Decide: Step 2 - Issue Selection
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by: Earth Force|Published on: April 27, 2021
Activity - Classroom
Scientist Reviewed
6789101112
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this activity, students work collaboratively to choose an environmental problem in the community that they want to solve.
- This is designed to be Step 2 in a larger community-action and problem-solving process that helps students determine what they would like to work on.

Subjects: Civics
Authors: Earth Force
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This activity relies on student input, making them active participants in their learning.
- This resource can be helpful to students when learning how to work collaboratively, think critically, and evaluate a number of options or choices.
Prerequisites
- This activity asks students to refer back to a Strengths and Concerns list they will have to make before beginning the activity.
- Review the decision-making options ahead of time and either choose one for your students to use or work with your students to pick one.
- Teachers can find other resources for this step and others by visiting the Environmental Action Civics Alliance website and creating a free account.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Younger students should be guided through the process, while older students can be grouped with assigned duties to carry out the process.
- If doing the full process, be sure to have students continue to gather their work in a project portfolio for use in the final reflection in the last steps.
This is about a democratic means of selecting issues and prioritizing the ones relevant to study. This appears scientific using an issue selection grid (issue:criteria) method as it can be replicated elsewhere. There is no misconception, resource is valid and recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider

Earth Force
Earth Force is a national nonprofit with over 30 years of experience partnering with school districts, youth-serving organizations, and educators to evolve student learning through Environmental Applied Civics (EAC). Their expertise is in the elements that make authentic civic engagement work: centering youth voice, building strong youth-adult partnerships, and creating resilient communities.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
