Many students learn about topics such as natural hazards, resources, and climate change from the media and their community before they enter an Earth or Environmental Sciences classroom. The media- or community- narrative around these topics may be value-driven rather than scientific. How does this impact student understanding, and how should this inform teaching? In addition to a broad discussion around this topic, we will identify useful resources from Teach the Earth and compile a google document of shared resources (lessons, readings, assignments) that can be used to explicitly teach about both the scientific issues and the communication/assimilation of knowledge.