Target audience

This educational tool is designed for teachers of any subject, and is targeted to students age 12 and up. Educators are not expected to be experts or science teachers, and may well be learning along with the students. Many of the experiments can be done with kitchen and craft supplies, a few use inexpensive scientific tools, and none require the use of sophisticated equipment or a special lab.

How to use the CCSAE educational tool in the classroom

This tool follows a constructivist model where students first learn by doing, then create a deeper understanding by seeking their own answers through research. The recommended way to use the CCSAE tool is also as an iterative process, where students do cycles of learning the mechanisms (natural processes), then learning about the environmental conditions that are caused. In this way they can build an understanding of the big picture of climate change, from increasing CO2 in the atmosphere to changing conditions for ecosystems and life on Earth.

Recommended sequence:

1. The educator reviews the environmental issues addressed by the CCSAE and selects a Pathway based on student interest and/or relevance to their community. 

2. At the selected Pathway page, educators review the hands-on learning experiences (the Experiments and Analyses) and the suggested plan for carrying them out. The educator adapts the plan to meet their time, material, and other constraints.

3. Students engage in the learning experiences (carry out a brief experiment, examine a visualization, read a news article, etc.) to see or get a feel for the mechanisms (the physical, chemical and biological things that are happening). 

4. At the finish of each experiment or analysis, students figure out which connection on the framework was demonstrated and put the mechanism in the context of climate change. 

5. Students are then ready to learn more about the environmental conditions at the cause and effect ends of the connection arrow. For that they go to the Environmental Explainer pages, each of which has resources that address these questions: What is it? How is it changing? Why does it matter?

6. Educators can continue on to the next experiment or analysis (back to Steps 3, 4, 5), or go deeper into the key concepts on the existing steps, or wrap up the entire pathway with a reflection activity as they deem appropriate. 

7. Complete the learning experience with a reflection that helps students put all the information together. The knowledge of the environmental processes and the resulting harm to ecosystems and life on Earth will be internalized differently by each student. There are  resources on the site for actions and solutions as well as managing anxiety. Go to Actions and Solutions and Why schools can't ignore it.

How much class time is needed?

The pathways allow the educator using the CCSAE to focus on one topic and tell its complete story in 2 to 5 class hours. Individual activities and experiments can be carried out in 20 to 50 minutes. 

Lesson outlines for each pathway are linked on each pathway page. The outlines include all pathway elements and a suggested order for carrying them out.

Educators are encouraged to adapt the lesson plans to meet their needs and constraints. The amount of time to take students through a pathway can be reduced by eliminating activities, combining them, or by leading them in direct instruction.

Can the resources be used in other ways?

Yes. The activities, experiments and other resources were selected to be short, clear, engaging, short and appropriate for the general public. All support climate literacy and are evidence-based. Educators can make virtual scavenger hunts, jigsaw activities, or simply let students browse the site. 

We’d love to hear how you used this tool in your community, how the students responded, and your suggestions to improve the experiments and other resources.  Contact us at ccsae@mit.edu.