This guiding principle for informed climate decisions touches on many disciplines: earth science, biology, human health, engineering, technology, economics, and policy. Thus there are many pieces of the curriculum into which these topics can be woven. Students can engage in projects that focus on their own communities or on international case studies. Topics can involve lifestyle changes, innovative solutions, emerging technology, or policy negotiations. Subject areas can include energy, transportation, food, agriculture, commerce, or land use.
A pedagogic technique that is particularly effective is to have students take a quantitative approach to discover the scale of the problem and thus the scale of potential solutions. For example, how many light bulbs would need to be changed in order to offset rising carbon emissions? Often the best way for students to reach an understanding is to engage them in a problem-solving activity that allows them to discover answers for themselves.
Middle school students will learn the basics of climate science and the factors that contribute to climate change. They can begin to think about ways that they will be able to reduce their own impacts. They can also understand how actions and decisions can be made at many scales - at home, in school, in communities and across nations (see the Clarkson Energy Choices Board Game or The Big Energy Gamble). For example, students could undertake solutions at home or at school, and then do basic calculations to measure the effect if every student in the country took similar actions.
In high school, students are ready for a more mature understanding of climate science and to analyze solutions. Climate solutions can be integrated into a national or international context, such as with the Stabilization Wedges Game. Case studies from other countries can be used to engage students' interest in other cultures. Role-playing activities can appeal to a variety of learning styles and can encourage students to immerse themselves into a scenario that is outside of their everyday experience.
In the introductory undergraduate curriculum, students may take the last science course of their careers (sometimes just before they graduate in order to meet the graduation requirement). Such courses can offer an important overview of science in general and climate science in particular. Student projects (such as The Lifestyle Project) and essays also offer the opportunity for students to apply the implications of the science into their field of study or other areas of their specific interest.
Some colleges and universities also offer required writing and rhetoric courses, which can provide students with further opportunities to integrate climate literacy with writing and communications skills.
Upper-level college students, whether in science, engineering, technology, mathematics, arts, humanities or business, can be encouraged to use a cross-disciplinary approach to weave together climate science, sustainability, energy awareness, social justice and related themes. Upper-level students can draw from their depth of knowledge within their field of study and synthesize information in order to examine the implications of various solutions. Students who study abroad can examine energy use and climate solutions in other cultures.
Source: Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network