Threading Climate Justice, an Equity Ethic, and Systems Thinking Through a General Chemistry Course part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Using a series of case studies incorporated into lectures, activities, and laboratory sessions, I thread climate justice throughout the first quarter of General Chemistry. Case studies highlight social justice issues exacerbated by the climate crisis, which humanizes abstract chemistry content and engages students with an equity ethic. For some case studies, students use systems thinking to identify the compositions and phases of matter present in real-world environments and contexts.

Spatial Inequities of Heat Impacts in Portland Oregon: Examining Climate Justice Solutions through Civic Engagement in Environmental Science part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
This environmental science project introduces students to inequities caused by climate change, specifically how redlined neighborhoods in cities experience disproportionately higher temperatures than other areas of the city. Students explore ways that this climate justice issue can be addressed, with a focus on tree planting, and engage civically through public outreach by designing and creating buttons used as a conversation starter to share what they've learned with their community.

Bridging Computer Science and Sustainable Transportation for an Equitable Green Future part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities

Systems Thinking and Civic Engagement for Climate Justice in General Chemistry: CO2 and PM 2.5 Pollution from Coal Combustion part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Students apply chemistry to a climate justice case study using a systems thinking perspective in class and discuss the connections between chemistry and climate justice in a conversation with a community outside of the classroom for civic engagement. The instructor offers formative feedback during class time and in response to discussion posts. Feedback is meant to build understanding and application of concepts important to learning chemistry within a systems thinking context and using civic engagement to communicate how chemistry relates to climate justice.

Climate Justice and Health Impacts of Methane (so-called Natural Gas) in General or Introductory Chemistry part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
In this activity, students explore the chemical forms of methane (CH4), learn about the various sources and uses of methane, and gain knowledge of human health impacts and the disproportionate impact of extraction pollution on poor and racialized communities. They also connect the social justice impacts of methane to methane chemistry and exercises in the classroom.

Afghan Poppies, Climate Change and US Heroin: Thinking Systemically About Us and Them part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
This very simple contemplative exercise is rooted in my "Person/Planet Politics" approach, which invites students to into an experiential relationship with a global socioecological phenomenon: in this instance, Afghan poppy production. It can be adapted to a range of courses and a range of topics within those courses. The basic question is: "Who am I in relation to this?"

Environmental Justice in Tacoma: A Non-Majors Qualitative Assessment of Pollution and Public Policy in the Local Community part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
This activity is designed to get non-environmental majors to qualitatively examine their own community for evidence of environmental injustice. Using a mix of evidence from online sources (U.S. Census, EnviroMapper, Toxic Release Inventory, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, etc.) and field observations, student groups describe the population and pollution sources found within an assigned elementary school district in Tacoma.

Migration: An Empathy Exercise part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Migration: An Empathy Exercise is a multi-step reflective exercise designed to build empathy and personal insight into processes of loss, change, and reconnection associated with the disruption of personal and cultural connections to landscape.

What is the West? part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
What is the West? is a written reflective exercise, with associated readings and discussion, designed to 1) build insight into how personal experiences shape our perception of landscapes, 2) enhance knowledge of the geography and ecology of the American West, and 3) illuminate the role of water (or lack of water) in the natural and cultural history of the American West.

Investigating Local Food: Meet Your Washington Farmers part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
This assignment sequence seeks to stimulate students' thinking and writing about food production in the western Washington bioregion through a series of activities combining readings, class discussion, fieldwork, and writing assignments. Collaborative work in and outside of class culminates in students' interviewing local farmers and vendors at farmers markets and writing a surprising informative essay.