This storm was/is such a huge event. My mind can’t help but think of all the ways this connects to an environmental science class curriculum. Weather, climate change, surface water, land use, agriculture, environmental justice, environmental racism... there’s just so much to unpack from the societal, economic, and environmental standpoints. I want to say that I’m sad that I don’t get to teach rich engaging lessons about this, but that’s not exactly what it would’ve looked like. I would’ve thought of a bunch of ideas and stressed for a while about how to incorporate them into lessons I already had, and I’d probably end up with maybe one more activity from it. In an ideal world, I’d have made an engaging, interdisciplinary, place-based project that would’ve facilitated the kids thinking critically about environmental issues in our society and becoming better citizens. In reality, I would’ve been tired, overwhelmed by all the other logistical work that goes into teaching, and emotionally exhausted after plenty of hard days, especially one of flooded roads, a tornado drill, and school that should have been cancelled but wasn’t. It’s hard to not idealize the past and hold my past self to a standard she couldn’t reach, so it’s easier to call it out and think it through and move on. I now have to learn how to think about all of these impacts in my own head without immediately trying to think up a project or lesson. I look forward to reading thoughtful essays and articles about this storm as they come out, and I look forward to figuring out what action around it looks like for me in this new phase of life.
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