I have always found that introducing a topic with a group discussion is effective in getting students engaged in the subject material. It allows them to express their own opinions and interact with other students in a collaborative way. In my 6th grade class, I try to engage the students in conversation as much as possible and they are usually very reciprocative when tasked with discussing something other than their normal course work. As such, students will begin this lesson with a discussion on their current knowledge of climate change.
Students will be divided into groups of 3-4 and will be asked to discuss the following questions for about 5 minutes before regrouping to share their answers with the class. Each group will be asked to share something from their discussion with the class for each question. It may help to designate a speaker that will represent each group.
What does climate change mean to you?
What are some things contributing to climate change right now?
What are some negative effects of climate change?
What are some things you can do to protect the planet from climate change?
How important is the issue of climate change to you?