Author Discusses Environmental Conservation with 2nd Grade

The 2nd graders have been engaged in a reading unit focused on nonfiction and collaborative research in groups, as well as a writing unit centered on persuasive writing. Both units were tied to the theme of environmental conservation. Each student group studied a specific biome (desert, tundra, rainforest, grassland or ocean) and collaborated to create infographics that communicated:

We invited author Suzanne Slade, a children’s book creator who specializes in nonfiction, with many of her works emphasizing environmental conservation. We hoped students would learn from an author skilled in using various literary techniques to both inform and persuade.

Slade shared that she often chooses an approach based on what will be most impactful for the topic and audience. For example, in her book The Soda Bottle School, she chose to tell the story from the perspective of one boy in the village to help young readers connect with the issue of plastic pollution. Her goal was to personalize the problem and show how a child could be a catalyst for change—hopefully inspiring students to become changemakers themselves.

As a culminating activity, the 2nd grade participated in a morning of community action to help clean up the Great Lakes!

Click here for photos.