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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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  • Students interpret depth versus temperature graphs from buoy data in Lake Erie in order to complete a worksheet exploring the factors that affect stratification in the lake and then create their own graph.
  • Depending on how much time is spent on the extension, this activity can take 50-100 minutes. 
  • A teacher answer key is included for the worksheet. 
Grade 3-5 | 6-8
Subject Earth and Space Sciences,Mathematics
Resource Type Activity - Classroom

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  • This activity spans about three 50-minute class periods, including one class period spent in the field making observations and collecting data about water quality. 
  • Students learn about the aquatic habitats of common fish and organisms in the Great Lakes. 
  • The activity wraps up with a discussion of factors impacting the Great Lakes and what actions we can take to protect this ecosystem. 
Grade 3-5 | 6-8
Subject Biology
Resource Type Activity - Outdoors

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  • In this article, students will read about Michigan-specific climate impacts and the actions the MI Department of Natural Resources is taking to fight climate change.
  • Students will learn about many Michigan-based climate programs and other, more general climate actions.
Grade 6-8 | 9-12
Subject Biology,Earth and Space Sciences
Resource Type Articles/Websites

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  • In this activity and coloring book, students will learn about watersheds, pollution, and stormwater runoff.
  • Students will complete puzzles, mazes, and word searches as they learn the importance of watersheds and how to prevent water pollution.
Grade 3-5
Subject Science
Resource Type Worksheets

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  • In this multi-day lesson, students compare the effects of different global warming scenarios on communities around the world and in Michigan, consider differences in vulnerability, and write fictional narratives to make predictions for the future.
  • The lesson includes curriculum connections, interactive maps, videos, student worksheets, a writing rubric, and links to all data and maps.
Grade 9-12
Subject Science,Social Studies
Resource Type Lesson Plans

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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 explore what makes Michigan unique and how Michigan's unique features are threatened due to climate change.
  • Students will spend four 45-minute class periods discussing what makes Michigan a special place to live, researching ecosystem regions within Michigan and the threats they face, and advertising the region they studied.
Grade 6-8
Subject Biology,Geography
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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  • This resource is a collection of maps and data visualizations to support students' understanding of what climate is, the health impacts of climate, and how scientists can predict future climate conditions in Michigan.
  • Each data/mapping tool correlates to a climate change lesson linked in the teaching tips.
Grade 6-8 | 9-12
Subject Earth and Space Sciences,Geography
Resource Type Graphs/Tables