Environmental Justice, Advocating for Equitable Access to a Healthy Environment Lesson Plan

Learning Objective

Students will understand the concept of environmental justice and its importance in ensuring equal access to a healthy environment for all. Students will learn how to create animated gifs using Brush Ninja.

Materials

• Devices with internet access for each student or group of students.
• Paper and colored pencils/markers (optional).
• Brush Ninja website.

Procedure

Introduction

• Begin by asking students if they know what the term “environmental justice” means.
• Engage them in a short discussion about why it is important for everyone to have equal access to a healthy environment.
• Show examples and discuss situations where communities may face environmental injustices (e.g., pollution, lack of green spaces).

Animated Gif Demonstration

• Introduce Brush Ninja as a tool that allows us to create animated gifs.
• Demonstrate how to use Brush Ninja by creating a simple animated gif related to the theme of environmental justice. For example, an animation showing polluted air transforming into clean air or trees growing in concrete-filled areas.

Guided Practice: Creating Environmental Justice Gifs

• Divide students into pairs or small groups.
• Instruct each group to brainstorm an idea for an animated gif that promotes environmental justice or highlights issues related to equitable access to a healthy environment.
• Provide time for students to create their gifs using Brush Ninja. They can draw their frames on paper first and then transfer them onto the digital platform if preferred.

Presentation and Discussion

• Give each group an opportunity to present their animated gifs.
• Encourage them to explain the message behind their creation and how it relates to environmental justice.
• Facilitate a class discussion on the various ideas and messages presented, allowing students to share their thoughts and respond to each other’s work.

Assessment

• Observe students’ engagement and participation during discussions and group work.
• Assess students’ understanding of environmental justice through their ability to explain the message behind their animated gifs.

Extension

• Have students write a short paragraph or create a poster explaining why they believe environmental justice is important.
• Encourage them to research real-life examples of environmental justice issues in their local community or globally and present their findings to the class.
• Explore other creative ways to advocate for environmental justice, such as creating comics or writing persuasive letters.

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