Teaching Climate Science Through Student Questions

By Alyssa Castellini, Bethel Elementary School, Science Teacher, Grades 3-5

My fifth graders in Bethel, Vermont, live with flooding. They see the rebuilt roads, the reinforced riverbanks, the damage from storms that happened before they were born. Climate change isn't theoretical here—it's the reason their bus route changes after heavy rain.

That's why I decided to flip our science curriculum. Instead of teaching them about flooding, I let them teach themselves.

The shift started with pictures. I showed flood damage photos and asked what they wondered about. Their questions came fast: Why does water move differently in various places? What are those logs doing in the riverbank? How do people actually protect their houses?

Those 27 kids had just designed our entire year's worth of science learning without realizing it.

We covered about 80% of the required standards through this single project. States of matter made sense when they studied how water changes as it moves through watersheds. Ecosystems became relevant during our snorkeling trips with the White River Partnership. Geology clicked when they examined how water carves Vermont's landscape.

The students drove every direction we took. When they questioned those mysterious riverbank logs, we called Dan “Rudy” Ruddell, a watershed scientist with the White River Partnership, to explain. When they wanted family perspectives on Hurricane Irene, they interviewed relatives. When they demanded to know how flooding actually gets prevented, they designed their own solutions.

As one example among many, I’m thinking of one student who can now explain four distinct flood prevention methods and knows exactly where each works best. His models show sandbags around buildings, swales that redirect water flow, and restored wetlands that reduce river pressure. These aren't craft projects—they're functioning demonstrations of watershed management principles.

The student ownership showed most clearly at our capstone presentation. Families filled the classroom to see elaborate flood prevention displays, but the kids weren't just showing off their work. They were educating their parents about permeable surfaces and explaining why local infrastructure gets built certain ways.

I won't pretend this approach felt comfortable. Planning became impossible when student questions determined our next steps. Some days I worried we'd miss important concepts. The messiness tested my need for structured lesson plans.

Every challenge proved worthwhile. These students remember complex scientific principles because they discovered them through their own curiosity. They understand climate change as something they can address rather than just fear. At a regional environmental symposium, they presented alongside high schoolers and held their ground completely.

Student-driven learning takes more faith than traditional teaching. You have to trust that their questions will lead somewhere valuable and that giving up control actually creates better outcomes. In this case, that trust paid off spectacularly.

Climate education works when kids see themselves as problem-solvers rather than victims of forces beyond their control. Sometimes the most sophisticated climate action begins with the simplest invitation: "What do you wonder about this?"

Click to watch a video to hear Alyssa and her students share project highlights.