Teaching Climate Change

This workshop provides K–12 educators, including specialists in areas such as the arts, health, world languages, and technology, with the tools and strategies to effectively teach climate change in alignment with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). It emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating climate literacy across content areas and grade levels. Educators explore hands-on activities, outdoor learning experiences, engineering challenges, and data analysis tasks to deepen student understanding of climate systems. 

• Difficulty in integrating climate change concepts across diverse content areas and grade levels.
  
  
• The prevalence of negative messaging about climate change that can overwhelm or discourage students.
  
  
• Limited access to interdisciplinary and developmentally appropriate climate change activities.
  

1. Curriculum Alignment and Lesson Design
   Participants will examine the climate change performance expectations in the NJSLS and learn how to create interdisciplinary lessons that meet these standards. This includes practical strategies for science classrooms and extending into areas like the arts, health, and computer science.
   
   
2. Engaging, Hands-On Climate Education Strategies
   Educators will explore a variety of grade-appropriate, student-centered activities such as modeling the greenhouse effect, conducting biodiversity simulations, analyzing data trends, and engineering climate solutions. These activities are designed to promote critical thinking and real-world problem-solving.
   
   

3. Promoting Hope and Empowerment through Climate Education
   Teachers will gain methods to foster a hopeful, solutions-focused mindset in students by emphasizing success stories, community-based environmental efforts, and the role students can play in addressing climate change. They will also learn to utilize outdoor spaces and mindfulness practices to support environmental stewardship and student well-being.