Toolkit home > Best Practices > For Educators
Climate change may seem like a daunting topic to teach. There are a plethora of websites, curricula, and other resource materials for teachers, making it hard to know where to start and which ones to use. In this section of the toolkit, we identified some excellent resources for educators, whether you are teaching in the classroom or in an outdoor setting. Understanding the basic science of climate change, and the current and predicted impacts in your region, provides a solid basis to start from. From there, many multimedia educational tools, lesson plans, and existing curricula exist for you to use with your students.
The following list includes suggested websites and educational tools. If you have other educational resources you would like to recommend, feel free to submit them to the toolkit.
Other Government Agencies
EPA: Student's Guide to Global Climate ChangeThis site is devoted to educating 6-8th graders. The website covers the science of climate change, impacts to society and ecosystems, and solutions to climate change.
NASA Climate Kids
Targeting grades 4-6, this kid-friendly site de-mystifies one of the most important science issues of our time. The site answers the “Big Questions” about global climate change using simple illustrations, humor, interactivity, and age-appropriate language.
Targeting grades 4-6, this kid-friendly site de-mystifies one of the most important science issues of our time. The site answers the “Big Questions” about global climate change using simple illustrations, humor, interactivity, and age-appropriate language.
Parks Climate Challenge
This website serves as a resource to provide all teachers with the tools necessary to be successful in delivering national park-centric climate change lessons.
This website serves as a resource to provide all teachers with the tools necessary to be successful in delivering national park-centric climate change lessons.
GlobalChange.gov Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit
The U.S. Global Change Research Program developed a toolkit for formal and informal educators that includes activities, resources, and multi-media materials.
The U.S. Global Change Research Program developed a toolkit for formal and informal educators that includes activities, resources, and multi-media materials.
Lesson Plans, Games, and Curriculum Materials
Earth's Changing Climate Lesson PlanThis lesson plan from the Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment has high school students observe how climate change is affecting their local communities.
Facing the Future: Global Sustainability Curriculum
The Facing the Future website provides hands-on curricula that develops critical thinking skills, builds global awareness, and engages students in positive solutions for a sustainable future.
The Facing the Future website provides hands-on curricula that develops critical thinking skills, builds global awareness, and engages students in positive solutions for a sustainable future.
CAMEL: Climate Change Education
This site provides a variety of teaching materials on climate change, including games, podcasts, teaching units, and an image gallery.
This site provides a variety of teaching materials on climate change, including games, podcasts, teaching units, and an image gallery.
Stabilization Wedges Game
Princeton University has created the Wedges Game and various graphics and presentation materials to help us understand the changes necessary to reduce global emissions. This tool can be used in many different settings, and in different audiences; they illustrate that technology is already existing to solve the carbon problem.
Princeton University has created the Wedges Game and various graphics and presentation materials to help us understand the changes necessary to reduce global emissions. This tool can be used in many different settings, and in different audiences; they illustrate that technology is already existing to solve the carbon problem.
Phenology
Project BudBurst
An excellent way to get your class or school involved in learning about phenology and how climate change is affecting the timing of when plants develop leaves, form buds, flower, etc.
An excellent way to get your class or school involved in learning about phenology and how climate change is affecting the timing of when plants develop leaves, form buds, flower, etc.
Last updated: September 15, 2020