Climate & Weather

Developed by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Travel Solutions to Global Warming isa 5-8th grade curriculum that explores the relationship between the carbon cycle, fossil fuels, and levels of CO2 in the atmosphere through experiments and graphing.  Students follow up by using a personal trip log to discover their own CO2 production and how to minimize it.  Correlates to several math, science, and geography state standards in Connecticut.

In this lesson from the National Geographic Society, students will research, discuss, and write reports on the relationship between climate and agriculture. They will pretend that they have just purchased farms in specific parts of the United States and will investigate that region's weather and climate in order to maximize the chances that their farms will succeed.  Adheres to National Geography Standards.

In this lesson from the National Geographic Society, students will speculate on various scenarios if the world's greenhouse gases continue to increase.  Aligns with National Geography Standards.

In honor of EE Week's Carbon Footprints theme, the Earth Day Network has developed a special series of high school lesson plans on the following climate-related topics: Biodiversity and Climate; Invasive Species and Climate; Food, Water and Climate; Equity and Climate; and Green Building and Climate.  These lessons are best suited for grades 9-12 and adhere to National Science Education Standards.

Explore how Antarctica's ice has preserved the past - from Chernobyl to the Little Ice Age - going back hundreds of thousands of years, and then see how the world's coastlines would recede if some or all of this ice were to melt. This site for kids also includes a guide and resources for educators.

Most scientists believe that Earth's climate is changing and in fact heating up. However, they don't all agree about the rate of change, the extent of the impact on our environment, or what can or should be done about it. This module is based on the premise that understanding what influences Earth's energy balance is necessary (though not sufficient) to make sound decisions about climate change.

This online teaching module is for middle school science teachers and provides background information and supporting classroom teaching materials.  The content focuses on climate change and issues related to both stratospheric and tropospheric ozone.  Many activities align with National Science Education Standards and Benchmarks for Science Literacy, Project 2061 (AAAS).
 

This lesson from National Geographic has students consider how various parts of the world and the United States are affected by climate controls such as world air currents. They will read about climate controls and will create maps showing how these controls affect the climate in various places around the country.  Adheres to National Geography Standards.

The Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with six other federal agencies. The kit was developed to aid educators in teaching how climate change is affecting our nation’s wildlife and public lands, and how everyone can become “climate stewards.”

An interdisciplinary, self-contained 2-week unit produced by Facing the Future that lays the foundation for understanding some of the forces behind climate change and its connections to numerous social, economic, and environmental factors.  Funding provided by Hewlett-Packard Company.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-8 and adheres to National Science and Social Studies Education Standards.