taking action.
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Elders and Youth Collaboration Panel
March 15th 2021
Two Spring Forward members participated in a panel organized by Elders Climate Action discussing how elders and youth can work together to stop climate change and create climate justice. On the panel, Sunrise Movement, CREW, and ECA members all shared their opinions on how different generations can join forces. Although challenges can come up in elder and youth workspaces such as adultism or uncontrolled blame on the elders, Spring Forward members discussed how we can overcome these obstacles and collaborate, all bringing in our different ideas, experience, and perspective.
February Break Workshops
100+
Sign ups
4
Workshops taught
3rd
Session of Spring Forward workshops
February 15th - 20th 2021
Spring Forward hosted a session of February break climate workshops where we taught four 60-minute workshops to over 35 engaged elementary and middle students. The students learned about fast fashion through an arts and crafts project, how they can take action to help stop climate change, the ins and outs of renewable energy, and how redlining relates to climate justice through a unique board game based on The Game Of Life.
Eco Circle International Fellowship
January 9th 2021
Spring Forward taught a 60 minute lesson to high school students in the Eco Circle International fellowship where we talked about why there is so much resistance to addressing climate change. We discussed how climate psychology can make people distance themselves from the issue and how we can frame climate change in a way where people are more susceptible to the topic. Next we went over how the initial cost of eliminating fossil fuels can stop us from going net zero but in reality, renewable energy is more profitable in the long run. Finally we discussed how the politicization of climate change can contribute to climate action resistance.
CREW Panel
November 20th 2020
Two Spring Forward members participated in CREW's communication on climate change panel. They discussed how to have productive conversations on climate change and their experience with climate change education in schools and with children.
Watch the panel
Lesson For 4th Grade Class at The Lawrence School
November 24th 2020
Spring Forward taught a 60 minute how to help stop climate change lesson for a fourth grade class at Brookline's Lawrence School. Students learned the difference between systemic and individual change, asked insightful questions, made a plan of actions they are going to take and how they will complete the actions, and learned about how to write a letter about taking climate action to a person in power.
YWCA Cambridge
November 10th 2020
Spring Forward taught a lesson on climate justice and climate policy to ten YWCA members on November 11th. Students had lively discussions and made a plan to take systemic climate actions.
We really enjoyed having you and learned so much. Overall everyone was really impressed and it was a great introduction and also refresh on Climate Justice. And the best part was getting to see you in action and be youth activists fighting for climate change and educating adults and youth. One of our scholars who does a lot of climate action work said they really liked being able to hear how you present and how you describe everything.
- YWCA organizer
Hebrew School Lesson
November 1st 2020
"Spring Forward's presentation brought an incredible amount of energy and creativity to teaching about Climate Change to our second graders. I loved the games and interactive nature of the workshop."
- Hebrew School teacher, Rachel
Spring Forward taught a lesson to second grade Hebrew School students at Beth El on November 1st. Students learned the differences between climate and weather through a creative pattern game, explored what causes climate change and the effects of climate change, and learned about how they can take action to stop climate change.
October Activity Workshops
Introduction To Climate Change
11 students attended our lesson to learn about the basic of climate change a greenhouse effect poster making activity and a guided mini debate.
How YOU Can Help
9 students learned ways they can help stop climate change through a broken telephone game and an activity involving making a story together.
Oceans Rising
8 students learned about oceans rising through a trivia bingo game and an erosion experiment using candy and water.
Climate Policy
Students learned about the importance of climate policy through a role playing activity exploring climate policy in different states and categories game.
Fast Fashion
11 students learned about the damages of fast fashion and ways to stop fast fashion through a word hunt game and transforming an old shirt arts and crafts.
Climate Change Overview
4 students attended our final October workshop to review all aspects of climate change through Jeopardy and Kahoot.
 |  |  |
|---|
Girl Scouts Eastern MA
October 24th 2020
Spring Forward taught a 45 minute lesson for 23 girl scouts in fourth and fifth grade. Students pretended to be governor, learned about the Renewable energy bill, and voted on whether to pass or veto the bill. Next they discussed systemic vs individual change and explored how even without being a government official, they can make an impact by influencing people who may have different opinions. Finally, the scouts learned about how to take action right then by writing a letter urging a politician to take action on a subject of importance to them. We provided the scouts with a letter template for them to use after the lesson.
Newton Climate and Racial Justice March
Spring Forward tabled at a climate and racial justice march in Newton, MA. We believe climate and racial justice go hand in hand in working towards a more just and equitable future for all.
Shady Hill Middle School Assembly
October 13th, 2020
Spring Forward completed a virtual event for over 230 middle school students at the Shady Hill School. Students learned about climate justice, listened to unique stories of high school students on the frontlines in MA, discussed the way media portrays the climate crisis, and thought about ways to take action.
Fayerweather Street School
October 6th 2020
Spring Forward taught an online climate justice and climate lesson to 40 seventh and eighth graders at the Fayerweather school. Students explored how wealth, health, and location can affect how hurt people are by the affects of climate change by thinking about different scenarios, looked deeper into why discrimination can affect people's wealth, health, and location, learned about climate policy, and finally discussed systemic and individual action through looking at a school setting which they could relate to. Students came out of the lesson with a plan to take systemic action to help stop climate change while addressing climate justice.
The Day For Tomorrow
The Day For Tomorrow on October 4th is an online event hosted by Sustain Our Abilities, an organization composed of a group of volunteer health professionals from around the world seeking to provide free resources and education for people living with disabilities. This year, Spring Forward collaborated with SOA on The Day For Tomorrow to give an interactive workshop outlining the connections between health and climate.
Health + Climate Workshop
Spring Forward taught a one hour interactive health and climate workshop for students ages 7 - 13 on The Day For Tomorrow.
Students used our worksheet to help make the workshop interactive and fun!
Summer 2020 Workshops
Climate Change 101
June 24th
27 students learned the basics of climate change through many interactive activities and different types of information sources.
Deforestation
July 11th
13 students learned about deforestation, its affects, and how trees are a crucial part of keeping the earth and people safe. Next students saw how deforestation stops erosion through an activity involving growing and observing plants.
Renewable Energy
August 17th
23 students learned about "clean and dirty" energy, investigating the benefits and drawbacks. Finally, students created a pitch for their favorite type of energy.
Science behind Climate Change
June 27th
15 students investigated weather maps, had conversations about the world around us, and learned about the greenhouse effect through creating a picture book together.
Oceans Rising
August 3rd
22 students did a quick experiment demonstrating the differences land and sea ice have on sea level when they melt. They also learned who is hurt most by oceans rising and why.
Climate Justice Monopoly
August 19th
11 students examined how different communities are disproportionately affected by climate change through a unique monopoly simulation.
Climate Justice
July 8th
23 students investigated what factors go into who is affected most by climate change with a scenario activity. Next students took it a step further by thinking about how discrimination in our society makes people hurt more by the effects of climate change.
How YOU Can Help
August 5th
13 students reviewed the difference between individual and systemic change through a picture book, discussions, and a sorting activity. Next students dove into how they will strive to make a difference.
Ligerbots Camp
Spring Forward taught third and fourth graders at two sessions of cAMP, a youth-run summer camp held by the "LigerBots", Newton North and South's high school robotics team. Each session includes six one hour lessons on climate change across a span of two weeks. The lessons were learned through hands-on experiments, interactive activities, art builds, and stories. The students left each session as experts on the science behind climate change, oceans rising, deforestation, climate justice, and how they can help.
Graduation!
Spring Forward Ligerbots campers made their own creative graduation caps to celebrate a fun week full of activities, experiments, and learning about climate change and climate justice.
We are looking forward to seeing how these campers use their knowledge to take action and make a difference in the world.
Little Explorers Camp
On September 3rd 2020 Spring Forward partnered with little explorers camp to teach a 40 minute lesson for five and six year olds. They learned the difference between climate and weather through a pattern making activity, thought about the key concepts of climate change through a true and false activity, and explored the meaning, causes, and effects of climate change.