Establishing Relevance with Climate Change

One of the hurdles educators face is making global climate change relevant for students. Often students consider climate change to be important in the poles but, not in their own backyard. ... See More

One of the hurdles educators face is making global climate change relevant for students. Often students consider climate change to be important in the poles but, not in their own backyard. This lesson establishes relevancy by investigating the effects climate change may be having with allergies, and other biological issues.

Climate change and public health

Most of us can recall summers that were so hot that, well, you wouldn't want to venture out to the beach. For a portion of the population, the heat may turn deadly, and as the planet warms, ... See More

Most of us can recall summers that were so hot that, well, you wouldn't want to venture out to the beach. For a portion of the population, the heat may turn deadly, and as the planet warms, the population ages, and people move to the cities, the heat becomes even more of a threat to public health. Science is more than learning facts. This article allows our students to understand that science has a social context, and it affects different groups in different ways. This was especially relevant to a group of at-risk urban teens I worked with; they were anxious to show how being poor affected their health as they lived in houses in urban heat islands, without air conditioning, and often with high levels of air pollution. The activity also effectively integrates math concepts. Data sets may be downloaded, and I would suggest getting data related to your area. Temperature and mortality data are analyzed and compared, and may be used as part of an informational campaign in your school