Teacher's Resources

Climate Science Information, Basics, and Other Materials for Teachers

Back to Basics on Climate Change This 8-page document contains information on Frequently Asked Questions about climate change including describing the greenhouse effect, definitions, and future projections. Document developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1.4 MB)


Thinking About Climate Change: Written for teachers by teachers, this resource is designed to make teaching about climate change easy and accessible. It provides ideas for teachers in all states across key learning areas, and prepared worksheets appropriate for years 7-10. Based on Tim Flannery's We Are The Weather Makers. (87 KB)


Clean Energy Curriculum for Middle and High School Students: Developed by Colorado State University Extension, this curriculum guides provides information, activities, and lesson plans for teaching middle and high school students about energy use, energy resources, and sustainable energy activities such as solar energy and school energy audits. The proposed curriculum is intended to be both practical and flexible according to academic standards, individual teaching styles, and available materials. (5.4 MB)


Drip's Journey - The Story of a Drop of Water: Students are read a story and then use clues from the story to construct a water cycle diagram. (1.5 MB)


Climate Change Glossary: This provides a comprehensive glossary containing words and definitions relevant to the science and education of climate change. (356 KB)


Climate Change Wedge - Powerpoint Presentation: This is a Powerpoint presentation illustrating the various "wedges" society will have to adapt and use if we are to stabilize the level of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. (LINK & PDF NOT WORKING)


Birds Taking Flight: How Climate Change Threatens Birds This brief document summarizes the impacts and consequences climate change is having on bird activity and behavior, including migration patterns, ecological habitat, and other pressures birds are experiencing. (567 KB)


Warming Waters: How Climate Change Threatens Birds Similar to the document above, this contains information on how warming water temperatures is impacting populations and behavior of freshwater fish, particularly trout and salmon. (560 KB)

Historical Overview of Climate Change Included in the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, this historical overview of climate change describes the evolution of thinking and science about climate change, including describing the fundamental nature of earth science, topics of climate change science, and key accomplishments and challenges we face with studying climate change. (5.1 MB)


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - What Factors Determine Earth's Climate? Written by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this 3-page document illustrates and discusses the interactive surface, land, and air components that contribute in the warming of the earth. It then discusses the influences of anthropogenic (human) activities in increasing or decreasing air temperatures. (350 KB)


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - What is the Relationship Between Climate Change and Weather? Another IPCC FAQ document, this contains information about the interlinkages connecting climate (long-term conditions) and weather (short-term conditions). A helpful illustration is included describing the exchanges taking place between land, water, and surface ecosystems. (457 KB)
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - What is the Greenhouse Effect? In addition to describing the greenhouse effect, this IPCC FAQ document discusses the natural exchange between solar radiation, thermal processes, and the atmosphere as well as how human activities are enhancing this warming process. (1.7 MB)


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - How do Human Activities Contribute to Climate Change and How do They Compare with Natural Influences? Human activities contribute to climate change by causing changes in Earth's atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gasses, aerosols, and cloudiness. This document describes the specifics of these influences as well as the role of greenhouse gases, radiative forcing, and other natural and human impacts to climate change. (1.7 MB)


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - How are Temperatures on Earth Changing? Climatic observations over the past 157 years indicate that the earth's global temperature is rising. This FAQ report contains information on the details of temperature analysis, measurements, and the surface data suggesting a warming world. (3.3 MB)


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - How is Precipitation Changing? Climate science and data indicates changes are taking place with regard to precipitation patterns, as well as the amount and intensity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, rain storms, and typhoons. This IPCC FAQ describes the relationship between precipitation changes and warming air temperatures, in particular the influences of increased water vapor particles and the consequences to precipitation events. (274 KB)


Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future: Developed by UNESCO, this is a teaching module containing activities, information and questions for teaching and learning about sustainable approaches for the future. This is an example of a learning activity addressing climate change, however a suite of similar activities and exercises are available at the UNESCO website. (169 KB)


Discover Your Changing World - Activity Book: This activity books was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and contains information, facts, and activities for teachers and student to engage with climate change topics and themes. (5.5 MB)


Quest For Less Designed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this document provides hands-on lessons and activities, enrichment ideas, journal writing assignments, and other educational tools related to preventing and reusing waste. (7MB)


Climate Change and You: What You Can Do: Students, educators, and administrators can all play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This document contains recommendations for reducing power usage, increasing energy efficiency and educating people on the overall possibilities to reduce, reuse, and recycle energy production. (198 KB)