Climate Change

This month we bring you sites to help your students explore the topic of climate change. You’ll find global warming animations, carbon counters, scientific information, predictions, games, and more.

Elementary | Middle and High School | Carbon Calculators

Elementary

Climate Change for Kids from the Envireonmental Protection Agency (EPA)uses cartoons and explanations geared for younger students to explain climate change. Games and basic information on weather and climate are included, as well as animations about global warming and the carbon cycle.

Living in the Greenhouse from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Kids Crossing site helps younger students explore climate, how Earth’s cycles affect climate, the greenhouse effect and greenhouse gasses, ancient climate changes, and other climate events.

The Climate and Global Change elementary pages from UCAR provide basic information about the reasons for and effects of climate change, including illustrations and explanations of terms like “greenhouse gases” and “carbon-neutral.”  The Carbon Cycle Game gives students a hands-on and visual way to understand the carbon cycle. Players travel the carbon cycle as a carbon atom, trying to get to all the places that carbon can be stored in the carbon cycle. The site is also available in Spanish.

The National Wildlife Federation's Climate Classroom provides questions and answers for kids about global warming, as well as a powerpoint slideshow for teachers.

Climate Change from the Earth Day Canada’s EcoKids site features climate change games, quizzes and information for elementary students.

ZeroFootprint Kids Calculator lets kids calculate their own carbon footprint to see their personal effect on climate change. The ZeroFootprint Youth Calculator allows students to set goals to reduce their own carbon footprint, and compare it with goals set by students at different schools and in different countries.

Lick Global Warming from Ben and Jerry’s features an interactive map showing consequences of climate change, and an “interactive flat” showing how students can reduce their own CO2 emissions at home.

Climate Change: The Burning Issue from the London Science Museum provides information and a game called Carbon Lifestyles, in which students make choices that might save the future.

In another game from the London Science Museum, Kids can help the Energy Ninjas rid the world of carbon dioxide and put the brakes on climate change. Learn about reducing carbon footprint with these dorky but cute cartoons.

The ARM Education and Outreach Site from the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Education Center helps K-12 students develop critical thinking skills focusing on environmental science and climate change. Also offered are lesson plans and the opportunity to "ask a scientist" questions about weather and climate.

The University of California San Diego provides this short animation explaining Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect.

Middle and High School

The Exploratorium's Global Climate Change: Research Explorer gives high school students an opportunity to explore scientific data relating to the atmosphere, the oceans, the areas covered by ice and snow, and the living organisms in all these domains. It includes case studies to illustrate how researchers gather evidence, test theories, and come to conclusions. The site includes a glossary of terms and many illustrations and charts.

The EPA Climate Site, from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provides comprehensive information on climate change, its causes and effects, and possible solutions.

The Climate and Global Change pages from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) provide basic information about the reasons for and effects of climate change, including illustrations and explanations of terms like “greenhouse gases” and “carbon-neutral.”  Click on “intermediate” or “advanced” to choose a reading level. The site is also available in Spanish.

The Greenhouse Effect from the University of Colorado Physics Education Technology (PhET) site is a research-based simulation for exploring how greenhouse gasses interact with the atmosphere and sunlight. Can be used online or downloaded.

The BBC’s Bloom: Smart Choices for the Carbon Conscious invites users to examine personal choices that can reduce carbon consumption. Users can compare choices based on a simple gauge of cost and CO2 saved, plus find additional information in articles that provide different sides of the debate. Log into this beautifully designed site to have fun while you learn.

The BBC’s Special Feature on Climate Change includes lots of other information including Graphical Guide to Climate Change, an illustrated explanation with information on the carbon cycle and the greenhouse effect, and
Climate Change from the BBC Weather Center with climate change basics including evidence, impacts, adaptation, and policy.

The American Museum of Natural History presents Science Bulletins about Climate Change. These include videos, data visualizations, and interactives. An educators guide is available.

Try to save Great Britain from the effects of Climate Change in this game from the British Government's climate change program. Logicity challenges students to explore this virtual city in 2066 when the effects of climate change have been felt. Players then go back in time and choose actions that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve Logicity's future. (Grades 6-12, science, global awareness)

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Arctic: A Friend Acting Strangely exhibit explores changes in the Arctic’s climate that are being observed by both polar scientists and polar residents, and describes how the changes impact the environment, its wildlife, and its peoples.  The site includes a video about the effect of climate change on people living in the polar region. Lesson plans for middle school students explore how the Arctic’s climate connects to our global climate system. 

A collection of Global Warming Videos from National Geographic address greenhouse gasses, glacial melt, and other topics.

Cycles of the Earth and Atmosphere, from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, is a Web site for middle school science and math teachers. The site provides background materials and lots of illustrations for study of the atmosphere including the greenhouse effect, global climate change, and ozone. Each lesson includes concepts, goals and hands-on activities for students.

Global Warming Facts & Our Future from the Marian Koshland Science Museum and National Academy of Sciences reveals the science behind global warming and examines the possible implications of this phenomenon for the quality of life around the world. It includes an interactive bar chart showing the effect of proposed personal and national actions to reduce CO2 emissions.

Global Warming Facts and Figures from the Pew Center on Climate Change provides graphs, maps and charts with recently updated information.

Climate Change in Our World from the British government demonstrates, using Google Earth, how climate change could affect the planet.

NPR Climate Change Videos feature amusing cartoons explaining concepts in climate change. Climate Connections, a Global Journey provides a map with climate change stories from around the world.

Global Warming: Frequently Asked Questions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides no-nonsense scientific answers about climate change.

Climate Change from the Exploratorium’s Ice Stories: Dispatches from Polar Scientists provides an explanation of the effect of climate change on the poles, including video explanations from scientists.

National Geographic’s Special Report on Climate Change includes photos, maps, articles and interactives, ranging from examples of how to reduce household carbon use to vanishing sea ice.

Teaching Climate Change from the Australia Institute aims to provide teachers and students with accurate information about climate change. Each fully illustrated module is designed for a discrete class period, with additional student activities. Modules include The Science of Climate Change, The Impacts of Climate Change, The Ethics of Climate Change and more.

Global Climate Change is an interdisciplinary, problem-based learning (PBL) module for high school students from NASA’s Exploring the Environment™ (ETE) series.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the most authoritative source for statistics and figures on climate change. The Panel provides graphics that are used in IPCC presentations, which could be used for teaching or independent study.

The Australian Department of Climate Change provides information on the potential impacts and costs of climate change. This site includes an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section.

Carbon Calculators

Here are several of the many “carbon calculators” available with which students can calculate their own carbon footprint:

EPA’s Personal Emissions Calculator

World Resources Institute and Union of Concerned Scientists’ brings you the SafeClimate Calculator. Information can be tracked over time, allowing you to gauge the impact of actions you take to reduce your carbon footprint.

Nature Conservancy’s Carbon Footprint Calculator

Berkeley Institute of the Environment’s Coolclimate Carbon Footprint Calculator

Act on CO2 is an animated calculator from the British government.

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