Term
Spring 2026
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAED: NSEE
Facilitator(s)
Kelly Killorn
Content Expert
Cassidy Calcaterra
Abstract
More children than ever before live in urban locations, and many do not see their city streets and natural environments represented in picture books. In the midst of a climate crisis, educators and parents may be seeking environmental books and activities that seek to connect children to their natural communities. The purpose of this capstone project was to explore the importance of picture books in connecting children with their environment through the creation of an urban-based children’s book with embedded environmental terminology and concepts, as well as associated activities. A review of relevant literature uncovered five central themes: illustrated books’ impact on child development, urban place-based education, the representation of urban landscapes in children’s literature, existing nature-based literature, and picture books’ potential influence on pro-environmental behaviors. This project hoped to answer the question, How can urban environments be better represented in children’s literature to introduce ideas of sustainability, conservation, local ecosystems, and more to connect children to their nearby natural spaces and promote future pro-environmental behaviors?
Project Type
Children's book and activities
Keywords
Community Building, Early Childhood, Environmental Studies, Literacy
Recommended Citation
Taylor, Sophie, "Connecting Children to Urban Environments Through Picture Books" (2026). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1187.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1187
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects