For decades, the American Federation of Teachers has been a force in the climate change movement, calling for divestments in fossil fuels, using scientific inquiry methods to address the issue of global warming and educating its membership and the public on the effects of human activity on our environment and natural resources. In its most recent resolution in support of the Green New Deal, the AFT resolved to work collaboratively with local school districts and other organizations to teach students about climate change. To meet this goal, the AFT’s Share My Lesson, in partnership with the National Science Foundation, PBS NewsHour Extra and other climate-conscious organizations, has compiled an amazing collection of lesson plans and resources for educators addressing various aspects of environmental science.
AFT members have also answered the call to share lessons they have used in the classroom to spark student curiosity and prepare the next generation of science-literate advocates for a sustainable future. These lessons help students understand the natural world around them by using the practices and methods of scientists and engineers to gather evidence, make explanations about how the natural world works and design solutions to improve or mitigate the effects of human impact.
Climate Change/Human Impact
- Human Impact on the Environment
- Human Impact of America’s Trash on Ecosytems
- Adaptations
- This lesson focuses on how changes in habitats affect the organisms living there.
- Seed Dispersal
- This lesson sets the foundation for young children to understand how animals disperse seeds and how natural phenomena like fires are necessary for the giant sequoias to germinate and survive.
- It’s All about the Beaks
- This lesson explains how the shape of a bird’s beak is connected to its food source, and how changes to a habitat and food source directly affect the survival of a species.
Understanding Weather and the Atmosphere
This set of lessons (in partnership with Amazon Studios) helps students understand the layers of the atmosphere, air masses, cloud elevation and weather instruments to predict and forecast weather. Understanding these concepts is essential to mitigating the effects of natural disasters and climate change.The Aeronauts
Resources
Questions to Promote Scientific Inquiry and Engineering Design