Climate Literacy Lessons

Picture of a plant growing out of an open book
 
 
Thank you for your interest in using one of the Climate Literacy Lessons developed by the Climate Literacy Fellows. The lessons were developed using the 5E model and are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Exact standard alignment can be found in individual lesson plans.
Each lesson below includes a detailed lesson plan, an accompanying PowerPoint and other printable materials such as worksheets. Some lessons require additional purchasing of materials, as these lessons are mostly hands on activities. Complete material lists are included in the first few pages of the lesson. Please see the list below for lessons available for download.

Climate Literacy Lessons

Where does food come from?

  • Grades K-1
  • Students will learn about where different types of food comes from, why nutrition is important, and how to grow their own food. Students will also learn the basic conditions required for plants to grow, and the importance of human action in maintaining the availability of these conditions.

Climate Forecasters

  • Grades 2-3
  • Differentiates weather and climate. Students discuss attributes of different climates around the world and how climate affects the animals that inhabit it. Touch on concept of climate change.

Animal Adaptations

  • Grade 3
  • This lesson will introduce camouflage and adaptations, enabling students to be able to identify the importance of animals adapting in a changing climate.

Energy Explorers

  • Grades 3-4
  • Enables students to see where their energy comes from and the future of renewable energy.

Super Sun

  • Grades 3-5
  • Introduces solar power, how it works, were to use it and energy storage. Also creates an understanding of renewable energy and how we can use renewable energy to power our cities.

Wild About Wind

  • Grades 4-5
  • Case study on wind turbines. Uses engineering concepts to help situate renewable energy within human society.

Biomagnification in the Food Web

  • Grade 5
  • In this lesson we will focus on the interactions of animals in an ecosystem in terms of their position on the food web. Using food web diagrams with beads to represent contaminants, students will observe how contaminants move through different levels of the food web, leading to a greater volume in large predators.

Microplastics

  • Grade 5-6
  • This lesson will introduce students to plastics and microplastics, allowing them to identify various categories of microplastics and how they can reduce the amount of plastic that is used. Students will learn how the consumption of plastics impacts the environment.

Electric Vehicles

  • Grade 6-8
  • In this lesson students will learn about how we can take renewable sources and use them for energy. Students will start by making a wind turbine and charge it, then convert the turbine into an electric vehicle.

Invaders!

  • Grade 6-8

  • This lesson aims to teach kids about what invasive species are, the difference between an invasive species, native species, and non- native species. They also should understand the potential damages that an invasive species can cause to an ecosystem.

Urban Heat Geographers

  • Grade 6-8

  • Students will collect their own data on urban heat in order to understand how different city design choices change temperatures.

Zag Climate Bites

Redband Trout and Climate Change