Climate Change in Your Own Backyard

Notes from our reviewers

The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials.

• Teaching Tips
  Consider extending the activity by asking students how a city or rural town of their choosing is currently prepared (or should be prepared) for extreme weather events through a city planning lens. Reinforce that different areas will experience different kinds of extreme weather and that cities and towns may need to use a unique solution for their particular area. From the lesson, it is suggested that teachers should understand basic probability math, as "This lesson set focuses on the study of extreme weather events and the impact climate change has on the frequency and intensity of these events." Different classes will need different levels of support when it comes to understanding the concepts and tools presented. This lesson focuses on information (awareness) about climate change. Consider including follow up lessons focused on hope, action, and possibilities for changing the future. There may be free loaded dice apps or programs available online if you do not have access to loaded dice, or you could adjust dice with stickers to make them "loaded."
• About the Science
  This lesson is the fourth of five modules on climate change from the National Center for Science Education. It is an excellent overview of extreme events and the ways in which climate will magnify them. Students will investigate the impacts and patterns of extreme weather events in the United States and the relationship between climate change and extreme weather on a global scale through mapping analysis, worksheets and discussions, and an urban-planning class activity. This conceptual lesson encourages students to engage in the scientific process by asking how we measure weather events, and how we can use infrastructure to prepare for an increasing number of heat abnormalities. This resource uses a variety of reputable sources like NASA, NOAA, and Nature, and all resources are cited at the conclusion of the lesson. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
• About the Pedagogy
  Teacher and student objectives are clearly defined and each module works to reinforce these goals. There are a number of resources included in the folder that provide additional support. The lessons may appeal to a wide variety of learning styles by employing discussions, worksheets, videos, and a tactile activity to teach concepts. Students should have a baseline understanding of how climate change, weather, and energy are related. The lesson provides a brief recap and common misconceptions that help refresh the reader's understanding. This unit contains a lot of information, and because of this, teachers should spend time reviewing the activities, materials, and prep time for each lesson. There are many activities in this lesson that can serve as stand-alone lessons, and depending on the class and time available, it may be helpful for teachers to look through the activities and choose a few rather than teach this entire unit. The lesson set can be adapted for multiple levels and units of study.
• Technical Details/Ease of Use
  It may be difficult for some classrooms to prepare all materials for the city planning activity in Part C, so teachers may want to plan for an alternative ahead of time.