Participants will explore activities that engage middle school students in understanding global climate change, and in prioritizing actions to mitigate climate change effects. Participants will experience activities from a new NGSS-aligned middle school unit to see how they can be translated into any science classroom and many informal science education programs. Activities include:

• Exploration of the greenhouse effect and how factors may cause stability and change in this system,
• Examination of Earth history to comprehend the types and magnitude of natural phenomena that have changed climate,
• Asking questions to identify and clarify evidence of the factors influencing current temperature rise, and
• Proposing local actions to mitigate climate change effects

Participants will gain experience with:

• Unit Challenge Model and Argument Organizer: Students use this tool to develop models of the greenhouse effect system and construct evidence-based arguments
• Bubble Map: Students use this tool to articulate their ideas about how to investigate what may be causing Earth’s climate to change

Participants will work through the activities, then come together as a group to discuss how the investigations can be strategically adapted to take advantage of local resources or environmental scenarios making learning relatable to students’ lives. Leaders and participants will work together to share ideas regarding how ESA can best support teachers in facilitating ecological education with youth.

www.mi-star.mtu.edu