Climate change is currently a huge news item that is often championed by the young. Here are a few useful links to help cover the topic in the classroom:
National Geographic Kids has a whole article explaining what climate change is, what causes it and it also covers how this will affect farming, wildlife, people and the planet. It offers suggestions for what children can do, after explaining the most critical issues in simple language.
The educational resources provided, including lots of help for teachers,are:
- Changing Climate: Full Teacher Guide
- Chapter 1: The Climate System and Greenhouse Effect
- Chapter 2: The Global Carbon Cycle
- Chapter 3: Energy to Power Our World
- Chapter 4: A Look at Climate in the Past
- Chapter 5: Modeling the Impacts of Climate Change
- Chapter 6: Solutions for a Changing Climate
NASA’s Climate Kids covers the global aspect, asking and responding to the question what is global climate change? “Global climate is the average climate over the entire planet.” It explores the reason scientists and many other folks are concerned that Earth’s global climate is changing. “The planet is warming up fast—faster than at any other time scientists know about from their studies of Earth’s history.” (https://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-change-meaning/)
The data that NASA’s Climate Kids shares is under the headings: Big Questions, Weather and Climate, Atmosphere, Water, Energy and Plants & Animals. There are games, videos, activities and more available at this site.
Just for Kids covers this theme too; they introduce the Climate Reality Project which schools can sign up to and receive information regarding how children and families can get smart and active about climate change. “We know you love watching videos on your phone. But modern activities – such as plugging in devices, driving cars, and cooling homes – rely on energy sources such as natural gas, oil, and coal. Those energy sources release a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. When CO2 and other greenhouse gases trap heat that would otherwise escape Earth’s atmosphere, the planet’s temperature rises. That’s called global warming, which causes climate change.” (Just for Kids)