Direct Air Capture and Storage (DACCS) systems, which remove CO2 from the atmosphere, offer a significant carbon benefit depending on the energy mix of the regional grid. The greatest carbon benefit is achieved when DAC processes utilize zero-carbon sources like renewables and nuclear power. The ongoing decarbonization of the grid in most regions of the United States supports the effectiveness of DAC and electrification technologies.

Nuclear power plant construction has shifted to countries like China, India, Russia, and South Korea. Around 64 GW of new nuclear capacity is currently under construction, with China leading the way. An additional 177 GW has been announced globally. Some countries see nuclear power as a low-carbon option to meet climate goals. Factors such as economics and geopolitical considerations will determine how much new nuclear capacity actually gets built.

When you walk or drive around your neighborhood, what do the roofs look like? What if you lived in an area with a different climate, how might that affect the style of roofs that you see? Through this introductory engineering activity, students explore the advantages of different roof shapes for different climates or situations. They observe and discuss what happens in a teacher demo when a "snow load" (sifted cups of flour) is placed on three model roof shapes.

Climate justice recognizes the responsibility of the wealthy for climate change, which disproportionately impacts the vulnerable. Urban climate action plans are increasingly addressing justice, but some cities still lack such plans. Larger cities tend to prioritize justice more, and sectors like energy efficiency and clean energy receive greater attention. More efforts are needed to achieve just and inclusive urban climate transitions.

Urbanization is a world wide phenomenon. Vegetated areas get replaced by dark coloured buildings and increase the heat storage capacity dramatically. Additionally, the human body is vulnerable to heat events which will occur more regularly in the future because of climate change. There are many mitigation strategies that try to adapt the existing infrastructure to the possible natural hazards. One option would be to increase the reflection of solar radiation on surfaces. But is this the most effective way to reduce heat in cities? Or could green roofs have a greater cooling effect on buildings?

In this activity students work with real datasets to investigate a real situation regarding disappearing Arctic sea ice. The case study has students working side-by-side with a scientist from the National Snow and Ice Data Center and an Inuit community in Manitoba.

In this video segment from Planet H20: Water World, experts and teens inside and outside the Great Lakes watershed provide different perspectives on sharing the water from one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world.

This activity engages students in a role play to negotiate an agreement between the United States and China about climate change policies. Students use given background material or can do their own additional research to present their assigned stakeholder's position in a simulated negotiation.

Global natural gas consumption has risen 70% from 2000 to 2022, fueled by economic growth and coal-to-gas transition. Hydraulic fracturing in the US has played a major role. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) enables long-distance shipping, but presents climate and energy justice challenges.

During this lesson, students explore the increase in summer temperatures and describe the pattern as it relates to Colorado using a video by the Denver Post.

This lesson has students investigate how albedo is contributing to temperature increasing in some places, like cities, are increasing at faster rates than elsewhere.

This lesson has students explore what land use changes are happening and how changes in surface color affects temperatures in cities.

This video reviews how increasing temperatures in the Arctic are affecting the path of the jet stream, the severity of storms, and the length of individual weather events (rain, storms, drought).

In this short, hands-on activity, students build simple molecular models of 4 atmospheric gases (O2, N2, C02, and methane), compare their resonant frequencies, and make the connection between resonant frequency and the gas's ability to absorb infrared radiation.

This resource is a high quality video with a an engaging narrative discussing the need to cut carbon dioxide emissions in order to reduce the concentration in the atmosphere.

In this video segment adapted from United Tribes Technical College, listen as six Native American students share their concerns, hopes, and knowledge about climate change.

In this video, a spokesperson for the National Climactic Data Center describes the methods of using satellites (originally designed for observing changes in the weather) to study changes in climate from decade to decade. The video clearly illustrates the value of satellite data and begins to address connections between weather and climate.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson encourages students to think about their food choices and where their food comes from.

SCIENTIST NOTES: The lesson introduces students to analyze the origin or source of their food and explore and track the factors that determines their food choices. This lesson provides understanding on the implications of our food choices on achieving food security. There are no scientific misconceptions in this lesson. On that account, this lesson has passed the science credibility process.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson gets students thinking about what they eat, why they eat what they do, and where some of those foods may come from.
-The guided research gives students independent time to explore where their favorite meal’s ingredients might come from.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 1 of 6 in our 6th-8th grade Climate Change, Food Production, and Food Security unit.
-Students should understand that healthy foods like fruits and vegetables provide certain vitamins and nutrients that junk food does not.
-Students should know the consequences of an imbalanced diet can include diabetes, obesity, and other health issues.
-Teachers should be mindful that some students might be sensitive to topics surrounding food tracking, diet, and body image.
-For students to access the Food Tracker, teachers can print the Google Document or assign a copy to all students digitally.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-If teachers choose to teach this lesson without teaching the following lessons in the unit, teachers can end the lesson by having students explore this climate change food calculator after completing their Food Trackers.
-Teachers can assign the Teacher Slideshow or Student Document on Google Classroom and students can submit their work independently.
-Teachers can group students for the guided research section and assign them level-appropriate resources.
-Teachers can eliminate options in the guided research section if the options are overwhelming.
-Teachers can review the Teacher Slideshow as a class and answer the questions as a whole class assignment.

In this week-long unit, students examine weather reports from all over the world in order to understand global temperature patterns. Throughout the unit, students collect their findings in a portfolio. The comprehensive curriculum materials contain teacher tools, a Web activity in which students examine 12 months of weather data for several U.S. cities, comparing their findings with the same 12 months at Antarctica weather stations, two hands-on experiments, two Q&A interviews and a student handout with guidance for putting together their portfolios and examples of creative final projects.

In this lesson, students investigate various factors that can lead to surface ice melt in Antarctica by pairing a scientific mindset with hands-on exploration of datasets.