HOW TO HELP TEACHERS TEACH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

The terms ‘global warming’, ‘greenhouse effect’, and ‘climate change’ appear nowhere in the 1996 National Science Education Standards, but under the Next Generation Science Standards, millions of K-12 teachers– including elementary school teachers with little formal training in science– will be required to cover the topic. GSA members can play an important role in supporting these teachers, and through them, their students.

This presentation discusses interviews and observations conducted with five veteran public school teachers, who have been teaching about climate change for many years. The group included: one elementary, one middle, and three high school teachers. The teachers were asked how the scientific community can support teachers in teaching about climate change, and several themes recurred. These included developing: 1) hands-on lab activities, 2) videos, 3) age-appropriate reading materials, and 4) locally relevant educational materials. The teachers were also very eager to have lists of recommended resources, and this need may be especially compelling given the large amount of misinformation (and disinformation) that is available to teachers and students alike.

The presentation will focus on how the scientific community can support teachers, but attendees will be able to access detailed descriptions of the lessons and learning materials developed by these master teachers. Attendees may want to use these materials in their work in both formal and informal educational settings.