Sustainability Curriculum Resource Guide
Resources compiled by SPARC (Sustainable Practices and Academic Resource Council)
- Sustainability Curriculum
- Sustainability at PCC
- PCC Climate Action Plan
- Sustainability Focus Awards
- Curriculum resources by pathway & discipline
- SPARC
Contact Us
Send suggestions about content for this guide to librarian Roberta Richards rrichard@pcc.edu.
Contact SPARC co-coordinators Peter Ritson Peter Ritson <peter.ritson@pcc.edu> and Roberta Richards <rrichard@pcc.edu> to connect with the college's sustainability curriculum team.
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Arts, Humanities, Communication, and Design
Resources, examples and suggestions:
- Students in Reading, Writing and COMM courses can use content related to the Climate Action Plan and other PCC sustainability initiatives to develop reading, writing, researching, speaking and other academic skills.
- Climate misinformation can be a focus for teaching critical thinking, fact checking, and web and social media evaluation. See How to Spot - and Help Stop - Climate Misinformation
- Researching Climate Change Solutions This guide, which can be customized for specific courses and assignments, provides an example of how the Climate Action plan could be the foundation for a research project.
- DRAFT: Example of a Google form tutorial that uses the Climate Action Plan as the launch for a research project This draft Google form can be customized to provide a tutorial to support a research assignment connected to the PCC Climate Action Plan.
- Cli-fi (Climate Fiction) PCC Library guide of climate-oriented novels and short stories. Includes short story anthologies that are free online.
- WR 121 Environmental Issues assignment guide Research that includes eco-anxiety resources that accompanies an environmental issues writing assignment.
- Explore the complexities of communicating climate change
- See Arts and Humanities resources in the Climate Change Curriculum guide See
- Example of collaboration between art classes and PCC's sustainability team: Pollinator-Art-A-Palooza
- PCC's Climate Grief Interpreted Art Exhibit, arranged by ASPCC student leaders as part of the Climate Grief Committee. Climate Grief: Interpreted Art Exhibit
- Find sustainable design curriculum and resources in the library database Building Green.
Curriculum for the Bioregion class activities:
Business and Entrepreneurship (including Adult Ed/GED and ESOL)
Resources, examples and suggestions:
- Students in ESOL and Adult Ed/GED courses can use content related to the Climate Action Plan and other PCC sustainability initiatives to develop reading, writing, researching, speaking and other academic skills.
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Sustainability Research and Reflection Paper AssignmentBusiness instructor Heidi Sickert uses an assignment that requires students to read an article or watch a video related to one of Sustainability's "Big Ideas" (see below) and write a reflection.
Curriculum for the Bioregion class activities:
Healthcare and Emergency Professions
Resources, examples and suggestions:
Human Health and the Environment
- Health instructor Rachelle Katter discusses her strategies for addressing climate change, including managing the emotional weight of the issue and helping students develop a sense of agency. 7 minute video
- Health Studies Advocacy Engagement Assignment
Health Studies assignment created by Rachelle Katter. Students advocate on an environmental health issue of their choice by writing an elected representative, starting a petition, or developing a social media campaign.
- National Integrated Heat Health Information System
Find tools and other resources for addressing the health impacts of heat at heat.gov.
Construction, Manufacturing Technology, and Transportation
Resources, examples and suggestions:
- Building Green PCC library database - "BuildingGreen helps architects, designers and other sustainability professionals make their projects greener and healthier." Includes curriculum resources for sustainable design.
Public Service, Education, and Social Sciences
Curriculum for the Bioregion class activities
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
Resources, examples and suggestions:
Environmental Studies and Resources
- Video: ESR instructor Val Brenneis describes two assignments use in ESR classes and her approach to teaching climate change. (5:44 minutes)
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Lab 2. Scientific literature: Searching, reading, and citing reliable sourcesESR 200 assignment created by Valance Brenneis.The assignment is part of an interactive session with a librarian about finding and citing reliable scientific sources, using climate change information as the focus. Word doc.
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Lab 4. IPCC AR6 2021 Climate Change Summary for Policy Makers and Potential SolutionsESR 200 assignment created by Valance Brenneis. Word doc.
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The Global Variability of Climate Change: Place-based Impacts and ResponsesESR 173 assignment created by Taryn Oakley. "During the course of this project, students will get a chance to see climate change through a global perspective. They will learn about another culture, what that culture is currently losing, and what is at stake if climate continues to change at the current pace. The student presentations will expose students to many different cultures across the globe, hopefully bringing awareness to how our actions here in this country impact people on a global scale."
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Renewable Energy LabESR 173 lab assignment from Taryn Oakley comparing different forms of renewable energy.
Curriculum for the Bioregion class activities
- Last Updated: Jun 26, 2025 9:29 AM
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