The school library is more than a place for books and technology. It’s one of the few spaces where learning naturally crosses subjects — science, literacy, social studies, media, and the arts all come together.
That’s why climate action belongs in the library.
As a School Library Media Specialist, I have the opportunity to help students make meaningful connections between what they are learning in the classroom and the world beyond it. The library is a natural home for conversations about environmental stewardship, global responsibility, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
What Are the Sustainable Development Goals?
The Sustainable Development Goals are a set of global goals designed to help people work toward a healthier, more sustainable world. While there are 17 official SDGs, many schools — including ours — focus on a smaller, developmentally appropriate set to help students understand big ideas without feeling overwhelmed.
These goals focus on things like:
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Caring for the environment
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Protecting life on land
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Addressing climate change
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Ensuring access to food and resources
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Understanding how individual actions impact the world
Rather than teaching the SDGs as abstract concepts, we approach them through hands-on, real-world learning that students can see and experience.
🌱 Lesson at a Glance: Soil, Place, and Climate Action
Grade Levels: Elementary (adaptable for K–5)
Setting: Garden group, library media class, enrichment block, or aftercare
Focus Areas:
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Soil types across the United States
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Native plants and local ecosystems
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Layers of soil
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Climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Key Skills & Concepts:
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Observation and comparison
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Understanding how environment shapes ecosystems
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Environmental stewardship
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Connecting local learning to global goals
Activities Included:
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Exploring soil from different U.S. regions using a Smithsonian resource
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Discussing why native plants grow in specific areas
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Identifying and modeling soil layers
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Creating edible “pudding soil” models with chocolate pudding and gummy worms
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Art project using torn construction paper to represent soil layers
Big Idea:
Local soil tells a global story. Understanding our environment helps students see how they can care for the Earth.
Exploring Soil Across the United States
We began by examining soil from different states around the country using a resource from the Smithsonian. Students were fascinated to see how different soil can look depending on where it comes from.
Some samples were dark and rich, while others were sandy, rocky, or clay-like. This led to a discussion about how soil is shaped by climate, plants, water, and time. Students quickly realized that soil reflects the environment it comes from.
This comparison helped students understand that soil is deeply connected to place.
Why Native Plants Matter
From there, we talked about native plants. Students learned that native plants are special because they grow in specific regions for a reason — they are adapted to the unique soil and climate of that area.
We discussed how native plants:
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Thrive in local soil
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Often require less water and maintenance
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Support local animals and pollinators
Understanding this helped students see that caring for soil also means caring for the ecosystems that depend on it.
Digging Into the Layers of Soil
Next, students explored the layers of soil, learning that soil is made up of distinct layers, each with an important role.
We discussed:
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Topsoil – where most plants grow
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Subsoil – where minerals collect
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Parent material – broken rock that helps form soil
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Bedrock – solid rock beneath it all
Seeing soil as layers helped students understand how long soil takes to form — and why it’s something worth protecting.
🍫 Making Soil Hands-On (and Edible!)
We transitioned to a hands-on science model using food.“Now we’re going to model the soil layers using food.”
Students created an edible soil model using pudding and crushed cookies to represent each layer
Edible Soil Layer Order:
- Bedrock: crumbled graham cracker or cereal
- Parent Material: lighter crushed cookie layer
- Subsoil: a spoonful of pudding
- Topsoil: darker crushed Oreos
- Decomposers: a gummy worm
🪨 Soil Layers Printable (Simple & Free)
To keep this activity easy to implement, I created a simple, one-page soil layers printable that students can use alongside the art project.
Students can:
Color each soil layer
Label the layers
Glue torn pieces of construction paper directly onto the page
The printable is intentionally straightforward so it works well for science notebooks, centers, garden groups, or whole-class lessons.
👉 Download the soil layers printable here
Connecting Soil to the Sustainable Development Goals
Our school is deeply committed to helping students learn about and engage with the Sustainable Development Goals. Soil exploration naturally connects to several SDGs, including:
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Climate Action
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Life on Land
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Zero Hunger
By understanding soil, students begin to see how caring for the Earth supports ecosystems, food systems, and long-term sustainability.
An Invitation to Start Small
You don’t need a full unit or special program to begin teaching the SDGs.
Start with:
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A science lesson about soil
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A conversation about native plants
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An art project inspired by the environment
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A read-aloud focused on stewardship
When students understand their local environment, they are already taking meaningful steps toward climate action.
Helping students see themselves as part of the story — and part of the solution — is where sustainability education begins.
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