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Published
2026-09-10
Section
Middle Grades
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License
Copyright (c) 2026 Abbie Kaufenberg
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
A Case for Environmental Health in the Health Classroom
Abbie Kaufenberg
Keywords: Climate Crisis, Climate literacy, environmental health, wellness, mental health, nutrition
Abstract
The real-world impact of the climate crisis on our students’ physical and mental health makes climate health a critical topic for health programs to address. However, due to the amount of content already mandated in Minnesota’s health curriculum, teachers should look to interweave climate health topics into established lessons instead of incorporating them as a new, standalone unit. This article provides ideas on how to incorporate climate literacy into the health classroom.
Author Biography
Abbie Kaufenberg
Abbie Kaufenberg is currently a middle school health teacher. She has a Masters in Teaching from Hamline University, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota, and four teaching licenses from Hamline University, Bethel University, and the University of Saint Thomas. Abbie has taught PreK through 12th grade as a general elementary teacher, a French teacher, a physical education teacher, and a health teacher. Abbie has taught in traditional and non-traditional settings, including immersion and performing arts, urban Title 1 schools and suburban schools.
