Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!

Images across New Jersey
Photos from Dale
Rosselet, Allison Mulch,
Dalton Farms, and NJ Audubon

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 explore sea level rise data, learn about the difference between melting ice on land versus water, explain the correlation coefficient (R), and graph the data over time to look at the y-intercept and slope.
  • Students will learn how melting sea ice is an indicator of climate change, how scientists measure sea ice, and the impact of feedback loops.
Grade 9-12
Subject Earth and Space Sciences,Mathematics
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • This article details the need for gender equality in education, social structures, and healthcare, and an end to childhood marriage, reducing pregnancy-related deaths in young girls, and eliminating gender-based violence to address sustainable development goals.
  • Students will learn that female empowerment and gender equality lead to prosperity, success, and sustainability.
Grade 9-12 | ap-college
Subject Social Studies,Civics,Health
Resource Type Articles/Websites

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  • This resource presents a list of the most important facts from the 2024 NOAA Arctic Report Card and a video summarizing the impacts of climate change on the Arctic.
  • Students will learn how wildlife, ocean life, and Indigenous cultures of the Arctic are impacted by climate change and understand that changes in the Arctic have global implications.
Grade 6-8 | 9-12
Subject Biology,Earth and Space Sciences,Geography
Resource Type Articles/Websites

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  • This article features an interview with Wanjira Mathai about her work with the Carter Center, The Green Belt Movement, and the World Resources Institute, and the connections between human health and the environment.
  • Students will learn how poverty impacts a country's ability to deal with climate change and environmental issues, how land use change impacts the water cycle, and about restoration efforts in Africa, such as agroforestry.

Grade 6-8 | 9-12
Subject Science,Social Studies,Career Skills
Resource Type Articles/Websites

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  • This article details the educational and professional career of Dr. Warren Washington, who made strides in climate science and modeling.
  • Students will learn about Dr. Washington's many achievements, including his inspirational representation for people of color in atmospheric science, his writing about three-dimensional climate models, and his philanthropic legacy.

Grade 6-8 | 9-12
Subject History,Career Skills
Resource Type Articles/Websites

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  • This 10-lesson unit introduces students to environmental justice and health, health impacts in environmental justice communities, the use of science and data in environmental justice, and ways to fight against environmental injustice.
  • The lessons cover a wide range of related topics, like air and water quality, the importance of green spaces, citizen science, mapping tools, and environmental justice policy.
  • Students will explore many case studies from Detroit and Flint, Michigan.

Grade 6-8
Subject Biology,Geography
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • In this activity, students will create presentations to define and explain a vocabulary term related to sustainability.
  • The resource also includes background information in the form of podcasts and articles for students and teachers to deepen their understanding.
Grade 9-12
Subject Economics,English Language Arts
Resource Type Activity - Classroom

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  • In this student-facing module, students will explore the economic, technological, and career opportunities in the ocean.
  • Students will explore the different ocean industries, different sources of renewable energy in the ocean, aquaculture and fishing, and innovations in ocean-related biotechnology.

Grade 9-12 | ap-college
Subject Science,Economics,Career Skills
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • In this lesson, students will look at where energy primarily comes from in their state, discuss what is using energy in their homes, and determine what can be done to reduce energy use.
  • Students will calculate the cost of electricity in Massachusetts (or their home state) and determine the impacts of a 5-10% reduction in energy use per person.
  • The resource also includes an optional science lesson for students to test the energy use of household appliances.

Grade 9-12
Subject Science,Mathematics
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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  • In this lesson, students will learn about the chemical and physical factors that contribute to the trapping, reflecting, and storing of heat energy on Earth and to sea level rise.
  • Students will explore climate models, the Earth's energy budget, the thermal expansion of water, melting sea and land ice, and the albedo effect.
  • This lesson is recommended for grades 10-12.
Grade 9-12
Subject Chemistry,Physics,Mathematics
Resource Type Lesson Plans