I liked how the framework emphasizes person to person relationships. Who are we to others? Who are we to each other? These two frame seems to really get us to think about the different ways we are known as humans. I could imagine make a "window" with four quadrants where students would use a different quadrant to research these different questions--showing the multifaceted nature of the people or person we're researching. Another way of trying to use this framework might be to use each frame as a different phase of the unit.
I was thinking of a potential central question of: How can we heal the environment? My thinking on this question: It asks us to define the "we"--which would be looking at community actions and individual voices from Africa. It would also be looking at "we" that is the students and their communities. Next, the question asks us to think about healing...healing from what? So we would think about the definition of harm (related to the systems frame).
I really like the thinking you are doing around your central question. I gives such agency to the people who are being environmental activists in their own communities.
Jacob,
I appreciate how you responded and agree that asking who someone is to someone else brings our humanity to the surface. My third graders can't always relate to adult innovators and heros, but they can learn to realize that adults were once children who may have had siblings and a role in their family. To get some perspective will add depth and empathy to learning about that person.