Answer Close-Reading Questions
Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.
• Who is Rikki Held? How did she challenge her state to protect the planet? (Key Details)
Held is a 22-year-old whose family has a cattle ranch in Broadus, Montana. Since she was in elementary school, the ranch has experienced droughts, floods, and heat waves, which she believes were made worse by climate change. Held is the oldest member of a group of 16 young people who successfully took the state to court to end a law they say is hurting the environment.
• What evidence supports the idea that Held v. State of Montana is “one of the most important victories ever in the fight against climate change”? (Text Evidence)
The judge ruled that residents have “a fundamental right to a clean and healthful environment” and struck down a 2011 law that barred state agencies from considering climate impacts for proposed energy projects. Climate change law expert Michael Gerrard also notes that the decision could set a precedent for future climate change cases, such as ones likely heading for trial in Hawaii and the federal courts.
• How does the sidebar “Teens and the Environment Through History” support the article? (Text Features)
The sidebar gives three examples of how teens have advocated for the planet. From the first Earth Day in 1970, to Severn Cullis-Suzuki’s speech at the United Nations Earth Summit in 1992, to Greta Thunberg’s protests starting in 2018, many young people have fought for actions to protect air, water, and species as well as to reduce climate change.