My nephew is a science nerd. He collects facts about climate change and uses them to convince other family members to reduce, reuse, and recycle. He holds us accountable when we forget to carry a reusable water bottle. He encourages us to walk to nearby places rather than drive.
Climate change affects people of all ages. Environmental science units in school provide kids with some information and suggest ways to respond. But kids may see themselves as powerless to make a real difference, especially once they pass the unit test and move to another topic. Or they may not stop to connect science facts with responsible personal and community practices.
Invite children to pause and reflect personally on the issue of ‘climate change’ with this guided meditation recording, or listen to the recording yourself and then use the transcript to guide children in the practice.
Transcript
Find a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes. (pause)
Take a deep breath (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Deep breath (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Once more, breathe in (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Imagine you and a friend are walking around a city. (pause) You feel the hot sun beating down on you. (pause) You spot a bank sign that says the temperature is 102. (pause) You look around for a shady spot but don’t see any trees. There’s just concrete and asphalt. (pause) You wish it would start raining so you could cool off a little. (pause)
You hear a car with a very noisy engine go by. (pause) As it passes, a cloud of gray exhaust bellows out. (pause) It smells stinky and tickles your throat. (pause) Your friend, who has asthma, begins coughing. (pause) You wonder how bad the air quality is today. (pause)
You continue walking and see an overflowing sewer. (pause) There are plastic water bottles and other trash blocking the drain. How many bottles can you count? (pause) You wonder how much stuff is thrown away every day. (pause)
Near the end of your walk, you see some people holding signs that say “Save our Earth”. (pause) You walk over to them. (pause) They tell you that pollution and trash are hurting the environment. (pause) They ask how you will help fight climate change. What do you say to them? (pause) How would you like to help? (pause)
Take a deep breath (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Open your eyes when you are ready.
Comments