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New Jersey Climate Change
Education Hub

The resources you and your school need to effectively teach climate change.

These comprehensive resources are built around the official NJ Student Learning Standards and expand on the work of the New Jersey Department of Education.

Teaching Resources

Search our database by keywords, resource type, grade level, subject, NJ Student Learning Standards, and more. All resources have been reviewed by a scientist and teacher team.

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  • In this lesson, students will use aerial photos and dot planimeters to measure the proportion of land used for various purposes.
  • Students will measure, convert into percentages, and discuss how the land is used as a resource.
  • This lesson builds off of Land Use Lesson 1 and is part of an 8-lesson unit.
Grade 3-5
Subject Science,Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • This lesson introduces students to aerial photography and its use in environmental science.
  • Students will learn what an "air photo" is, compare two aerial photos of Shelby Township, MI, and discuss the changes in land use from 1980 to 1995.
  • This is the first lesson in an 8-part unit about land use.
Grade 3-5
Subject Science,Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • In this lesson, students will learn how temperature affects extreme weather events and the implications of climate change on extreme weather.
  • In groups, students will analyze data for blizzards, floods, droughts, heatwaves, and severe thunderstorms to determine how they have changed in frequency and how this impacts Michigan.
Grade 6-8
Subject Earth and Space Sciences
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • In this lesson, students will review citizen science data to determine when lilacs will be in full bloom in their city and when their city should host a lilac festival.
  • This lesson spans three 50-minute class periods, in which students will read about lilacs, learn the basics of phenology, analyze graphs, maps, and tables, and write a claim supported by evidence.
  • This activity is applicable for students who live in cities where lilacs bloom.
Grade 6-8
Subject Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • This short video focuses on how stronger storms and more extreme changes in lake levels are affecting the Great Lakes Region and how the cities along the lakes are adapting.  
  • The video is about 3 minutes long and includes footage of damaged roadways along Lake Superior, the shore of Lake Michigan, and interviews with individuals involved with city planning and water policy.
Grade 9-12 | ap-college
Subject Social Studies,Engineering,Career Skills
Resource Type Videos

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  • This infographic report details the predicted effects of various climate and human factors on different regions in Oregon.
  • Students will see impacts related to the ocean, wildfires, health, extreme weather, and population growth for Oregon's coast, Northern Willamette Valley, Mid to South Willamette Valley, Southwestern Oregon, the Mid-Columbia region, Central Oregon, Northeastern Oregon, and Southeastern Oregon.
Grade 6-8 | 9-12
Subject Earth and Space Sciences,Geography
Resource Type Scientific Reports

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  • In this lesson, students will learn about harmful algae blooms and how, due to increasing pollution and rising temperatures, they now impact Lake Superior.
  • Students will view maps and videos to understand watersheds, examine a photograph of Lake Eerie, watch a news segment about Lake Superior's algal blooms, read an article connecting rising temperatures to the presence of algae in Lake Superior, and create eutrophication models.
Grade 6-8
Subject Biology,Earth and Space Sciences
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • In this lesson, students will participate in multiple activities to look at the harmful effects of coal ash in Michigan.
  • Students will watch a video that warns about how coal ash threatens the Great Lakes area, read an article detailing the possible dangers of extreme weather near coal plants, experiment with filtration methods, and use the Understanding Global Change website to create models of the cause-and-effect relationships associated with coal ash.
Grade 6-8
Subject Science,Biology
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • This lesson includes multiple activities to explore how climate change is impacting the Great Lakes region.
  • Students will watch a video about the impact of climate change on ice fishing in Michigan, read an article about climate change impacts in the Great Lakes region, conduct experiments to model the impacts of increased carbon dioxide on temperature and ocean acidity, read about ocean acidification, and create climate change infographics.
Grade 6-8
Subject Chemistry,Earth and Space Sciences
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • This lesson explores recycling differernt materials, with an emphasis on shipbreaking in Lake Erie.
  • Students will watch videos to see what happens to paper and ships when they are recycled, read about recycling efforts in Michigan, explore the difference between the recycling numbers on plastics, melt plastic to make something new, and take apart a LEGO build to create a new one.
Grade 6-8
Subject Chemistry,Engineering
Resource Type Lesson Plans