Climate Change

The tongue of the Malaspina Glacier, the largest glacier in Alaska

Malaspina Glacier, AK. Image courtesy of NASA Landsat Project Science Office and USGS National Center for EROS.

Quaternary climate change is one of the most complex, yet relevant issues facing researchers and educators today. Not only is the topic scientifically complex, but there are economic, social and political ramifications as well. This site allows educators to locate and use the best resources for teaching about Earth's climate system and the changing climate over the past one million years. Here you will find climate data, visualizations, teaching activities, workshops and more.

Upcoming workshop: Teaching Climate Change: Insight from Large Lakes

June 19-20, 2012, University of Minnesota-Duluth

In this workshop, we will introduce an array of data that can be gathered from large lakes and used to study past climates and predict future climate changes. We will review how these data are are collected, analyzed, and interpreted. The workshop will provide hands-on opportunities to examine cores and historic images and use public-domain databases to develop classroom teaching exercises. It will also include an optional field trip that combines a tour of working core and research labs with a cruise on Lake Superior on the research vessel Blue Heron.

This workshop will be held in conjunction with the AMQUA Biennial Meeting and is co-sponsored by the U.S. National Committee for the International Union for Quaternary Research and the American Quaternary Association.

Application deadline: April 18, 2012

Materials for Teaching Climate Change found in this module:

Recommended resources for teaching climate change, including research summaries, data sets, graphics, and carbon footprint calculators.
Classroom and lab activities contributed by faculty members.

Additional materials from across the SERC sites:

Site Guide: Climate Change and Global Warming, a directory to a large variety of materials for teaching about climate change.
Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) - part of the National Science Digital Library, the CLEAN network provides a comprehensive collection of climate science and climate literacy resources for students in grades 6-16 and informal citizen learners. The resources found in the CLEAN collection have been extensively reviewed by scientists and educators.
Browse through over 40 introductory-level teaching activities about climate in the Starting Point Collection.
Learn about how to teach controversial environmental issues and how this can be influenced by students' values, attitudes and pre-held beliefs.
Atmospheric science and climatology data sets from the Using Data collection.
Climate Proxies from the Microbial Life Educational Resources collection
Communicating Global Climate Change: Using Debate to Engage Integrative Learning. This series of video clips from MERLOT/ELIXR demonstrates the use of debate as a strategy for engaging student with the issues surrounding climate change. Project materials, timelines and PowerPoint slides are also included.
Climate Change Collection, a reviewed collection of educational materials on climate change

A piece of ice from the Mt. Moulten ice core in West Antarctica. This ice is 45,000 years old, and the gas bubbles are plainly visible. Click to enlarge