Extreme Heat Vulnerability Mapping Tool
Data, Graphs, and Maps
Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APEarth and Space Sciences, Geography, Health
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by National Integrated Heat Health Information System
What it is
- This interactive tool displays which counties in America are most vulnerable to extreme heat, social factors contributing to a county's overall vulnerability index, and how vulnerabilities are projected to intensify in future decades.
- Students will use a map, datasets, and data visualizations to understand how location and demographics impact how susceptible to heat effects a county's inhabitants are.
Teaching tips
Positives
- There are many options to manipulate the view to gain even more insight.
- There is a search bar on the map to pinpoint an exact address.
Additional Prerequisites
- To optimize the view, set your browser's zoom to 90% when viewing this tool.
- To alter the interactive charts, click on the counties under "Most Vulnerable" or "Most Vulnerable by Theme."
- Students should know how to read graphs and charts.
- Students should understand the health impacts of extreme heat.
Differentiation
- Teachers can use this interactive tool as a conceptual introduction to environmental racism.
- Language arts students can use this interactive tool to write a research paper on which United States regions are most vulnerable to climate change.
- This interactive tool can enhance a classroom discussion on why extreme heat impacts certain groups more than others.
- Civics students can consider how our country can support the most vulnerable groups before, during, and after extreme heat events.
- For students who are overwhelmed by a lot of information on one screen, teachers may wish to select a few areas on the map and data visualizations to screenshot, crop, and analyze in isolation.
From the scientist review
The resource investigates social vulnerability and forecasts climate risk in the future. It measures influential indices of socioeconomic position and social vulnerability. The approach is free of scientific misunderstandings, and using this resource in the classroom is advised.
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