Chancellor's Day Workshop: Environmental Action in Our Classrooms

On June 7, 2023, smoke from Canadian wildfires turned the air in New York City orange. The Air Quality Index reached 484, an all-time high, well over the “hazardous” threshold of 300. Teachers across the city were tasked with communicating the cause and implications of this new climate reality. 

Days before the third anniversary of this historic environmental event, the Museum will connect teachers throughout New York City with community groups and scientists to empower K-12 educators to teach the facts, impacts, and local stories of climate change to their students.

Community partners for this event include Hudson River Park, Green Map NYC, GrowNYC, South Bronx Unite, The Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, National Wildlife Federation, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Open NYC, and Subject to Climate.

At this event, teachers will:

• Enjoy complimentary breakfast and lunch with colleagues while engaging with climate-focused resources from community groups
• Hear from Dr. Christian Braneon from the NYC Panel on Climate Change about the local impacts of environmental shifts within our city
• Participate in hands-on and interactive breakout sessions led by teachers, collaborating institutions, and Museum staff to better understand climate change through a lens of environmental justice and civic action
• Explore and adapt culturally responsive and solution-based STEM activities and resources at the Museum to support teaching climate change in the classroom
• Gain applicable strategies for teaching climate education in urban environments