Teaching Climate Change for Grades 6–12

Kelley T. Le, Ed.D., is currently the Director of the Science Project at UC Irvine, where she supports K-12 teachers, educational leaders, and school districts with science, engineering, and equity for justice-centered education.

Introduction

• A Pulse on the Current Climate

• A Moment to Reflect

• Beginning Where You Are

• Shared Leadership

• Purpose

• Overview of Chapters

• Learning Icons

• Trust the Process

PART 1: LOOKING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD

Chapter 1: Reenvisioning Science Teaching

• A Story About Tradition

• An Opportunity to Challenge Science Education

• Unveiling Your Teacher Disposition

• Who Said, "The Scientific Method?"

• Diving Deeper Into the Process of Science

• Getting Cozy With the Nature of Science

• Equity & Antiracist Science Teaching

• Putting the Pieces Together

Chapter 2: Leveraging the NGSS for Climate Change

• A Story About Root-Bound Plants

• A Second Look at the NGSS for Climate Science

• A Fresh Take on the NGSS

• The Role of Climate Literacy & NGSS

• Climate Change as a Socioscientific Issue

• Deeper Dive Into SSI

• Moving Forward With Confidence

PART 2: DEVELOPING SCIENTIFIC LITERACY USING CLIMATE SCIENCE

Chapter 3: Climate Change is Complex, Where do I Start?

• The Environmental & Climate Change Literacy Project Summit (ECCLPS)

• Public Attitudes Regarding Climate Change

• Identifying Your State of Mind

• Climate Science Fundamentals

• Earth’s Energy Budget

• Global Climate Change

• Earth’s Systems

• Multiple Carbon Cycles

• The Anthropocene

• Scientific Consensus on Climate Change

• Major Teaching Takeaways

Chapter 4: Climate Change as the Anchor

• Lessons About Bonsai Koi Fish

• 100Kin10 Predictions

• Asking More Questions

• Using SSI to Develop Scientific Literacy Skills

• Taking More Back to the Class

• Using Phenomena

• Finding Phenomena

• Anchoring Instruction on Climate Change Phenomena

PART 3: PRACTICES THAT BUILD CAPACITY FOR STUDENT AGENCY

Chapter 5: Planning & Teaching for Transformation

• A Vision for Science Education

• Overview of Storyline Design Components

• Student-Driven Instruction

• Launching Lessons With Phenomena

• Intentional Discourse Opportunities

• Developing Critical Thinkers in a Digital Age

• Bringing it Back

Chapter 6: Education for Climate Action

• Tips on Talking About Climate Change

• Big Problems Require Big Solutions

• Climate & Social Justice

• Resources that Build Student Capacity

• Gauging Student Progress

• Interactive Tools to Enhance Instruction

• Empowering Students to Take Action

• Concluding Remarks