An Intro to Climate Change in IL
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by University of Illinois Extension
What it is
- This video from the University of Illinois Extension explains how climate change is impacting Illinois and what residents can do in the face of climate change.
- Students will understand the impacts of climate change on Illinois’s extreme weather, agricultural practices, water supply, and other aspects of daily life.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This video does a great job of summarizing a lot of information in a short period of time without being overwhelming.
- Seeing how climate change is already impacting where they live will help students see the importance of climate action.
Prerequisites
- It may be helpful for students to have some background knowledge, including a basic understanding of fossil fuels and a general definition of climate change.
Differentiation & Implementation
- If teachers have access to local precipitation data, students can explore this data and compare it across date ranges.
- To help students who may be feeling anxious about flash floods and droughts, teachers can assist students in creating a disaster preparedness plan and looking at local emergency action plans.
- This video focuses mainly on individual actions as solutions to climate change. Teachers can stress that climate action also requires systemic change. Students can write letters to their representatives, urging them to support climate action.
- Teachers can use this video to demonstrate how Illinois relates to sustainable development on a broader scale, referencing the Sustainable Development Goals. Teachers can use this guide for more resources on teaching the Sustainable Development Goals.
From the scientist review
This resource introduces students to climate change in Illinois. Key terms are clearly defined. The video’s greatest strength is that it clearly illustrates how seemingly opposite weather phenomena, such as flash floods and droughts or early springs and late frosts, can both be a result of climate change. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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