Many elements are interconnected and function together to create the natural and productive living system that is your garden. The purpose of this activity guide is to teach students the ecological functions found in any natural system and model how these functions are performed by a natural area like a garden.

This article provides an overview of the types of glaciers, glacial formation, movement and retreat, and how scientists are studying glaciers and their response to climate change.

How might Earth's temperature change in the future? Use this model to explore how changing human emissions of greenhouse gases might affect the temperature. The model incorporates positive and negative feedback loops. Ice cover and cloud cover change in response to the level of water vapor and temperature in the model.

With this simulation from the NASA Climate website, learners explore different examples of how ice is melting due to climate change in four places where large quantities of ice are found. The photo comparisons, graphs, animations, and especially the time lapse video clips of glaciers receding are astonishing and dramatic.

This lesson introduces students to the concepts of air pollution and technologies that have been developed by engineers to reduce air pollution. Students develop an understanding of visible air pollutants with an incomplete combustion demonstration, a "smog in a jar" demonstration, construction of simple particulate matter collectors and by exploring engineering roles related to air pollution. Next, students develop awareness and understanding of the daily air quality and trends in air quality using the Air Quality Index (AQI) listed in the newspaper. Finally, students build and observe a variety of simple models in order to develop an understanding of how engineers use these technologies to clean up and prevent air pollution.

This article provides links to standards-based science and literacy lessons about weather, climate, polar climates, and climate change.

This short Youtube video shows a visual model of greenhouse gases using tennis balls, explaining why carbon dioxide absorbs more heat energy than oxygen or nitrogen.

Students observe demonstrations, and build and evaluate simple models to understand the greenhouse effect and the role of increased greenhouse gas concentration in global warming.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn how to analyze characters in stories, reread Why Is Coco Orange?, and complete a journal entry.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson lets students learn about air quality, how to analyze characters in a story, and how to tell a story about the impact of air quality on human health. This lesson has passed the science review process and is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson allows students to explore their own personality traits and relate them to the characters in the story.
-This lesson shows students the best ways to support their classmates who have asthma.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Students should be familiar with the vocabulary in the story. You can use the vocabulary words slideshow with your students to review the words or play games with the words.
-Analyzing the characters in Inside Out is an easy way for students to begin practicing character analysis.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-You can choose to read the book aloud to your students, watch the video read aloud as a class, or have students read the story independently or in groups.
-You could print the vocabulary cards for students who need to refer to them during the read aloud.
-Students could read their journal entries to the class after they have finished. Some students may want to share their own journeys with asthma or how they are supporting friends and family with asthma.
-Students who finish early could conduct more research on ozone and its impact on the respiratory system.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students reflect on their personal energy use, make a bar graph to analyze data from the class, and create a conservation poster for display.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson is suitable to build the capacity of students to understand energy sources and what they can power, to compute and audit their daily energy consumption, to share their energy footprint in group activities, and to raise awareness on energy consumption to a wide audience by creating a conservation poster. This lesson has passed our science review process and is recommended for classroom use.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson includes using a spreadsheet to create a bar graph. This may be the first time students learn this skill.
-Creating a conservation poster is a great way for students to feel empowered to take immediate climate action.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 2 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Renewable Energy unit.
-When you are collecting data for the spreadsheets and graphs, some students may respond that they spent 1,440 minutes using energy (which is the total amount of minutes in a day) due to use of electricity for refrigerators or the heating and cooling of their homes. Although true, having multiple data points of 1,440 minutes is not useful. Have them come up with a lower estimate.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Some students may have difficulty with data entry when adding numbers to their spreadsheet. It may be best to create groups of students so they can check each other's progress to make sure it is correct.
-It may be best to allow students to create conservation posters individually or with a partner.
-Some students may want to create conservation posters using digital tools like Canva or Adobe Spark.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students advocate for renewable energy in their schools and communities.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson introduces students to understand the importance of renewable energy and how they can advocate for energy and climate justice in their community. All materials embedded in the lesson are thoroughly sourced. Accordingly, this lesson is recommended for classroom use.

POSITIVES:
-Students transform into activists in this final lesson in the unit.
-Students are able to engage with community stakeholders outside of the classroom.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 6 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Renewable Energy unit.
-It may be difficult to figure out how much renewable energy exists in your community or how much of your local electrical grid is powered by renewable energy. Your students could explore this interactive map from the EPA showing all energy infrastructure and resources.
-If you or your students do not know how to focus your activism, you can advocate for rooftop solar panels on your school if it makes sense.
-Support your students appropriately if they would like to take this project to the next level. Perhaps they could continue their activism before school, at recess, or after school. It may be nice to ask some of your fellow teachers to also support their efforts.
-This lesson plan might lead to the founding of a student activism group!

DIFFERENTIATION:
-There are many options for differentiation in this unit. Students can work individually or in groups as they design their own activism.
-Quieter students may want to write a letter to share their thoughts.
-More extroverted students may want to deliver a speech to a school or community leader or sit down with them for a one-on-one discussion.

This animated video discusses how climate change is altering the environment and increasing disease risk from air pollution, spread of disease vectors, increased high temperatures, violent storms and flooding. Ideas for community preparedness are offered.

From this original story, young readers and listeners learn about four tools scientists use to study climate - climate stations, weather balloons, satellites, and buoys. The story is available at two reading levels and in three formats - text-only, illustrated booklet, and electronic book. Glossary included. Each issue of Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle contains an original story that expands on the theme.

Students investigate how sea levels might rise when ice sheets and ice caps melt. By constructing a pair of models, students can observe the effects of ice melt in two different situations.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn the story of William Kamkwamba, build their own renewable-powered project, and share their project with the broader school community.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson engages students to build a renewable energy product. It contains clear illustrations on how to create a product, test it out, and share the innovation with an audience. There are no misconceptions in this lesson. It is advised that this lesson be used in the classroom.

POSITIVES:
-Students learn the inspiring story of William Kamkwamba and how he brought power to his community.
-Students get to engineer with their hands!

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 4 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Renewable Energy unit.
-You will need to procure a copy of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind for this lesson.
-The Investigate section of this lesson plan is listed as 40 minutes long. However, some students may need more time to finish their projects. Perhaps they could keep building their projects before school, at recess, after school, or at home.
-It may be best to check with your administration or team teachers to see if your students can display their projects in a common area. Also, a "please do not touch" sign may be necessary for the display so your students' creations do not get broken.
-This lesson may need to be postponed if it is not sunny or windy enough on that day.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-You may not have enough specialized materials (small solar panel, hobby motor, etc.) for all students. Students can work in groups to share these limited materials.
-If you decide to have your students present to another class, encourage every student to have a speaking part.
-Perhaps you can allow students to bring in materials from home. Be mindful of students who have nicer materials and how other students feel if they are using school materials only.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students investigate plant growth by measuring their own plants.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson lets students discover the importance of plants in their environment and the basic materials plants need for growth. It also contains an activity for students to measure plant growth rate so as to discuss the factors that influence plant growth. All the accompanying materials in the lesson are well-sourced, and this lesson has passed our science credibility review.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson includes elements of project-based learning through hands-on activities.
-This lesson is cross curricular.
-The materials are easily accessible for teachers and can be collected by students from home. Consumable items can be collected from home, donated by families, or even local companies that support education. If donations are not possible, seed and bean costs are minimal and can be shared among multiple teachers in a school.
-Parts of the lesson can be conducted outdoors to connect with nature.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-For the Inquire section, students need access to outdoor space with living things to observe.
-The lesson time is approximately 90 minutes, but the lesson also requires ~10 minutes daily for 2 weeks after the lesson to measure and log plant growth in their journals.
-Students should have a basic understanding of the difference between living and nonliving things.
-Students should have an understanding of what living things need to grow.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-This lesson can be taught as three separate ~30 minute lessons.
-Students can graph growth at the end of the 2-week time period showing how their plants changed. This is an assessment opportunity for teachers to determine understanding of measurement.
-If there is no possibility of a nature walk or finding space outside for observation, substitutions can be made such as observing a living plant in a pot, a photograph of a space outside, a raised garden bed, etc.
-Due to the hands-on aspects of this lesson, English language learners can engage and be supported with vocabulary in their native language.
-The Plant Growth Journal can be edited to include additional writing opportunities.
-Measurements can be made through standard or nonstandard units of measure.
-Graphing can be included for students ready to engage in graphing based on grade level.
-Enrichment lessons can be included through designing outdoor space at students' homes or creating a school garden.

This article examines the sixth of seven essential principles of the climate sciences--"We Change Earth's Climate." Written for the science teacher, the article covers greenhouse gases, land-use changes, and other human-induced causes of global climate change. Each issue of the free online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle is structured around one of the seven principles. The content provides background information, lessons, and activities for K-5 classrooms.

In this problem-based learning module, students research and report on Hurricane Katrina, using an earth systems science analysis approach.

This video discusses impacts that the Eastern US is experiencing due to climate change. It describes the seasonal shifts that may affect tourism in New England, extreme heat in the Southeast, how rising sea level affects coastal areas, changes in hurricane intensity, the spread of invasive species and disease, as well as other topics.

This article describes two hands-on lessons to teach elementary and middle school students about ice, glaciers, and climate change in the polar regions.