{"id":6312,"date":"2023-05-24T11:01:50","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T11:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gng.org\/?p=6312"},"modified":"2026-05-13T11:04:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T11:04:17","slug":"global-nomads-group-interns-create-environmental-justice-curriculum-for-california-7th-graders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gng.org\/ar\/2023\/05\/24\/global-nomads-group-interns-create-environmental-justice-curriculum-for-california-7th-graders\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Nomads Group Interns Create Environmental Justice Curriculum for California 7th Graders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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33 youth.<\/strong><\/p>\n

17 countries.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 course.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Global Nomads Group\u2019s 2023 Content Creation Lab<\/a> (CCL) cohort, in partnership with Ten Strands<\/a>, is developing an inquiry-based curricular unit on land subsidence and climate change with an environmental justice focus. Our youth-led internship program aims to create an inclusive curriculum for seventh grade classrooms in California, potentially benefiting 400,000 middle school students annually. Among the seven design teams Ten Strands is working with, Global Nomads Group is the only youth-led design team participating in the curriculum development program with a large number of the interns in middle school themselves.<\/p>\n

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Innovative Environmental Curriculum<\/b><\/p>\n

The curriculum\u2019s focus on land subsidence and climate change with an environmental justice lens is crucial. It enables students to understand the impacts of human activities on the environment and the social implications of climate change while providing a platform to explore solutions to environmental issues, including sustainable agriculture and community resilience.<\/p>\n

Specifically centered in California\u2019s Central Valley, the learning unit is gamified (resembling a game) and communicated through an illustrated character that provides essential information and resources for students to answer the essential question of the unit: Why is the Central Valley sinking and what can be done about it? The curriculum also highlights the impact of colonization, Tulare Lake (known as the \u201cphantom lake\u201d), and the potential for food shortages to help students understand the interconnectedness between social and environmental issues.<\/p>\n

Empowering Youth Voices<\/b><\/p>\n

During their term, Global Nomads Group\u2019s interns have quickly seen the differences between being a student and a content creator. They were introduced to backwards mapping, also known as backward design, a curriculum development approach created by educational advocate Grant Wiggins. Starting with big ideas and essential questions leading to desired learning outcomes, the interns worked backwards to create instructional plans and assessments aligning with those outcomes. This innovative approach ensures that the instructional components are tailored to specific learning goals while also being purposeful and meaningful for students.<\/p>\n

With an investigative approach, our interns are creating a dynamic, interactive, and engaging learning experience. Throughout the first half of the internship, they have made significant progress towards creating the learning unit: conducting extensive research, delving into environmental justice issues, and identifying resources in response to potential student questions throughout the unit.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s like a reversal of roles. As a student I ask myself often about why we\u2019re learning something. As a content creator, I know every aspect of the journey and I know the real life consequences of the information we\u2019re including in the curriculum. I enjoy having control over the information given and hope other students will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making the curriculum,”<\/p>\n