We partnered with the Asombro Institute for Science Education to design engaging, fun, and scientifically rigorous education units aligned with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. These units are freely available and intended for use by anyone, especially educators of 6-12 grade students. Increased temperatures and altered precipitation will make water, a limited resource in the arid southwestern United States, even scarcer in many locations. The Climate Change and the Water Cycle unit introduces students to climate change and potential impacts on the hydrological cycle. This unit consists of nine activities and is designed to be conducted over 10 days (or 10 hours). And it is also available in Spanish.
Effects of Climate Change on Agricultural Systems helps students learn about the impacts of climate change on agriculture and climate change adaptation. This unit consists of five activities and is designed to be conducted over five days (or five hours).
Flexibility is built into the curricula - each activity in either unit can stand alone, and need not be completed in its entirety. The curricula are free to download.
Links to other education resources
- National Climate Assessment (NCA) Education Resources for the Southwest Region: the sections "Our Changing Climate" and "Climate Science Supplement," contain information that will help educators and students gain a deeper understanding of climate science and the implications of climate variability and climate change for the Southwest region.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a great list of Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides and Online Resources for Educators on their website. Topics include Air, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Energy, Health, Waste and Water.
- FoodSpan is a free, downloadable high school curriculum that highlights critical issues in the food system and empowers students to be food citizens. It is aligned to national education standards in science, social studies, health, and family and consumer sciences.