Climate Justice in Your Classroom

Reviewed by Shanell Sanchez, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Southern Oregon University on 2/26/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is a resource for educators. I really liked how EDI focused they are and the wide range of topics. I found so much value including COVID examples.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Absolutely accurate!

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Up to date, even as recent as COVID. I can easily update.

Clarity rating: 5

This is written as an instructor resource and activities that are relevant for our students in upper division courses.

Consistency rating: 5

Yes, it uses recent terms and allows for explanation where needed.

Modularity rating: 5

Since this is more a resource with activities, absolutely!

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

It is organized exactly how they tell you it will be.

Interface rating: 5

I LOVE the interface! It is easy to use and not something that would distract.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any issues.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

EDI focus is stated at the beginning and shown throughout the book.

Reviewed by Brittany Blomberg, Affiliate Faculty, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 10/20/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This book is as described in the subtitle: “Weaving climate, environmental justice and civic engagement into your courses.” It does not stand alone as a resource, and is not very comprehensive in the subjects it covers. The book includes five lesson plans focusing on various subjects.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Appears accurate and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

The lesson plans are pretty specific in the scenarios they present. They could be relevant to a variety of courses. Many references to online supplements (some including links, some without); I worry some of these supplements may be harder to find after some time.

Clarity rating: 3

I personally found it a bit much to follow.

Consistency rating: 3

Each lesson plan is written by a different author(s), and thus is slightly different in its organization and thoroughness of content. Some lesson plans reference online supplements, but do not include links.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is very modular, with each lesson plan standing alone.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

For the most part, the text has an overall structure that each module attempts to align with. However, I don’t think it was as successful as it could be in terms of organization. While I appreciate the use of color in trying to organize and differentiate the lesson plan components, I don’t think it worked as intended.

Interface rating: 4

Figures and text are clear.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I did not notice any grammatical errors that obstruct understanding of the text. In some of the lesson plans, I find the overuse of bullet points can make the content less clear.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Broad range of cultural relevance, including examination of impacts on different races and ethnicities.

This text could be a helpful supplement for many earth science courses. It would serve primarily as an idea base for in-class activities, which is helpful. I appreciate the effort to weave together natural and social sciences, and think this text will be helpful for integrating environmental justice discussions and activities in the classroom.