SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students analyze data, create line graphs, conduct research, and plan their data art project.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson builds students' data analysis and research skills. Students learn how to use data to create an appealing artwork that can explain and raise awareness on climate change impacts. All materials are properly sourced, and datasets for analysis are accurate. The lesson has passed our science credibility process.

POSITIVES:
-Students learn how to create a line graph that includes title, x-axis label, y-axis label, data points, and a line connecting the data points.
-Students think critically in their groups and in whole class discussions.
-Students practice media literacy skills when conducting research.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 5 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Art for the Earth unit.
-Students should have a basic understanding of data analysis and why graphs are useful tools to view data.
-You may have to guide students to good resources when they are conducting research on their topic in the Investigate section. A great tip when students are doing online research is to use the PARC method, which stands for Purpose, Author, Reliability, and Currency. Students can ask of every website:
-What is the purpose of this website?
-Who is the author of this website?
-Is this website reliable?
-Is this website current?

DIFFERENTIATION:
-It may be best for students to collaborate when creating their line graphs. Grouping students with varying levels of logical-mathematical intelligence and spatial-visual intelligence would probably work best.
-Line graphs can also be created using technology tools, including iPads or Chromebooks.
-Your students may or may not have different line graphs. If the data comes from a true class campaign, all students will have the same line graph. If students gathered their own data for different issues or used the different available data from NASA, their line graphs will be different.
-The Inspire section is meant for students to prepare to complete their projects. They will actually finish their projects in the sixth lesson in this unit after discussing more about the impact of art on one's feelings, how colours affect emotions, and how to appeal to different audiences.

This visualization tool shows sea ice data from 1978 to the present. Selected data can be animated to show changes in sea ice extent over time. Data is added by the National Snow and Ice Data Center as it becomes available.

This video illustrates the Keeling curve as evidence to establish man's role in global climate change.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn about deforestation, analyze paintings featuring deforestation themes, and then have the choice to learn about Wangari Maathai or design a climate action plan related to deforestation.

SCIENTIST NOTES: The lesson allows students to explore the importance of reforestation to combat climate change. There are no scientific misconceptions in the lesson except for one instance in the Young Voices for the Planet video, which is embedded on slide 19 of the Teacher Slideshow. At 3 minutes, 35 seconds into the video, the boy Julian says, "We plant trees to help climate change." This is an error because we plant trees to fight climate change. All other materials are properly sourced. Thus, this lesson has passed our science credibility process.

POSITIVES:
-There is opportunity for a lot of peer and group discussion in this lesson.
-Students share their own thoughts and feelings about Jill Pelto's art, validating how they feel about deforestation and climate change.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 2 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Art for the Earth unit.
-A stable Internet connection is required to play the videos, especially the Google Earth timelapse video.
-Students should have some background knowledge on Jill Pelto, which you can find in lesson 1 of our Art for the Earth unit.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-This entire lesson lends itself to discussion. Group students accordingly so they can get the most out of this lesson.
-The Google Earth timelapse video of deforestation can be emotional to watch. Students may react with anger, sadness, fear, or shock. Tell them that those feelings are normal and natural. You can also tell them that you are learning about deforestation and climate change in order to do something about it. Empowering your students is one of the most powerful gifts you can give them.
-Some students may be eager to share their thoughts and feelings about Jill Pelto's art. Let them share with the class. Some students, however, may want to keep their feelings to themselves. That is OK too.
-The Inspire section of this lesson features a lot of student agency. Some students may want to learn more about Wangari Maathai and then be "done" with the deforestation part of this unit. Other students may want to design an action plan for your school or community. Perhaps they'd like to plant more trees on your school grounds. Support these students appropriately, and perhaps their efforts will lead to a greener, healthier, calmer school environment.

This NASA animation on land cover change zooms into Rondonia, Brazil. It starts with a Landsat satellite image taken in 1975 and dissolves into a second image of the same region taken in 2009 that illustrates a significant amount of land use change.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson introduces the idea of soil as an ecosystem and as a carbon sink.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson unravels the importance of soil and engages students to take actions to restore the soil for living things to survive. All materials have been fact-checked, and this lesson is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson creates a collaborative learning environment for students to learn about soil as an ecosystem and a carbon sink for the environment.
-This lesson features kinesthetic learning as students will be digging into samples of soil.
-Students will develop a strong connection to self and others as they explore how we depend on soil.
-Students will have an opportunity to share with family members the lessons learned via their artistic model of soil and its importance to all of us.
-This lesson features age-appropriate vocabulary development.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-It is necessary to obtain soil samples magnifying glasses before the lesson.
-The teacher will need to gather “found” art materials from the classroom (e.g., paper, chenille stems, tissue paper, yarn, felt, glue, tape, etc.).
-Teachers will need to get the book Dirt: The Scoop on Soil ahead of time. It is available in most public and school libraries.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Students can make predictions or answer questions after viewing the time-lapse video while exploring the soil samples, and as they develop their soil carbon sink models.
-Students can work in pairs or teams to complete the hands-on soil activity and during the Inspire step.
-Groups of students with mixed abilities can collaborate as they build their soil carbon sink models.
-As an extension, students can walk around the schoolyard or playground and look for examples of “healthy” soil that is home to living organisms.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson explores the benefits of green spaces, how green spaces are disappearing, and how the disappearance of green spaces relates to environmental justice.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson lets students understand the relationship between disappearing green spaces and environmental justice in their community. The lesson is elementary, suitable for classroom, use and has no scientific misconceptions. All materials are thoroughly sourced and have passed our science review.

POSITIVES:
-Students will better understand deforestation utilizing Google Earth.
-Students learn how urban tree cover disproportionately benefits wealthier communities.
-This lesson uplifts student voices and creates student agency to make the world better.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 2 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Green Spaces unit.
-Knowledge of the terms goods and services would be helpful prior to this lesson.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Students are able to select one of three options in the Inspire section of this lesson.
-Outgoing students can share their mini-comics or stories with the class when they are finished.
-Teachers can support students who feel motivated to make changes in their schools or communities. Any project like this can extend far beyond this lesson.

This is a STEM activity to learn how different colors absorb light better than others. Vocabulary and investigating questions are included to facilitate discussion, and a rubric is provided for assessment.

A collection of repeat photography of glaciers from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). The photos are taken years apart at or near the same location, and at the same time of year. These images illustrate how dramatically glacier positions can change even over a relatively short period in geological time: 60 to 100 years. Background essay and discussion questions are included.

In this resource, students learn about changes in water availability due to drought in California from 2013 to 2017. This resource provides opportunities for students to interpret data and analyze imagery for observational evidence of drought conditions through maps, satellite images, and photographs.

Students first learn about the complexities of Earth's climate system and the different factors contributing to Earth's energy balance. Then, students categorize the factors that influence climate as warming or cooling factors. Finally, students design art pieces to depict the science behind Earth's climate system and share these artistic creations with families and communities.

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center discusses how a drought can have negative effects locally, for example by increasing the number of forest fires, and also globally, for example by impacting air quality thousands of miles away.

This article provides background information that will help teachers present the science associated with the study of climate, past, present and future. The magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle is structured around the recognized principles of climate literacy. The author explains the science concepts included in the principle related to climate study and research and also identifies additional sources of information.

This list of carefully selected books for grades K-5 highlights nonfiction about climate proxies, those preserved physical characteristics, such as fossils, that scientists use to reconstruct past climates. Also highlighted are a few books that provide information about two past climatic events -- the last ice age and the Dust Bowl. In each issue of the free, online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle, the virtual bookshelf recommends books that accurately portray the theme drawn from the principles of climate sciences.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn the importance of migratory hummingbirds and how to help them face the impacts of climate change.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson teaches students all about hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are important pollinators, and climate change is hurting their habitat. This lesson passed the scientific review process.

Esta lección enseña a los estudiantes todo sobre los colibríes. Los colibríes son polinizadores importantes y el cambio climático está dañando su hábitat. Esta lección pasó el proceso de revisión científica.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson encourages students to look for hummingbirds in their local environment and feel connected to the natural world and their neighboring country, Mexico.
-The lesson exposes students to the diversity of Indigenous peoples in the Americas through Indigenous language names for hummingbirds in Mexico and the stories from three different Indigenous cultures.
-This lesson could connect with a Day of the Dead lesson by beginning with the video of the Aztec legend about the relationship between the cempasúchil flower and the hummingbird.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-The main species in this lesson, the ruby-throated hummingbird, is currently abundant. In fact, climate change may extend the range of this species farther north as the climate becomes hotter. Students have a high probability of encountering this hummingbird in New Jersey and thus appreciating its tenacity and beauty.
-Appreciating the local migratory hummingbird can help students understand the concept of interdependence within communities and across borders.
-Understanding interdependence and fomenting cross-cultural cooperation are important aspects of finding solutions to climate change.
-Other species of hummingbirds, as noted on the poster from CONABIO, are more acutely threatened by climate change. Students can discuss why. For example, the more a hummingbird depends on an endemic species of plant (a plant found only in its region) or a more specific microclimate, the more vulnerable it is to disruption from climate change.
-Teachers can use this resource from Rutgers to further their understanding of the ruby-throated hummingbird.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Teachers can use all the activities in the lesson or choose activities that are most apt for their class.
-Teachers should preview the videos that tell stories about hummingbirds from the Nasca culture and the Aztec culture. These stories include events that students may find sad or scary. For example, the Aztec story includes the death of a warrior whose soul becomes the hummingbird. Students can talk about how they and the characters feel at different moments.

This video explains what El NiÃo is and provides the definition of El NiÃo. It goes into detail about the devastating terrestrial and aquatic effects an El NiÃo can have on living organisms and the climate (disease, storms, floods, tornadoes, drought, wildfire, increased air temperatures, decreased water temperatures, etc).

This short video illustrates the phenomena of El NiÃo and La NiÃa: their relationships to tradewinds and surface water temperatures, and their effects on precipitation in North America.

This resource is designed as a module with a storybook or web story, and four activities. In the storybook, the GLOBE Kids investigate colors in the sky and learn how air pollution affects sky color and our health. Learning activities engage students in describing sky color and conditions in the atmosphere, creating a model to learn how sky color and visibility are affected by aerosols, using prisms to explore properties of light and colors, and collecting aerosol samples.

Through learning activities, students learn how weather over a long period of time describes climate, explore how sea level rise can affect coastal communities and environments, and describe how humans are contributing to climate change and how we can take action to solve this problem.

In these activities and story book, students wonder why hummingbirds have stopped visiting their school. They learn about the needs of the hummingbirds, the seasonal changes where they live, and the environment where the hummingbirds spend the winter. Students describe the seasonal changes in a local habitat, observe how colors in nature change through the seasons, and research hummingbirds.