Protecting the Planet with The Circle Tales

We’re encouraging our students to become stewards of the environment! This Earth Day, we want to collaborate with our community and protect the planet by picking up litter, digging into gardening, staying informed on environmental issues, and more. By coming together in these ways, we not only help create a happier, healthier Earth, we also open the door to exciting new discoveries right in our own backyards. Learning about and caring for the natural world is vital to all of our futures. 

That’s why we partnered with creator Brigette Allen of The Circle Tales to hear how she’s helping families dive into the practice of environmental stewardship. Through creating engaging books for young people, developing in-depth activity guides, and curating lessons for adults, The Circle Tales team offers accessible tools to spark meaningful conversations about sustainability. Not only are their guides informative, they also break down issues in a digestible way—helping people make environmentally conscious choices without feeling overwhelmed. 

The C Train Educator’s Guide is one of Brigette’s favorite resources. The discussion topics and activities come from the picture book she created called C Train, which is the story of how a New York City subway train finds a new home thanks to their ocean-loving friend Maya. Both the book and the guide give families new knowledge on the importance of recycling and understanding our impact. 

“I love the activity at the end of the guide for creating a reef, because it lets kids understand how to reuse materials like takeout containers and boxes. It encourages the idea that you don’t have to go to the store to buy things. You have all the resources you need at your fingertips.” -Brigette Allen

Building with reusable materials for this activity, young people are invited to reflect on why reefs are important habitats for marine life and how we can cultivate the circumstances they need to thrive. When Brigette facilitated the exercise with her two nieces, she said they came up with completely different designs, and it encouraged them to think more deeply about what we consume and how we can be gentler on the planet. 

Brigette also shared that there is immense value in fostering these different approaches to tackling environmental issues and topics. In Brigette’s book, Living with Plastic, she discusses how plastic is impacting our waterways and what we can do to decrease harm. She created a guide that emphasizes the many possibilities for how we can get involved— breaking down postcard writing for activists, art projects for creatives, and inventions that may spark the imaginations of engineers. Brigette’s work reminds us that there is room for all of us to be part of making change! 

“I like to keep a positive perspective because this can be overwhelming. But there is room for all of us to get involved. We live on this finite planet with limited resources, and I like to ask how we can live more in harmony with our surroundings.” -Brigette Allen

Thank you to Brigette Allen for taking the time to speak with us and share your work with our community! To learn more about Brigette’s work and find inspiring Earth Day stories, visit her website or follow The Circle Tales on Instagram.