Preparing the next generation to respond to the impacts of climate change is a major responsibility of each generation, and teachers are uniquely positioned to act as leaders in this space. By integrating climate science into their curriculum, teachers can inspire and empower students to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Every teacher, regardless of grade level or subject area, has a part to play. Younger students can explore fundamental concepts like recycling, while older students can engage with more complex topics such as calculating carbon footprints. In humanities and social studies classes, students can read literature about environmental themes and discuss competing environmental policies. Embedding climate lessons into all areas of education in this manner helps students understand the interconnected nature of environmental issues.

Here is a list of reputable curriculum resources to help bring these ideas into your classroom:

• The CLEAN Collection of Educational Resources offers a suite of well-vetted educational resources organized by keywords, grade level, or Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) topics. Visit the Collection here.
• NOAA offers over 700 rigorously-reviewed educational resources for teaching climate to students of all ages. Browse their offerings here.
• Open Educational Resources has a wide library of open-source climate education resources conveniently organized into subcategories based on grade level and study area, such as “Elementary Climate History” and “Literature of Climate for High School.” Visit their Climate Commons hub here.
• SubjectToClimate offers a comprehensive hub connecting educators of all grade levels and subject areas to the trusted resources that they need to teach about climate change, including lesson plans, teacher guides, and professional development opportunities. Browse their offerings here.
• 1y4e offers our own free-to-use 3-day lesson plan and corresponding worksheet, which leverage our vetted and accessible content to help students understand how they can make an impact in the fight against climate change. If you use these resources, we would love to hear your feedback so we can improve them for future students!