Balancing Earth IRL
Gaynor McCown Expeditionary School
Balancing Earth IRL explores the environmental impact of consumer habits, leveraging design, technology, and education to promote a more balanced, mindful connection with our planet. The guide was shaped by visits to Freshkills Park, feedback from educational experts, and a 2019–2020 partnership with Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School, where team members facilitated workshops for over 240 9th-grade students. The goal is to connect people to Freshkills’ transformation from landfill to park and inspire meaningful actions for ecological health and renewal. It is part of Sound the Mound, a multidisciplinary initiative by John Roach and Andrew Shea of Parsons School of Design, in collaboration with Freshkills Park, Arable Labs, and Gaynor McCown Expeditionary School.
Student Guide
The Balancing Earth IRL Student Guide invites students to explore their relationship with the planet through observation, imagination, and action. Structured as a five-day journey—from understanding human impact to envisioning regenerative futures—it encourages young learners to see themselves as part of Earth’s interconnected systems. Through creative exercises, local explorations, and personal reflection, the guide helps students turn awareness into tangible steps toward a balanced, regenerative world.
Teacher Guide
The Teacher Guide equips educators with a week-long curriculum that connects environmental science to students’ lived experiences. Designed to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), it blends critical thinking, hands-on exploration, and reflective discussion to help students understand how human actions shape Earth’s systems. The guide provides lesson plans, key terms, and adaptable classroom activities that encourage educators to foster curiosity, collaboration, and a sense of agency in addressing planetary regeneration.
Partners
Gaynor McCown Exhibitionary School
Freshkills Park
Parsons School of Design
Design Collaborators
Tanvi Dhond – Project Manager
Emma Eriksson – Facilitator
Isabelle Groenewegen – Editor
Celina Lacaze – Illustrator and Designer
Oliver Arellano Padilla – Photographer
John Roach – Lead Facilitator
Daniela Sanchez – Educational Designer
Andrew Shea (MANY) – Lead Designer
Max Sterns – Educational Designer
Funding
Sappi Ideas That Matter
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