Climate Denial Campaign Goes Retro With New Textbook

Positives

• This article provides an interesting look at a hot-button topic in schools: misinformation.
• The article is well-written and provides enough context and background information for students to draw interesting conclusions about their reading.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should have an understanding of various existing climate change misconceptions, and the motivations of corporate climate change deniers.
• Students may experience a pop-up about cookies or how to donate to Grist.

Differentiation

• Cross-curricular connections can be made in social studies classes learning about historical propaganda, or in health classes that are considering corporate intentions and distinguishing truth from falsehoods.
• Before reading, poll students on their thoughts about misinformation and how it is targeted at them. Do they believe that they experience misinformation or propaganda in their everyday lives? Where? This may lead to a robust and interesting conversation, especially with older students or classes that use social media.
• For older students, this resource would pair well with The Debunking Handbook, which explains how to debunk misinformation. Have students role-play debunking information from The Heartland Institute.