On a warm September day while our class plays outside, my coteacher notices two monarch caterpillars. We decide to take this opportunity to raise them with our class for the purpose of tagging and releasing them for their fall migration to Mexico. Over four weeks, children make observational drawings, engage in creative writing, act out the life cycle of the butterflies, and look at migration maps.
Soon, we have two healthy monarch butterflies to release. We place small, numbered tags on the butterflies’ wings so that scientists can study their migration habits. If our butterflies are observed along the way or at their destination, our numbered tag will tell researchers where they came from!
Our curious children wonder why scientists are tracking monarchs, and we share that one reason is because their numbers are declining. Keeping the focus local, we explain that in New England, where our school is based, an invasive plant called black swallow-wort confuses monarchs. The butterflies mistakenly lay their eggs on the leaves, which can’ t be eaten by the caterpillars.
After the butterflies are released, my coteacher and I congratulate ourselves on the end of a successful unit on butterflies. The children learned about life cycles, diet, and migration— all while engaging in literacy, math, art, and science activities. Yet each day as the class heads out for our walk, the children ask me,“ What about the butterflies? We have to protect them. We need to get rid of the black swallow-wort.”
We( the authors) are full-time environmental educators at Mass Audubon, the largest nature-based conservation organization in New England. Founded in 1896 by two women who fought for the protection of birds, Mass Audubon carries on their legacy by focusing on the loss of biodiversity, inequitable access to nature, and climate change. As part of this mission, the organization engages in efforts to give Massachusetts residents and visitors of all ages access to experiences that enhance their appreciation of nature and awareness of environmental issues. We teach both students and educators about nature, with a consistent thread of climate literacy( the ability to understand our influence on climate and the climate’ s influence on us and society) woven throughout( NAAEE 2025).
In this article, we share the experiences that Rina( the first author) and her coteacher had at Mass Audubon’ s Drumlin Farm Community Preschool. As their work unfolded, Jennifer( the second author) contributed her knowledge and experience about teaching climate literacy to children and teachers, pre-K to high school. We discuss how a child-driven curriculum can engage children in climate-related discussions and motivate action; in our case, the children’ s desire to eradicate black swallow-wort. We end with ways that readers can apply what we have learned to their own settings.
Following Children’ s Interests: Small Steps Add Up
When Mass Audubon made the commitment to incorporate climate literacy for all ages, we came to realize that children’ s interest in and love of nature created opportunities for them to learn about how to protect it. As children became passionate about the monarch butterflies, we saw an opportunity to investigate an ecological problem: The introduction of invasive species, or non-native plants and animals, into our community’ s ecosystem.
Many early childhood educators avoid sharing information about environmental problems with children for fear it will be overwhelming. In a study about teaching young children about climate change, researchers found that most US schools wait until primary and secondary grades to introduce the topic. The most common reason cited is the perception that climate and sustainability issues are too scary or sad for children to grapple with( Ginsburg & Audley 2020).
However, early childhood educators can take a different approach and recognize that children may be aware of climate change and its negative effects. Indeed, children’ s abilities to absorb information, form attitudes, and engage in conversations can raise awareness about the climate and foster positive change( Spiteri 2023).
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