resources for teaching
Crowd sourced, educator sourced, real resources for real educators in the classroom.
Compass Education is committed to your success in the classroom.
We work hard every day to share great ideas and provide quality, useful resources to facilitate teaching sustainability and systems thinking. We encourage you to explore our database of more than 200 teacher submitted lesson plans or view the videos, community chats and other resources that have been developed by our global team of educators and facilitators.
Ready to try it out yourself?
Download FREE Sustainability Compass
Download FREE Systems Iceberg
The Systems Iceberg Model Template
The Systems Iceberg Model with Questions
Download FREE Resources Packs
Compass Lesson Plans
High School Lesson Plans
Discover hundreds of lesson plans created for students of every grade and subject. Search for projects that are student directed or teacher led including service group projects, school wide activities and student facilitated programs for adults. Systems thinking is for everyone!
Middle School
Dive deep into learning that connects curriculum with what is happening in the world. Use systems tools to help students gain new perspectives, practice empathy and take action.
Primary School
Keep students engaged in active learning that is appropriate for every age and development level. Build skills in complex thinking, communication and problem solving.
Early Years
Developing skills in systems thinking in our youngest students will provide a foundation for future critical thinkers. Connecting sustainability concepts to everyday activities develop habits of mind that contribute to positive actions and a better world.
Lesson Plans for every subject
Wondering how you might use the Compass Tools in science, in english class, in math, economics or even in physical education? Compass Education has hundreds of lesson plans sourced from Compass educators around the world. The plans can be sorted by subject, grade level or Compass tool.
Submit your Lesson Plan
Have you used the tools with success in the classroom? Share your lesson plans with Compass Educators and support sustainability education across the globe!
If you recently completed Compass Level 1 or Level 2 training, submit your lesson plan for certification.
Newest Resources
Using the Systems Iceberg to Examine Paper Overuse at School
6th Grade STEM: Earth Day Lessons with a Focus on Water Conservation
Gestión de proyectos grado 11: Sostenibilidad de las empresas para un mundo mejor
Learn the Basics. FREE.
Systems Thinking in Lobo
Apply Systems Thinking Tools to Community Investigation
Unlock the door to a world of knowledge in Service and sustainability. Get ready to explore the incredible community of Lobo in the Philippines and use Systems thinking to investigate the root cause of the issues within this community. This course is for FREE!
Our Recommendations
Videos
There are many videos that help to teach sustainability and systems thinking to students or expand your own understanding. Here is a collection of our favorites and a few ideas how they might be used in the classroom.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Other Organizations Doing Great Work
There are some pretty amazing organizations and resources out there to support your work in teaching sustainability and systems thinking in the classroom.
Here are some of our favorites.
The World's Largest Lesson
The World's Largest Lesson promotes use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children can contribute to a better future for all. They have a HUGE RESOURCE database. Check it out!
TED_ED
A complement to the popular Ted Talks, this is a packed resource for educators, parents and students. Search sustainability, systems thinking or anything!
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
A spectacular organization that is dedicated to accelerating the shift to a circular economy. The resources are best for educators and older students.
Waters Center for Systems Thinking
The Waters Center has excellent visual resources to facilitate systems habits in educators and students. Check out the Thinking Tools studio for short lessons on each systems thinking tool.
Contribute to Sustainability Today
Since 2006, Compass Education resources have been designed, tested and improved by educators in the classroom and we invite you to contribute to our growing movement with your ideas, collaborations and best practices. There are many ways to participate and we hope that you do!
Write an Article or Create Vlog
Share your use of the compass tools on social media. Have fun and use any of these hashtags to let us know, so that we can share it too!
#compass_ed #sustainabilitycompass #compasseducation
Compass for Profit?
The Compass Tools are licensed for non profit and educational use only… but our mission is to spread them far and wide and we would love your help! If you would like to incorporate the Compass tools in curriculum that you sell or use them in your consultancy or other for profit enterprise, please contact us.