Climate Science Concepts Fit Your Classroom: A Resource

Abstract

Climate change is disrupting the Earth and endangering all of its life. It is vital that our students learn about its causes in order to be better prepared to help adapt to and mitigate the consequences. As chemistry (and other science) teachers, we have a special responsibility to provide students in our classrooms with basic science concepts that help them understand climate science and why the climate is changing. Fortunately, climate science concepts are the same as those included in many of our courses, so adding connections to the climate does not require wholesale changes to what we already teach. Many of us find that hands-on activities are an effective way to introduce and/or reinforce conceptual learning, and these activities often make excellent connections to the climate. To promote this approach, the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy has produced a free, online Climate Science Activities Workbook that provides several examples of familiar activities that can be used this way. One of these is outlined here to provide a flavor of what is available in the Workbook.