Educator's Portal
Climate Change Education Teacher Survey: Help us understand how climate change is included in curriculum on your campus.
In addition to this set of lesson plans, STF developed a library of resources with additional lesson plans and materials to explore, as well as a ready-to-go lessons (complete with discussion questions, materials, and PowerPoint presentations) for those new to embedding climate in their subject area.
Renewable Energy Revamp
In this science lesson, students will be challenged with an optimization problem. A fictional town decided to replace coal with more sustainable energy sources. Students will create an optimal renewable energy plan that meets specific constraints and criteria.
Subjects: Math, Science
Grades: 9-10
CA Environmental Justice
In this short unit, students will explore environmental decision-making, definitions of environmental justice and environmental racism, how communities fight for environmental justice, and what environmental justice can look like in everyday life.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Science, Social Sciences
Grades: 9-12
Trigonometry & Rising Seas
This lesson plan will enable students to apply simple trigonometric functions to understand how global warming is causing glaciers and ice sheets to melt and sea levels to rise. Students will discover how much land will be inundated within the next decade due to sea levels rising.
Subject: Math
Grades: 9-12
Poverty & Climate
This lesson plan includes reading resources to teach students about poverty, how it is exacerbated by climate change and the measures needed to manage it.
Subjects: Economics, English Language Arts, Social Studies (readings available in English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Arabic)
Grades: 9-12
Climate Crisis Mixer
Through role play, students are introduced to 23 individuals, each of whom is affected differently by climate change. Students meet one another in character, learn about the impact of climate change in their lives, how they are responding, and share their reflections and notes in their worksheet.
Subjects: Science, Social Studies, English Language Arts
Grades: 9-12
Renewable Energy Now
Students view two documentary film excerpts outlining the impacts of solar energy technologies in urban China and rural Zambia. Students will discuss the climate crisis beyond the science classroom and explore its social, economic, and human impacts.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Film/Video Arts, Music, Physical Sciences, Environmental Studies, Global Studies, Economics
Grades: 8-12
Film: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
As the drought and resulting famine in Malawi continue, young William Kamkwamba and his family come close to starvation. This true story shows how Williams’s resourcefulness provided a solution for his family and his village: a wind turbine to bring water to the fields.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Environmental Science, Social Studies, Film Studies
Grades: 9-12
Huracán María
In this lesson, Spanish language students will analyze three short excerpts of online newspaper articles about the economic impacts on Florida resulting from the influx of Puerto Rican climate refugees following Hurricane Maria. Lesson Objectives are available for various subjects and focus areas, making it easily adaptable to existing unit plans.
Subjects: Spanish Language
Grades: 9-12
Documentary: River of Gold
This documentary chronicles the clandestine journey of two war journalists and their guide into Peru’s Amazon rainforest to uncover the savage destruction of pristine jungle in pursuit of illegally mined gold. The film makes clear the consequences of this devastation on a global scale. Magnificent photography of plants, animals, and people inspires audiences to engage in solutions to protect the Amazon.
Watch the movie trailer, 2:59
Curriculum guides available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Science, Social Science
Grades: 6-12
Energy and Climate Change
In this lesson students will explore the connection between climate change and our energy consumption. Students will:
- Learn about the causes and impacts of climate change;
- Understand the link between Global Goals 7 and Global Goals 13;
- Learn to distinguish between human and naturally induced Greenhouse Gas Emissions;
- Identify the regions of the world that emit the most greenhouse gases.
Subjects: Geography, Math, Social Science
Grades: 8-12
Analyzing Environmental Justice
See how pollution disproportionately affects people experiencing poverty and members of racial and ethnic minorities. Explore reasons why people experiencing poverty and members of racial and ethnic minorities are often exposed to more pollution than others. Define environmental justice. Use a map to locate environmental injustice. Read graphs to learn about environmental discrimination. Think about solutions to environmental discrimination.
Subjects: English Language Arts, Math, Social Science
Grades: 6-12
CYHU: Educators for the Environment
Can You Hear Us? (CYHU) is an impact organization for the documentary I AM GRETA, working to amplify local climate action efforts to save our planet. This Educator’s Toolkit includes practical tips on creating a more sustainable classroom; Simple questions to ask students to encourage climate literacy; Films to screen in the classroom; Book recommendations to get the conversation started; Additional links and resources for educators.
Watch the I AM GRETA documentary trailer, 2:00
Subjects: Grades K-5 Multi-subject, Grades 6-12 ELA, Social Science
Grades K-12