Climate education solutions for the U.S. corn belt

The USDA AFRI grant "Climate change, mitigation, and adaptation in corn based cropping systems" involves more than 100 researchers focused on measuring GHG and carbon sequestration across the corn belt as well as building solutions that are resilient in times of drought, reducing soil and nutrient losses under saturated soil conditions, reducing farm field nitrogen losses, retaining carbon in the soil, and ensuring crop and soil productivity. The education component of the grant includes a goal to increase the climate change and agriculture knowledge of Grade 6-12 science and agriculture teachers. Solutions include identification of national agriculture and climate change and gaps in curricula; incorporating research into curriculum; development of a "toolbox" of teaching materials and activities for K-12 teachers such as Speed Science, data sets, and case studies which align with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); identification local climate-based issues; communication and collaboration with other CAP projects and the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) to share materials on CAMEL www.CAMELclimatechange.org ; conducting agricultural educator climate camps and university courses; and conducting a survey/needs assessment with agricultural educators related to Next Generation Science Standards, curricula/materials, values and beliefs, and capacity to teach on topics related climate and agriculture.