Meet Global Warming's Six Americas

• Students will read an article from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication on Global Warming's Six Americas, six profiles that show Americans' views on climate change.
• Students will learn about the common traits, beliefs, and effective communication strategies for each of the six profiles.

Positives

• The Student Page format is well-organized and easy to read.
• The Educator Page's Tips for Success section has several excellent ideas for using the information from the Student Page.

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers may want to explain that the Six Americas profiles reflect the traits of the majority of people who responded to the survey in the same way, but the profiles do not reflect every single person that falls into each category. For example, a person could be non-religious and well-educated and still be "disengaged" because of their climate beliefs.
• On the Educator Page, the link to the Global Warming's Six Americas data is outdated. For the most Global Warming's Six Americas data, please go here.

Differentiation

• Art classes could make visual representations of the Six Americas. The artwork could be figurative or abstract.
• Advisory or life skills classes could use this article in a discussion about respectful communication. Students could discuss why people have certain beliefs and why they might feel attacked if someone disagrees with them.
• Students can take the Six Americas Super Short Survey to discover their own Six Americas profile.
• Other resources on this topic include this text on evidence-based climate communication tips and this TED video on the importance of talking about climate change.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.