Dear Morningside Center friends,

Welcome to the new year! In this issue, we share a new lesson on how young people sued for climate justice - and won. Plus, our 9/11 anniversary teaching guide.

And in case you missed it, also see our bundle of activities to get your year off to a good start. We wish you the best!

Youth Activists Score a Landmark Climate Victory

Young people sued the state of Montana seeking climate justice - and won! Students learn about the new ruling and talk about what it means going forward.

9/11 Anniversary Teaching Guide (Updated)

How should educators acknowledge the anniversary of September 11th and educate students about the events of that day and their impact? Lessons & guidelines for K-12. 

Showing Our Gratitude for the Natural World

This start-of-the-school year reflection invites students to connect to their natural surroundings. With a focus on gratitude, students explore how nature positively impacts them.

Activities to Start the Year

A bundle of community-building activities, SEL Tips, games, and lessons on self-care to get your year off to a good start.  For an array of other ideas and strategies for the coming school year, see this collection.

What We're Reading

Creating Clarity on Equity in Schools

"To respond to the backlash against equity efforts, schools need more coherent strategies that are grounded in schoolwide improvement." By Pedro Noguera & Joaquín Noguera at ASCD

The State of Bullying in Schools, in Charts

A new report from the RAND Corporation finds that bullying is teachers’ top safety concern - despite data showing that bullying in schools has declined a bit since 2009. By Laura Baker & Arianna Prothero at Education Week

The public is souring on American education, but parents still give own child’s school high marks

Only 36% of Americans say they’re satisfied with U.S. education. Yet parents parents give their own child’s schools and teachers high marks. By Matt Barnum at Chalkbeat

 “We can definitely adapt and survive climate change, but that doesn’t make it right.”

- Sariel Sandoval, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, testifying in the youth court case against Montana