Community Connections
Learn about the organizations featured in our Community Connections!
Community Connections are thirty-minute breaks during the Climate Champions Virtual Summit where local organizations will share resources and opportunities. Attendees will have the chance to select which organization they would like to learn more about and join them in a Zoom breakout room.
Session: A Conversation about Climate Justice, Environmental Justice, and Dismantling White Supremacy
Session times: 12:00-12:30pm
Join Dr. Chandler Purrity to explore how past history and current culture creates environmental racism and sacrifice zones, robbing people of their human rights. Discuss ways to counteract these old patterns and forge the path toward climate and environmental justice.
Session: Kelp Forest Exploration
Session times: 10:00-10:30am, 12:00-12:30pm
Join us as we virtually explore the kelp forest exhibit at Birch Aquarium. Get to know some of our amazing creatures while we play Kelp Forest BINGO and answer your questions!
Kelp Cam: https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/teachers/online-learning/kelp-cam-activities
Session: California Global Education Project Programs and Resources Supporting Climate Champions
Session times: 10:00-10:30am, 12:00-12:30pm
Contribute to a better world and capitalize on available resources & partnerships with the California Global Education Project! We’ll be sharing information about our Teaching for Sustainable Communities Institute, Global Book Bags program, and more in support of developing the “Climate Champion” in your students.
Session: Be The Change. Actions You Can Take.
Session times: 10:00-10:30am
Pick your favorite team, contest, challenge, project, activity or action and get started. CleanEarth4Kids.org 6 Teams: 1. Climate Action Plans, Renewable Energy, Sustainability 2. Protecting Public Lands, Forests and Wildlife, Planting Trees & Gardens 3. Protecting Clean Air & Stopping Sources of Air Pollution 4. Protecting Clean Drinking Water and Rivers, Streams, Oceans & Marine Mammals 5. Stopping toxic pesticides and chemicals at schools, parks, cities, states. 6. Reducing and Eliminating Plastics and working for Zero Waste. Racial, social, educational, climate, environmental justice, children’s health, public health, education & JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) are foundational to all we do. Empower, Listen, Lead, Educate, Communicate, Collaborate, Build, Create, Model, Refine, Problem Solve, Reflect, Improve, Grow, Achieve & Share. Be the Change. CleanEarth4Kids.org
Session: Climate Kids in the Community
Session times: 10:00-10:30am
Climate Kids is a series of community-based collaborative projects that provide youth education on climate change through science activities, storytelling, and art. Each Climate Kids project brings together local artists, scientists, educators, and storytellers to engage students of all socioeconomic levels and inspire them to become environmental stewards. Come learn about all of the resources we have available for K-12 formal and informal educators. Learn more at www.climatekids.org.
Session: Writing & Climate: Let’s Talk
Session times: 10:00-10:30am
Talk with teachers and San Diego Area Writing Project Director Kim Douillard about integrating climate into writing.
Session: Getting to the Heart of Climate Change
Session times: 8:30-9:00am, 10:00-10:30am, 12:00-12:30pm
Instilling in kids a love and respect for nature is the first step in talking about climate change. The San Diego Natural History Museum has a variety of virtual experiences to help inspire learners of all ages. Discover all The Nat’s resources and our growing partnership with Climate Science Alliance.
Session: Reading & Climate: Let’s Talk
Session times: 12:00-12:30pm
Talk with teachers and San Diego Reading and Literature Project Director Sarah Peterson about engaging students with climate through reading.
Session: Science & Climate: Let’s Talk
Session times: 12:00-12:30pm
Talk with science teachers and San Diego Science Project Director Kathryn Schulz about integrating climate into science class.
Session: ACCESS (Addressing Climate Change through Environmental Science and Social) Justice
Session times: 10:00-10:30am, 12:00-12:30pm
Scripps EDI Fellows, Lily and Carmen, will introduce the breakout room groups to ACCESS Justice, a series of community lectures open to the public that will take place starting this next fall. The goal of ACCESS Justice is to provide the opportunity for the research done by UCSD and Scripps faculty to frame climate issues, for local environmental justice organizations to show how they mitigate these issues, and give audience members ideas about what they can do to help their communities through “Calls to Action”. ACCESS Justice aims to elevate marginalized voices and perspectives and to hear the ideas and feedback of those in K-12 as well as community educators at the Climate Champions Virtual Summit.
Session: Middle and High School Virtual Field Trips and NOAA Digital Tools at the Tijuana Estuary
Session times: 10:00-10:30am
The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve in Imperial Beach is part of a system of 29 reserves under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Our weather and water quality monitoring data are available online with a graphing application for use in the classroom as well as the NOAA Digital Coast sea level rise viewer. California State Parks educators at the reserve have reached hundreds of middle and high school students with their climate focused Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS) programs that use these datasets. Education Coordinator Anne Marie Tipton will share these resources and how you can use them in your classroom.
Session: Math & Climate: Let’s Talk
Session times: 12:00-12:30pm
Talk with math teachers and UC San Diego Math Project Director Ovie Soto about integrating climate into math class.
Session (10:00-10:30am): Reconnecting with Ourselves through Journaling, Breathing, and Nature
Session (12:00-12:30pm): Explore SEL & Climate Action Resources via Social Media
Session times: 10:00-10:30am, 12:00-12:30pm
10:00am Session: We will begin and close with breathing exercises to reduce stress and encourage reflection. As we tune-in to an aquarium cam with Lo-Fi beats, we will explore journal prompts about reconnecting with ourselves amidst chaotic and distressing times.
12:00-12:30 Session: We will explore two Instagram profiles centered around social-emotional learning (SEL) and climate action. Then we will collectively brainstorm resources the group is aware of in these arenas. Finally, we will discuss any questions about SEL in and out of the classroom.
Session: Vegan Lifestyles
Session times: 10:00-10:30am
Join a conversation with Youth Leader Miranda Mendoza about how individual choices combined with communication strategies add up to collective impact.
Session: Youth4Climate: Discover Your Place in the Climate and Social Justice Movement
Session times: 10:00-10:30am, 12:00-12:30pm
10:00am Session: Join us to explore different avenues YOU can take to inspire climate action. What excites you? What skills and passions can you bring to the climate movement? Connect with our youth climate activists to discover concrete next steps to get you and the youth in your life into action. We welcome students, teachers, and adult allies!
12:00pm Session: In this session, we will envision a just, resilient, and sustainable future. Join our room to debrief and digest the climate justice panel with our youth climate activists. Map out some key actions you can take to bring these visions to life. Open to students, teachers, and adult allies!
Session: Climate Champions Youth Leaders in Action
Session times: 10:00-10:30am
Following the Keynote Youth Leader panel, speak with Bella, Kate, and Elea about their work with climate change. Ask any questions about their presentation!