CLIMATE CHANGE

Guidelines for K-12 Global Climate Change Education
National Wildlife Federation and The Climate Project
http://online.nwf.org/site/DocServer/cc_educators_guidelines.pdf?docID=1821

The National Wildlife Federation and The Climate Project recommend that educators carefully design climate change education according to age level. This allows for cognitive and problem-solving development; the subject inherently requires strong and effective building blocks of knowledge and skill. See NWF recommendations that children at different age levels need to know, understand, and be able to do in order to benefit the most from this education.

“What’s Up with Global Warming?” A Slideshow and Presenter’s Guide
National Wildlife Federation
http://online.nwf.org/site/PageNavigator/ClimateClassroom/cc_teachers_slideshow

The slideshow, for students in grades 5 through 12, can be shown as part of a science class, social studies class, or after-school environmental club meeting. You’ll be able to explain how global warming works, when it started, how it’s measured, and how students can help.

This slideshow and its accompanying guide were designed in accordance with the North American Association for Environmental Education’s Guidelines for Environmental Education and the National Science Education Standards.

GlobalWarming101.com’s Teacher Curriculum http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/index.php/programs/k-12-education-program

Will Steger Foundation’s K-12 interdisciplinary climate change education program includes lesson plans that are experiential in nature, tied to national standards, and available free for download.

Project BudBurst
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/budburst/index.html

Project BudBurst is a national field campaign for citizen scientists designed to engage the public in the collection of important climate change data based on the timing of leafing and flowering of trees and flowers, and the project provides resources and opportunities for K-12 teachers and students. The citizen science observations and records are reported into the BudBurst data base.

PBS "NOW" lesson plans on global warming
http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/globalwarming.html

This curriculum teaches about the science of global warming, effects upon the natural environment and human society, and different perspectives held on the issue. NOW, an Emmy-winning weekly newsmagazine program produced by PBS.
 
OCEANS
 
DisneyNature Ocean’s Educator’s Guide
http://adisney.go.com/disneynature/oceans/downloads/Disneynature_OCEANS_Educators_Guide_42-Page.pdf
 
DisneyNature and National Geographic have created a companion Educator’s guide and curriculum to the new film Oceans which will be released in theaters nationwide on Earth Day 2010. The science-based curriculum includes the physical characteristics of oceans and ocean habitats. It also meets the National Science Education Standards.

RECYCLING
 
New York City Department of Sanitation
www.nyc.gov/wasteless/schools

New York City’s one-stop resource for waste prevention and recycling information and activities for your classroom and school.
 
RENEWABLE ENERGY
 
US Department of Energy – Energy Education and Workforce Efficiency
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/default.aspx
 
Teach your students the importance of green energy while enhancing your required curriculum. Here you'll find about 63 creative lesson plans, projects and other activities for grades K-12 on energy-related topics. Incorporate them into your classroom. Prepare your students for a greener future!
 
Topics include: Biomass Energy, Energy Basics, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Environment, Geothermal Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, Hydropower, Ocean Energy, Solar Energy, Transportation Fuels, and Wind Energy
 
SUSTAINABILITY
 
Facing Our Future
http://www.facingthefuture.org/Curriculum/CurriculumHome/tabid/113/Default.aspx
 
Free curriculum downloads for teachers to use on climate change, global issues and sustainability.
 
Facing the Future is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and motivating today's students to be responsible stewards of tomorrow's world. Facing the Future curriculum is in use in all 50 U.S. states and over 60 countries by teachers and students in grades K-12, in undergraduate and graduate classes, and across multiple subject areas.

No Impact Project Curriculum
http://noimpactproject.org/educators-middle-high-school-environment-curriculum-html/

When Colin Beavan (aka “No Impact Man”) and his family decided to try living for a year in New York City without doing any harm to the environment (the “No Impact Experiment”), it attracted worldwide media attention. Why all the fuss? Because the Beavans traded their old habits for more environmentally-friendly ones – and figured out that doing so actually made their lives happier, healthier, and more abundant. People started talking about these discoveries, and thousands have tried their own No Impact Experiment.

This curriculum uses these tools to help middle and high school students explore the effects their everyday behavior has on the environment, their health, and their well-being. It will also challenge students to think about how the systems in our present society influence our lifestyle choices in ways that often are not good for environment. Finally, it will guide students to take action both individually and with others to bring about positive change.

TREES & NATURE AWARENESS
 
15 for Trees
New York Restoration Project
http://www.nyrp.org/Kids_Parents_Teachers/For_Educators/MillionTreesNYC_2
 
Got 15 minutes?  That’s enough time to engage your students in one of our doable downloads, which consist of hands-on, inquiry-based activities that get students thinking about trees, the environment, their communities and stewardship. Join New York Restoration Project and MillionTreesNYC as we explore Trees and the Earth, Trees and New York City, Trees and Neighborhoods, and Trees and Me for grades K-8.
 
Make Arbor Day Everyday
New York Restoration Project
http://www.nyrp.org/Kids_Parents_Teachers/For_Educators/MillionTreesNYC_2
 
Make Every Day an Arbor Day is a how-to workbook for any elementary or junior high school teacher who is committed to incorporating the concepts of tree planting and stewardship into their classroom. The workbook includes applied teaching concepts for lessons in math, environmental science, resource conservation and stewardship, and other arbor-related subjects. In addition, the activity guide provides detailed instructions for leading student groups in campus tree planting.
 
Urban Park Rangers
The Natural Classroom
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_about/parks_divisions/urban_park_rangers/pd_ur_natural_class.html
 
A series of educational programs developed by the Urban Park Rangers to immerse students in the living laboratory of the natural world. These programs combine standards-based education with hands-on field lessons taught by Urban Park Rangers. TreesNYC: Something Big is Taking Root brings attention to trees, their importance, and challenges they face.
 
THE LEAGUE’s Service Learning Lesson Plans
http://milliontreesnyc.org/downloads/pdf/mtnyc_service_learning_lesson_plans.pdf

THE LEAGUE teaches young people about environmental stewardship. The LEAGUE's curriculum division, Learning to Give, is the world's leading developer of lesson plans and resources that teach giving and volunteerism, civic engagement, and character through service. All environmental stewardship lessons are NYS-coded, standards-based lesson plans that address core curriculum and offer community service extension projects.