Indigenous communities in coastal Alaska are facing the impacts of climate change as rising sea levels and changing weather patterns threaten to disrupt and destroy entire villages. If coordinated relocation efforts are not successful, residents risk losing their community and their traditional lifestyle. Lesson plan with photo essay.

Civil war in Syria has contributed to an unprecedented global refugee crisis. The response from varying countries has been inconsistent, calling into question how our world community responds to the most basic human needs for safety, shelter, and security. Lesson plan with a short documentary film. (English and Spanish)

Students will uncover the importance of Native perspectives highlighted in five short films. Students watch films that follow individuals from five Native American Tribes across deserts, coastlines, forests, and prairies. The stories document the following traditions and their land management practices: Hopi dryland farming in Arizona, the restoration of buffalo on the Blackfeet reservation in Montana, sustainable forestry on the Menominee reservation in Wisconsin, the revival of Native food forests in Hawaii, and the return of prescribed fire to the landscape by the Karuk Tribe of California. Students will engage in learning experiences to explore the message of each story, the importance of Native perspectives, and how a deeper relationship to the earth is essential for the future of our planet and all of its inhabitants.

The significance of quilting in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, and its contribution to culture, art, and society. Students watch a film about five women quilters living in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, and explore the cultural significance of quilting and its connection to place. Students engage in learning experiences to consider the significance of the quilters’ lives, their art, and their relationship to Gee’s Bend, including the history of voter suppression in Alabama during the civil rights movement. (15 minutes film)

Rivers are woven into cultural history. With rising pollution and climate change, the health of many rivers around the world are in danger. In this article, author and Pulitzer prize-winning poet Robert Hass writes about the physical state of rivers around the globe. He points to the historical significance of rivers as well as to their cultural and environmental importance.

Millions of Syrian refugees are leaving their war-torn home in search of safety and opportunity in other countries. Those who have suffered the challenges of starting anew can have a powerful impact helping others resettle. Lesson plan with a short documentary film. (English and Spanish)

Local textile cultures called "fibersheds" offer an alternative to mass production by seeking to utilize regional agriculture, enhance ecological balance, and strengthen communities. This photo essay, which includes audio recordings, depicts life on Mimi Luebbermann's Windrush Farm in Chileno Valley, California, where she raises sheep and educates the public about wool and fiber arts.

This photo essay captures moments of faith and connection in one of the most culturally and religiously diverse populations in the world. Photos include the following: a Chinese Lunar New Year dance troupe, Christians crossing the Brooklyn Bridge during the Way of the Cross procession on Good Friday, Muslim men praying next to a taxi stand, a choir performing in Harlem, the Hindu celebration of Phagwah or Holi, preparations for the Palm Sunday procession of Episcopalians, and a reverend leading a congregation of homeless individuals in Harlem.

Coastal areas are drastically impacted by the effects of climate change. Communities are witnessing rising sea levels, stronger storms, and coastal erosion, forcing residents to leave their homes. Lesson plan with a short documentary film. (English and Spanish)