Eco-Narratives

Lesson Plans

GradesK-12English Language Arts, Visual and Performing Arts

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation

Open Resource

What it is

In this lesson from the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation, students will write their own narrative stories about their experience with the environment and environmental issues.
Students will use these narratives to create, record, and publish multimedia presentations.

Teaching tips

Positives

Students will love working with multimedia components to create a final product that they can be proud of and look back on.
Using storytelling highlights students’ individual voices, which will help them feel connected to their learning.

Prerequisites

Students may benefit from the teacher modeling the writing of an eco-narrative or providing an example that was prepared ahead of time.
Teachers may want to introduce older students to environmental issues and environmental activists ahead of time so they can make connections to these topics in the discussion questions and in their narratives.

Differentiation & Implementation

Though the primary lesson is geared for older students, the lesson includes grade-level modifications throughout for PK-1
To make connections to climate change, teachers can ask that students highlight how climate change has impacted or will impact their eco-narratives.
Students may need extra time and support to familiarize themselves with multimedia tools, such as Canva.
Classrooms without one-to-one tech can have students use a low-tech approach by creating posters and presenting their stories to the class or for the teacher to record.

From the scientist review

This lesson helps students explore their relationship with nature, reflect on the connection between humans and the environment, and think about how we can work towards a sustainable future. These econarratives help people feel more connected to and invested in the environment, encouraging them to take care of it. The lesson includes suggestions for tailoring the activities to different grade levels, and the science content is universally applicable because students are discussing their own experiences. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.

How we review resources

Ready to use it?

Hosted on celfeducation.org

Open Resource

Want this to fit your class?

Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.

At a glance

Grades: K-12
Subjects: English Language Arts, Visual and Performing Arts
Other types: Videos, Activity - Classroom, Worksheets
Format: PDF, YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Earth
Provider: Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation
Authors: Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation
Published: January 27, 2026
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · MA:Cr2.1.2a + 5 more

Core

National Core Arts Standards

MA:Cr2.1.2aChoose ideas to create plans and models for media arts productions.

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub

Arts

A.A.Cr.1.eExplore studio skills, techniques, materials, tools, and elements and principles of art and design.

English Language Arts

W.1.6With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. Learn to produce writing through printing (including forming most printed upper- and lowercase letters), cursive, and/or typing.
W.4.8Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information and provide a list of sources.
W.6.2Write text in a variety of modes: a) Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons, relevant evidence, and literary theory; b) Write informative texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content; c) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective narrative techniques, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.9-10.3Create writing that utilizes: a) Organization: introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, analysis, information, and claims to make important connections and distinctions. Establish and maintain a structure and conventions consistent with the mode of writing. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the topic, themes, and experiences presented in the text; b) Transitions: use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts; c) Word Choice (including domain-specific): use culturally-sustaining language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. Use telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of thoughts, ideas, and experiences.

Cookie Preferences

What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

Ready to use it?

Want this to fit your class?

Related Teaching Resources