This unit, developed for a 12th grade International Issues course, uses a climate justice framework and an interdisciplinary approach to teach students about the intersections between colonialism, capitalism, and the climate crisis. Given that the climate crisis disproportionately impacts marginalized people, it is necessary to support students’ understanding of its causes and effects using the lenses of race, gender, political power, and economic power. It is also necessary to study and celebrate resistance to colonialism, capitalism, and the climate crisis. The three sections of this unit are organized around three themes of resistance: Planetary Survival, Another World is Possible, and Defunding the U.S. Military. Each theme centers Black Art, specifically film, sculpture, photography, and prints from the 20th and 21st centuries, as evidence of resistance. Through the use of historical sources, current events, and the art of Wanuri Kahiu, Maren Hassinger, LaToya Ruby Frazier, and Emory Douglas, students will analyze dominant and counter narratives throughout the unit and create their own Black Art and Climate Justice Museum Exhibit.
(Developed for International Issues, grade 12; recommended for Current Events, International Issues, and World History, grades 9-12)
