Hello Doughnut! for Ages 5-7
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Provided by: Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL)|Published on: June 3, 2025
Lesson Plans
Scientist Reviewed
K12
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Synopsis
- This K-2 resource from Doughnut Economics Action Lab gives teachers a series of activity cards to mix and match to create a lesson that builds the foundation of doughnut economics.
- Students will learn about how bodies and civilizations need balance to remain healthy, create their personal version of the doughnut model, and understand how their needs fit into the needs of the community as a whole.

Subjects: Social Studies, Health
Authors: The DEAL Team
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Students will love creating their personal doughnuts and "sprinkling" them with what they need to be happy and healthy.
- The lesson activities do an excellent job of building background knowledge through students' individual experiences and connecting them to the broader idea of being part of a society.
Prerequisites
- Teachers will need to print and prepare the doughnuts prior to the activity.
Differentiation & Implementation
- In the reflection section, students can do a think-pair-share with each of the questions to ensure all students have a chance to reflect.
- Teachers can connect this lesson to climate change by discussing how our actions impact others' ability to be happy and healthy, both now and in the future.
- During the balance activity, students can act out how they feel with too much of something to increase engagement.
This resource uses the doughnut economics model to help students understand balance, first in their own lives, before progressing to community and global scales. Clear instructions are included with all activities. Climate change is only mentioned in passing, but this resource’s goal is to foster classroom discussion so students can share their own ideas. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
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 →
