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Climate Change Resources

 

A scientific consensus indicates that Earth's climate is changing, largely due to human-induced increases in the concentrations of heat-absorbing gases. Climate change mitigation and resilience strategies exist that human societies may choose to adopt.

Featured Resources

Unlocking the Power of Emotional Connections: Strategies for Teaching Climate Change in Middle School

In the face of the escalating climate crisis, effective climate education is imperative, not only for imparting knowledge, but also for inspiring acti...

Journal Article
Journal Article

In Legislation to Support Climate Change Education, Symbolism is Not Enough by Glenn Branch

It’s a perfect storm. No fewer than fifteen measures to support climate change education in the public schools have been introduced in the statehous...

Blog Post

Latest Resources

 

Collection

FA24: Health Data Well Web Seminar: HS Life Science Instructional Materials October 17, 2024

This is a collection of resources for the program titled: Health Data Well Web Seminar: HS Life Science Instructional Materials. This program aired on...

 

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, October 8, 2024
 

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, September 24, 2024
 

Journal Article

Using Citizen Science to Learn About Climate Change: Investigating the Phenomenon of Increasing Carbon Dioxide Levels Using Fossil Ginkgo Leaves

Science classrooms are most engaging when students have the opportunity to engage in the practices of scientists. Unfortunately, many attempts to inco...

 

Journal Article

Unlocking the Power of Emotional Connections: Strategies for Teaching Climate Change in Middle School

In the face of the escalating climate crisis, effective climate education is imperative, not only for imparting knowledge, but also for inspiring acti...

 

Web Seminar

Science Update: The Rocks and Minerals of Climate Change, November 14, 2024

Join us on Thursday, November 14, 2024, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, to learn about the role that rocks and minerals play regarding climate change....

 

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, September 3, 2024
 

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, August 27, 2024
 

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, August 20, 2024
 

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, August 13, 2024
 

Collection

Introduction to Sensemaking and Equitable Assessments that Support Sensemaking
 

Collection

Web Seminar, August 28, 2024

This is a collection of resources for the program titled: Sponsored Web Seminar: Three-Dimensional Investigations into Sustainability and Climate Chan...

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NSTA Climate Science Resources

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NSTA recently issued a position statement calling for greater support for science educators in teaching evidence-based science, including climate science and climate change. The statement promotes the teaching of climate change as any other established field of science and calls on teachers to reject pressures to eliminate or de-emphasize climate-based science concepts in science instruction.

Read the NSTA press release.

Read a Q&A with position statement panel members.

See also:

Most Teachers Don't Teach Climate Change; 4 in 5 Parents Wish They Did
A recent NPR survey finds that more than 80% of the parents polled support the teaching of climate change, but a majority of teachers say they do not cover climate change in their classrooms. The most common reason given? Nearly two-thirds (65%) said it's outside their subject area.

Climate Change Is a Thing. You Should Teach It, Science Teachers Group Says (Education Week's Curriculum Matters Blog, September 13, 2018)

National Teachers Group Confronts Climate Denial: Keep the Politics Out of Science Class (Inside Climate News, September 13, 2018)

Additional NSTA Resources

NSTA Position Statement: Environmental Education (under revision)
NSTA's position statement on environmental education states: "NSTA strongly supports environmental education as a way to instill environmental literacy in our nation's pre-K–16 students. It should be a part of the school curriculum because student knowledge of environmental concepts establishes a foundation for their future understandings and actions as citizens."

NSTA Position Statement: Next Generation Science Standards
NSTA recommends the adoption and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS include the study of climate change supporting Earth and Space Science performance expectations. One of the relevant disciplinary core ideas is stated as:

"Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth's mean surface temperature (global warming)." (ESS3D)

Following are links to the weather and climate in the NGSS.

What does NGSS expect elementary students to know about weather and climate?

Kindergarten | 3rd Grade | 5th Grade

What does NGSS expect middle school students to know about weather and climate?

Weather and Climate | Human Impacts

What does NGSS expect high school students to know about weather and climate?

Weather and Climate | Human Sustainability

Want More?

The NSTA Learning Center contains the above resources, and thousands more, for science educators, including archived web seminars, virtual conferences, and comprehensive collections of resources organized by topic and grade level. Numerous collections can be found on climate science.

Register today to access the Learning Center and let NSTA guide you to the resources you want and need.

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