This video is one of a series produced by the Switch Energy project. It reviews the pros and cons of natural gas as a source of energy.

In this video segment, adapted from Navajo Technical College, two Navajo Elders speak about climate change and differences in the environment that they have observed.

This video contains a visualization and explanation of the Arctic sea ice and how it has changed over the 25 years. In September 2012, the National Snow and Ice Data Center recorded the lowest extent of Arctic sea ice. The video discusses the climate importance of ice thickness, reflective properties, and self-reinforcing feedback mechanisms.

This video describes how Colorado has planned for and uses clean energy resources to reduce its carbon footprint.

In this activity, students explore factors that have caused the rise in global temperature over the last century. Educators have the opportunity to assess how modeling activities (the game), analogies (the cake), and mathematical models (graphs) develop and change student mental models.

In this multi-part activity, students distinguish between adaptation and mitigation, in response to climate change, and research and discuss/debate strategies to minimize the effects of climate change.

In this short video segment Native Americans talk about climate change and how it impacts their lives as they experience unexpected changes in environmental conditions. They describe observed changes in seasonality, how these changes affect ecosystems and habitats, their respect for Mother Earth, and the participation of tribal colleges in climate change research projects.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students make personal connections to fire, understand how climate change is making wildfires worse in Oregon and across the globe, and create a wildfire solution presentation to promote a prevention or preparation strategy.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson allows students to learn about the causes of wildfire and how they are induced by climate change. It also highlights locations at risk to wildfires in Oregon and ways students can develop tactics to promote effective management of wildfire events. The archival data on wildfires will enable them to interpret wildfire hotspots for contingency planning. This lesson is very engaging and is recommended for classroom use.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson can be taught in a language arts class or a science class.
-Students make a personal connection to fire before learning about climate change’s impact on wildfires.
-Students promote a prevention or preparation strategy to share with their class, school, or community.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-It would be helpful for students to have some background knowledge of what makes fire burn. The resources Heat and Fuel and Oxygen can provide more context for students.
-The data in the sortable table titled, Oregon Biggest Fires, comes from this article. You can access the data by clicking, “Download the data.”

DIFFERENTIATION:
-If teachers want to provide more context on active fires in Oregon, this map provides up-to-date information.
-This video can provide additional information and also serve as inspiration for students to create their own presentations.

A short video on the causes of ocean acidification and its effects on marine ecosystems.

This simulation allows students to explore the change in sea surface pH levels with increasing CO2 levels.

This NOAA video discusses how the ocean absorbs the increased amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, thereby changing the pH and buffering action of the ocean. These changes in pH are impacting calcifying organisms, such as corals and shellfish, and related food chains and ecosystems.

This model of ocean-atmosphere interaction shows how carbon dioxide gas diffuses into water, causing the water to become more acidic. The video demonstration and instruction provide an explanation of the chemistry behind this change and the consequences of ocean acidification. The video also addresses a misconception about how ocean acidification affects shelled organisms.

This activity is a Google Slides playlist that will introduce fluctuations in thermohaline circulation, and potential impacts of changes in these patterns. This playlist is suitable for use in remote, hybrid, or in-person instruction and can easily be added to a Learning Management System.

Provenance: Molly Ludwick, Kings Mountain Middle School
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In this classroom activity, students access sea surface temperature and wind speed data from a NASA site, plot and compare data, draw conclusions about surface current and sea surface temperature, and link their gained understanding to concerns about global climate change.

This video highlights research conducted at Woods Hole on how heat absorbed by the ocean and changes of ocean chemistry from human activities could lead to a tipping point for marine life and ecosystems. Includes ice bath experiment that models the tipping point of Arctic sea ice.

This video introduces phytoplankton - the base of the marine food web, the source of half of the oxygen on Earth, and an important remover of CO2 from the atmosphere. The video also explains how satellites are used to monitor phytoplankton and how warming waters and acidification negatively affect phytoplankton.

This narrated slide show gives a brief overview of coral biology and how coral reefs are in danger from pollution, ocean temperature change, ocean acidification, and climate change. In addition, scientists discuss how taking cores from corals yields information on past changes in ocean temperature.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students explore increased precipitation and sea level rise in New Jersey and advocate for a climate adaptation strategy.

SCIENTIST NOTES: In this lesson, students will learn the basics of sea level rise and extreme rainfall and how that specifically is impacting New Jersey. They will also be introduced to a variety of ideas and technology to combat the increased flooding due to these things. Finally, they will be inspired to take action and propose an idea that will benefit their local community. All the videos have been reviewed for accuracy. The two mapping tools also explain where they are getting their data from. This resource is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson can be used in English, social studies, or science classes.
-Students are given voice and choice in this lesson.
-Students become agents of change in their own communities.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Students should be familiar with the basics of climate change and sea level rise.
-Students will be advocating for climate adaptation strategies. Climate adaptation strategies are ways humans are adapting to a changing climate. This is different from climate mitigation, which are ways humans are slowing down climate change. Climate mitigation strategies include reducing fossil fuel use and ending deforestation.
-The first two videos in the Investigate section will autoplay only the segment of the video that pertains to this lesson.
-How Climate Change Has Intensified Hurricane Season will play from 02:59-03:36.
-Thermal Expansion & Sea Level Rise will play from 01:27-02:54.
-The Investigate section features six different resources. These resources (four videos, one map, and one podcast) should not take that much time individually.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Students' communication can be as simple or as thorough as you desire. They will need more time to research and craft their communication if you want their writing to be more fact-based and robust.
-Some students may wish to communicate their advocacy via social media. Make sure to follow all school rules and monitor students' progress if you allow this in the classroom.
-Allow students to pursue other methods of communication, adaptation strategies, and recipients not listed in the chart in the Inspire section.
-In certain situations, it may be best to allow students to teach their family and friends about increased precipitation and sea level rise. This could be used as a replacement activity instead of student communication to government and business leaders.

Students work in engineering teams to optimize cleaner energy solutions for cooking and heating in rural China. They choose between various options for heating, cooking, hot water, and lights and other electricity, balancing between the cost and health effects of different energy choices.

This 3-part interactive and virtual lab activity examines the life cycle of the sea urchin, and how the increasing acidity of the ocean affects their larval development.