Climate Change, Geography, & Adaptation
Table of Contents
Some of the resources here educate about the climate and adaptation in general, while others provide hands-on solutions for protecting the school, homes, and local community at large.
Many of us, including students are struggling with climate anxiety, especially those of us who have faced the harsh realities of weather extremes, droughts, floods, fires, and other traumatizing events.
Many students don't have access to therapy or realize they can access it, but one thing we can and should do is help students understand what they can do in the face of climate change.
Empowering students not only reduces anxiety, but provides hope and skills that will help us build safer communities and homes.
Students are often catalysts among families and their communities as they take lessons home and share them with their elders.
Classroom Activities: Teach "Bring the wonder of space to your students. Explore our universe of science, technology, engineering and math activities and resources." Filter by types, subjects, grades, and topics - Jet Propulsion Labratory, California Institute of Technology, NASA
Adaptation Planning
A Student Guide for Community Organization (PDF) "I wrote this guide as a collection of anecdotes and lessons I have learned from being an undocumented, working-class woman of color who is also an organizer and a student. I want this guide to inspire people to organize in their communities and develop the tools they need in the ongoing fight for liberation and freedom. I chose to write this guide as a form of resilience.
Over the past six years, I have been an organizer and have had to balance school, work, and being an activist. At times I had to prioritize my organizing over my own academic goals, and I am now just understanding how to balance each part of my life." While this guides is directed at students, it's got valuable lessons for people outside of school too.
North America
Canada
Climate Change Adaptation Lessons and Infographics "For grades 6 to 9 for classes in a variety of disciplines. This lesson plan encourages students to think about climate change adaptation and mitigation through a variety of activities that teachers can choose from, from simpler activities like a value line, to a major final project where students create their own exhibit on climate change." - Ingenium
Climate Resilience
Flooding & Rain Capture
JBA Learning Resources These are divided into lessons for kids ages 7-11, 12-16, as well as for Higher Ed and CPD. Lessons focus on the physics of flood waters, river structures, coasts, water and landscape, mapping flood risks, weather and climate change.
School Yards, Rain Gardens, & Bioswales
Public Lecture Series about Green Schoolyards includes information on how school yards can double to work with storm water management - Green Schools America
Rain Gardens & Bioswales Includes coloured examples of what components are needed for a rain garden and bioswale along with information on how they work to provide a variety of benefits - the watershed project
Rain Garden Science Experiment
4:29 minute video (Warning: LOUD music!) shows how to cut plastic bottles and create mini rain gardens to clean up pollution while reducing run off.
Climate Resilience Resources
International
Ecosystem Restoration Camps " are repairing the earth. We are bringing everyday people together, to restore degraded ecosystems from the ground up." This program is building camps all over the world to give environmentalists with decades of experience the opportunity to train the next generation of activists. Each camps also functions as a living lab with the intention of creating replicable models that can be used elsewhere and scaled up or adjusted as needed. Click any of the links and scroll down to see the camp locations around the world, or register to build your own camp!
North America
USA
U.S. Climate Resiliance Toolkit "Meet the Challenges of a Changing Climate. Learn about potential climate hazards so you can protect your vulnerable assets." - developed by a partnership of federal agencies and organizations led by NOAA
Energy
Hydro
Marine Renewable Energy Educational Resources "Using clean, low-carbon energy sources is more important now than ever. As we combat climate change, marine renewable energy (MRE) has the potential to play an important role. However, we need to understand the impact tidal, wave, and ocean thermal energy devices may have on the environment in order to deploy MRE devices in a responsible manner.
OES-Environmental has compiled educational resources to increase awareness and understanding of MRE and associated environmental effects as well as support the future workforce.
The materials and resources on this page can be used by students of all ages and educational backgrounds. Educators, schools, aquariums and zoos, science camps, etc. may also want to use this page for fun, educational content or to develop a classroom curriculum on environmental effects of MRE."
Solar
Solar Schools
"There are now 7,332 K-12 schools using solar power nationwide, making up 5.5% of all K-12 public and private schools in the United States.
Since 2014, K-12 schools saw a 139% increase in the amount of solar installed. Today, 5.3 million students attend a school with solar.
79% of the solar installed on schools was financed by a third party, such as a solar developer. This allows schools and districts, regardless of the size of their budget, to purchase solar energy and receive immediate energy cost savings.
Solar-powered school districts can save significantly on energy costs over time. For example, Tucson Unified School District in Arizona expects to save $43 million over 20 years. In Arkansas, the Batesville School District used energy savings to become the highest-paying school district in the county with teachers receiving up to $9,000 per year in raises.
The top five states for solar on schools are California, New Jersey, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Indiana." - https://www.thesolarfoundation.org/solar-schools/
Click our Solar for Schools button for more information including organizations and programs specifically designed to help schools go solar, educational programs, grants, and more.
Europe
Ireland
Irish Peatland Conservation Council: SEAI Workshops "The Bog of Allen Nature Centre has teamed up with the Sustainable Energy of Ireland to offer free energy workshops to schools in Co. Kildare, Laois, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath. This series of interactive hands on workshops for primary schools aims to increase students understanding of climate change and energy efficiency. They are aimed at two levels infants-2nd class and 3rd-6th class.
Workshops can take place at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre or at the school. If your school would like to participate in this programme please complete the expression of interest form"
Hydro Physics & Human-Built Interventions
Waterways
Check Dam info in English
Check dams are used for for water sequestration, plus flood & erosion control.
This 3:34 minute video talks about the two main types of check dams, suggests a wider range of building materials, explains the order in which check dams should be built to avoid creating new problems as well as the need to incorporate terraces to manage erosion, and cautions the importance of maintenance over time.
This 1:14 minute video demonstrates how water flow and silt is effected by the presence of a check dam.
This 6:07 minute video demonstrates how check dams can alter and regenerate ecosystems, bringing more plants, trees, shade, regenerating ground water and ground porosity, which can even help generate freshwater springs lower down hill from the check dams.
Check Dam info in Hindi
Check Dam info in Hindi (5:50 minute video) Includes building recommendations and design demonstrations.
The more heavy-duty design shown here may be more appropriate for the intense monsoon rains flooding experienced in and around India, than some of the smaller, versions depicted in other videos. The need for reinforcements may also depend on other factors, including local geology.
Gully Plug(Boulder Check Dam) Khakrakudi GP- Nayapada Narayangarh (2:37 minute video)
This video shows some of the proces for making a ceries of dams (a second dam can be seen in the background, being build at the same time), while a man gives details about the project. The camera moves to show the angles on either side of the check dam.
Manmade Structures in Waterways
This video shows how a variety of common manmade structures affect water flow, erosion, and safety in waterways.
They use a model with examples of these common structures, as well as photos of real-life, long-term damage cause by some of these to existing waterways.
Coastal Defenses
Wave Tank Demonstration Showing the Impact of Coastal Defences on Flood Risk 12:22 minute video from the JBA Trust.
Games
Terra Nil This is a video game which is currently free if if you have a Netflix account, or available from Steam for around $20 (USD). The player starts out with a dead wasteland and uses technology to start revitalizing the environment. After basic ecosystems have been started and clean water is available, the gamer can then scan for wildlife and adjust biomes to make them appropriate for keystone species to return. For anyone who enjoys games like Civilization or City Skylines, this has a very similar feel, minus the wars and traffic congestion. Students will learn about everything from humidify and soil toxicity to the environmental requirements of specific species including sharks, penguins, bears, beavers, dragon flies and more. The final stages of each level include the use of drones and recycling facilities to retrieve all the technology for use in the next biome!
Programs
North America
USA
Louisiana
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette: The Ecology Center: K-12 Educational Programs these include a variety of opportunities. For example students can:
"learn about designing scientific experiments"
" Students germinate native plant seeds, and plant seedlings into our coastal prairie habitat. The Coastal Roots program educates students about plant life-cycles, and engages them with local environmental issues and restoration efforts."
"Campers visit the Ecology Center to learn about the history and unique characteristics of the Louisiana “Cajun Prairie” through hands-on activities and presentations."
"The Ecology Center partners with local high schools to provide research opportunities for students."
"As part of their science coursework, students from fifth, sixth, and seventh grades are able to learn about the Louisiana Cajun Prairie at The Ecology Center. Each grade is given a tour of the Cajun Prairie restoration, learns how to process seeds by hand and with the seed blower, and is given individualized activities. Fifth grade and sixth grades focus on learning how to identify native species and are treated to a native insect, grasses, and flower scavenger hunt armed with digital cameras to document their findings. Seventh grade examines and compares the plant and insect biodiversity within the four different ecosystems all in existence at the UL Ecology Center: cut lawn, restored prairie, unmanaged land, and bottomland hardwood. The Ecology Center also partners with the students in an on-going project to create a native butterfly garden habitat on campus at Berchman's Academy."
New Jersey
StreamWatch Schools "Water monitoring and research form the foundation of The Watershed Institute’s efforts to protect streams and rivers in central New Jersey. We recently launched a new Watershed program we call StreamWatch Schools, a water quality monitoring program led by children. The program enables students of all ages to contribute water quality data to a central online platform and to download data from other schools and water monitors.
The StreamWatch Schools program engages elementary, middle, and high school students in water quality monitoring, data collection, and data analysis with the support of Watershed Institute Educators. Depending on your class’s specific needs, Watershed Educators provide in-class and/or streamside instruction to assist with data collection. Our aim is to create an accessible program that is flexible and customizable based on your interests and needs. The StreamWatch Schools Program features access to lesson plans aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, with detailed fieldwork procedures, community discussion boards, and a new, custom-built web-based platform for inputting, viewing, analyzing, and sharing water quality data."
Watershed Academy For High School Students "offers immersive environmental investigations on the Watershed Reserve. Each five-day session engages students in a world of science where they ask questions and identify problems, gain skills and knowledge, propose solutions, and learn about career opportunities. Students will get hands-on experience as they participate in ongoing scientific studies at the Watershed and learn how to help influence environmental policy in their own communities.
These experiences engage students in science and stewardship practices to elevate them into awareness, investigation, action, and leadership as they prepare to enter adult roles in their communities."
Organizations
International
Dark Skies Rangers "This program educates students on how to identify inefficient lighting, provides alternatives and tools that reduce consumption, keeps energy costs in check, and helps communities regain and safeguard a precious resource - a dark nighttime sky."
EcoCity Builders A nonprofit organization dedicated to reshaping cities for the long-term health of human and natural systems. They develop and implement policy, design and educational tools and strategies.
Grants & Funding
North America
Mexico
Community Seed Grants (CSG) "are available once every year for school gardens and community organizations with regional and cultural connection to the NS/S seed collection. They are offered to garden projects working toward collective food security, seed sovereignty, traditional knowledge, education, and other efforts of community wellness. We do not require CSG recipients to save and return seeds, but encourage those who are able to do so, to provide seeds for their community.
Our region of focus is the Southwest, which generally includes: Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah, southern Colorado, western Oklahoma, western Texas, southern California, southern Nevada, and northwest Mexico. Native communities in arid places outside of this region may also apply.
We strive to support projects in Mexico. Due to mailing restrictions it is best if you have someone in the US who can receive and bring the seeds to Mexico.
USA
Community Seed Grants (CSG) "are available once every year for school gardens and community organizations with regional and cultural connection to the NS/S seed collection. They are offered to garden projects working toward collective food security, seed sovereignty, traditional knowledge, education, and other efforts of community wellness. We do not require CSG recipients to save and return seeds, but encourage those who are able to do so, to provide seeds for their community.
Our region of focus is the Southwest, which generally includes: Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah, southern Colorado, western Oklahoma, western Texas, southern California, southern Nevada, and northwest Mexico. Native communities in arid places outside of this region may also apply.
We strive to support projects in Mexico. Due to mailing restrictions it is best if you have someone in the US who can receive and bring the seeds to Mexico.
Oceana
Australia
Western Australia
The Sustainability Grants Program (in the City of Cockburn) "offers funding for projects related to six sustainability themes. Open to small businesses, schools, not-for-profits, and collective households, successful applicants can receive up to $4,000 for their project."