Our Climate Change Curriculum
We are empowering children to take ownership of – and find solutions to – climate change
Dear Educators,
This curriculum, developed for Archangel Ancient Tree Archive by leading science educators, directs students to abundant data on the web, asks students to teach each other stepwise about facets of climate change, and allows them to channel their understanding into action and art. It provides the content to prepare and guide students towards taking action/or active involvement in the global effort to slow and stop climate change. Tree propagation and planting is introduced as the best technology for incorporating atmospheric carbon.
This is a “STEEAMED” curriculum: Science, Technology, Environment / Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Economics and Design. It can and must be integrated in to teaching and guiding students not just about what climate change is, but how as a student, a teacher, a community and a society we intend to move forward. Obviously, politics and media studies can be woven into this curriculum, but it is beyond our scope to do so.
“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow”
Solving the massive problems that climate change present will take unprecedented effort. Students learning about climate change want to know, “What can I do?” There is so much to do, but students can lead the way by propagating and planting trees to re-assimilate carbon dioxide. You do NOT have to clone the biggest trees on the planet like David Milarch in order to use the best technology ever invented for carbon assimilation: photosynthesis.
The Curriculum
This curriculum has four components that can be used separately or together. Each unit has a content page for teachers, followed by PDF of lesson plans. Teachers of English language learners will find modified lesson plans on each page.
Climate Change Basics
Some understanding of carbon chemistry, photosynthesis and respiration, evolutionary time scale, the carbon cycle, human population growth, industrialization are taken as a given for the Climate Change Unit.
Climate Change
A web-based unit that focuses on elements of climate science that are self-reinforcing “positive” feedback loops. Best done in the following order: CO2, CH4 and radiative forcing (“the greenhouse effect”); glaciers ice caps and sea level rise; albedo effect; thermohaline circulation (THC); deforestation; permafrost and methane release; meat production; weather extremes. Includes additional topics.
Climate Change Student Action
There are two simple steps for students to take. Plant trees and reduce meat consumption. If every school-aged kid in the USA planted two trees, there would be 100,000,000 more trees on the planet. Many trees can be easily cloned (willows) and many tree seeds can be collected and sprouted in the classroom, and then planted outside. Watering and protecting planted trees from predation are also important. Rural districts and urban districts can collaborate. There are many models for urban tree planting. The Man Who Planted Trees is available for purchase in hardcover and paperback.
Climate Change Art
Students have really had to grapple with the enormity of what their generation is facing. Art is one way for students to explore their feelings and help them move forward to action.
Learn More
This Climate Curriculum will be available soon. If you wish to be informed about its release, please contact us.
