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Enviro-Opoly

The Board Game of Environmental Justice

Grades 8–12

Overview

Enviro-Opoly is a fast-paced, Monopoly-style board game where students step into different community roles and compete to build wealth and resources—while navigating real-world environmental challenges. Each player starts with different levels of money, property, and environmental conditions, creating an uneven playing field from the very beginning. As players move around the board, they buy properties, collect income, and draw event cards that introduce issues like pollution, natural disasters, policy changes, and access to resources. These events can either boost progress or create setbacks, depending on a player’s role. Through gameplay, students quickly see how environmental and economic inequalities affect outcomes over time, making every decision strategic, competitive, and eye-opening.

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Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • Understand the concept of environmental justice and how it affects different communities

  • Analyze how socio-economic status influences environmental outcomes

  • Evaluate the long-term effects of unequal access to resources

  • Develop problem-solving and decision-making skills in complex systems

  • Engage in discussions about equity, policy, and sustainability

TEKS Alignment

Aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), including:

  • Social Studies (High School)

    • Environmental systems and policy analysis

    • Social inequality and its impact on communities

    • Civic engagement and public policy evaluation

  • Science (Environmental Science / Biology)

    • Human impact on ecosystems

    • Resource distribution and sustainability

    • Interdependence between human activity and the environment

  • Economics

    • Resource allocation and scarcity

    • Cost-benefit analysis

    • Economic inequality and its societal effects

Classroom Use
  • Small group activity (4–6 students per group)

  • Ideal for 1 class period (approx. 45 minutes - can be extended or shortened by adjusting the number of trivia rounds)

Materials
  • 1 Game board

  • Game money

  • 2 Dice

  • 4 Pawns

  • 20 Houses

  • Deck of Life Happens Cards

  • 4 Character Cards (with individual histories and rule

Request a Toolkit

For Houston-area teachers, we are offering free environmental education toolkits. Reach out and we will send your classroom one of our toolkits complimentary.

The Environmental Youth Council, a program of Environmental Defense Fund, empowers the youth of Houston to use their voices as catalysts for change in their communities. We equip students with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to advocate for a healthier, more sustainable future. 

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©2026 Environmental Youth Council, All Rights Reserved.

The Environmental Youth Council, a program of Environmental Defense Fund, empowers the youth of Houston to use their voices as catalysts for change in their communities. We equip students with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to advocate for a healthier, more sustainable future. 

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Your information is never disclosed to third parties.

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