Whether at primary school or secondary school – the topic of sustainability is becoming increasingly important for all students. Our reading list for teachers offers book recommendations on pedagogy, projects, teaching material and basics.
Schools and other educational institutions play an important role on the path to a sustainable society. Here, children and young people are given the knowledge and skills to act in a sustainable manner. These same goals are also the focus of the UN Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiative, which is also being implemented in Germany as part of the Sustainability Goals Federal Ministry of Education and Research is advanced.
In this context, numerous questions arise for teachers: Which teaching models can be used to convey principles of sustainability? Which ideas for projects would be suitable for your own type of school? Which pedagogical approaches help? What readings are recommended? And many more.
As a publisher for sustainability and ecology, we want to help answer these questions with our books. In this article we collect selected titles from our program that deal with projects and pedagogy and provide suitable school reading material as well as important basic knowledge on the topic of sustainability.
1. »Innovative forest projects. Education for sustainable development in primary schools«
The educational folder “Innovative Forest Projects” by Robert Vogl, Heinz Mandl, Marina Meixner and Stefanie Klatt offers three tried-and-tested learning units for primary school classes. The developed teaching and forest units as well as all the necessary work materials (worksheets, word cards, craft instructions, etc.) provide concrete suggestions for implementation in school and forest.
Order now (book: 29.95 euros | e-book: 23.99 euros)
Technical book | 2015 | 208 pages | by Robert Vogl et al.
2. »How do we want to live? Children philosophize about sustainability«
How can educators in daycare centers or primary school teachers put thinking about sustainability into practice? The book “How do we want to live?” provides basic theoretical knowledge and practical instructions in six chapters.
Order now (book: 19.95 euros | e-book: 11.99 euros)
Technical book | 2012 | 144 pages | by Eberhard von Kuenheim Foundation, Academy Children Philosophize (ed.)
3. School readings on sustainable topics
School readings are also a popular form of teaching sustainable topics – especially in primary school. Our children's books on the topic of sustainability are ideal for this purpose. You can also find worksheets and high-resolution infographics for selected books from the oekom program on our teaching material service page.
4. »The Plowing Classroom. Action pedagogy and community-supported agriculture«
School on the farm: In “The Plowing Classroom” Tobias Hartkemeyer, Peter Guttenhöfer, Manfred Schulze and many other contributors show how pedagogy and agriculture can enrich each other. The handbook on action pedagogy and community building in agriculture describes how farms can be excellent places for learning, meeting spaces and areas for practical life development.
Order now (book: 19.95 euros | e-book: 15.99 euros)
Technical book | 2014 | 212 pages | by Tobias Hartkemeyer, Peter Guttenhöfer, Manfred Schulze (eds.)
5. »Wild neighborhood. Wilderness education in the context of education for sustainable development«
Out of the classroom and into nature: Anne-Kathrin Lindau, Fabian Mohs, Alma Reinboth and Martin Lindner show how wilderness education can be used to implement ESD in “WildeNeighborhood”. The practical part presents projects from preschools, schools and universities that take place outside the national parks.
Order now (book: 49.00 euros | e-book: 38.99 euros)
Technical book | 2021 | 370 pages | by Anne-Kathrin Lindau et al.
6. »FREE DAY. Learn to change the world! For a school on the move«
In order to be able to implement ESD projects, the necessary freedom is needed. The former teacher and long-time headmaster Margret Rasfeld provides important inspiration for this with her book “FREI DAY”. The focus is on the innovative and simple learning concept of a future day in schools – the “Frei-Day”. Using inspiring stories from practice, Rasfeld shows how teachers and students can use this freedom to deal with major challenges of our time such as the climate crisis or digitalization.
Order now (book: 20.00 euros | e-book: 15.99 euros)
Non-fiction | 2021 | 192 pages | by Margaret Rasfeld
7. “On the way to a climate-neutral school”
How can schools become more climate-friendly? And what can teachers and students do? As a teacher and environmental education expert, Christoph Stein has gained experience and suggestions for climate education in secondary schools. His handbook “On the way to a climate-neutral school” aims to promote cooperation between schools and school authorities. It motivates students and teachers through inspiring “encouragement stories” and at the same time offers extensive teaching material for various subjects in secondary schools.
Order now (book: 29.00 euros | free e-book in open access)
Non-fiction | 2024 | 224 pages | by Christoph Stein
8. »Change requires education. Impulses, concepts and practice for education for sustainable development«
In “Change needs education” for theory and practice, the management team and speakers of the “Environmental Education/Education for Sustainable Development” training course, which has been successful for 25 years, describe how learning processes and ESD projects can be effectively organized and supported in and with groups. The book also provides reports and inspiration from graduates and ESD actors.
Order now (book: 22.00 euros | e-book: 17.99 euros)
Technical book | 2022 | 168 pages | by Anke Schlehufer, Steffi Kreuzinger, Thomas Ködelpeter (eds.)
9. “Basic Sustainability Course”
If you want to put your background knowledge on the topic of sustainability on a solid basis, you can do this with the “Basic Sustainability Course”. The handbook for beginners and advanced users conveys the most important basics, connections and the corresponding terminology in 16 chapters.
Order now (book: 39.00 euros | e-book: 30.99 euros)
Technical book | 2018 | 400 pages | by Claus-Peter Hutter, Karin Blessing, Rainer Köthe (eds.)
More books on the topic
Link collection: teaching material on the topic of sustainability
Sustainability can be taught in schools in a variety of ways – be it in everyday school life, in projects or, of course, in specific teaching units. Many websites offer teaching models, worksheets and more for free download. Our link collection lists a selection of these for you:
#naturaloekom: We live sustainability
oekom publishing house is not only committed to sustainability in terms of content, but is also making progress in production and distribution with a voluntary commitment to sustainable publishing. Our books are produced in a climate-neutral manner and are mostly printed on recycled paper. You can read detailed information about how oekom is actively committed to greater sustainability at, of course, oekom.
