Lesson Plans & Activities

A Changing Climate: Understanding Drought in Colorado

This lesson is best taught at the beginning of a HEART Force unit, but it can also act as a stand-alone lesson to introduce students to drought in Colorado.

Students build an understanding of drought in Colorado using multiple data sources in a jigsaw activity. 
Lesson
Middle School
heartforce placeholder
HEART Force Flood Response Game

This lesson is best used after the Colorado Flood lessons in the HEART Force curricular unit, for students to apply their learning and respond to a hypothetical flood in their own community.

This interactive game has students work in three “zone response teams” to solve community challenges that arise during the course of an extreme flooding event by using available individual and community resources.
Game
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder
A Changing Climate: Understanding Floods in Colorado

This lesson is best taught at the beginning of a HEART Force unit, but it can also act as a stand-alone lesson to introduce students to floods in Colorado.

Students build an understanding of flooding in Colorado using multiple data sources in a jigsaw format. 
Lesson
Middle School
heartforce placeholder
HEART Force Drought Game

This lesson is best used after the Colorado Drought lessons in the HEART Force curricular unit, for students to apply their learning and respond to a hypothetical drought in their own community. 

In this interactive game, students work in three "resilience teams" to solve community challenges that arise during the course of an extreme drought event by using available individual and community resources. 
Game
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder
Flood Resilience in Colorado StoryMap

This is a lesson that can be used to get ideas and prepare for the Community Resilience Expo. 

Students interact with a flood StoryMap to explore the Colorado Resiliency Framework.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder
Adapting to Extremes: Exploring the Science of Floods in Colorado

This lesson is best taught at the beginning of a HEART Force unit, but it can also act as a stand-alone lesson to introduce students to floods in Colorado.

The way we choose to design our communities has impacted community risk and vulnerability to flooding; in this lesson, students will explore this concept by analyzing environmental data to classify patterns and practice communicating their findings. 
Lesson
High School
heartforce placeholder
Flood Virtual Expo

This lesson provides a virtual alternative to the HEART Force Expo curriculum.

This is a streamlined lesson for students to prepare for a Community Resilience Expo, focusing on flood.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder
Drought Virtual Expo

This lesson provides a virtual alternative to the HEART Force Expo curriculum. 

This is a streamlined lesson for students to prepare for a Community Resilience Expo, focusing on drought.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder
Communicate Existing Plans

This is a guide that can be used for a pathway for the Community Resilience Expo. 

In this sub-unit, students will learn more about their community’s resilience plans, choose a specific topic to focus on, and develop a product to communicate the plan to their peers and/or their community.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder
HEART Force Curriculum Overview

This unit consists of several lessons and can take anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks to teach, depending on which lesson teacher choose to incorporate.

The HEART Force curriculum builds understanding of wildfire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
Unit
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder
Adapting to Extremes: Exploring the Science of Drought in Colorado

This lesson is best taught at the beginning of a HEART Force unit, but it can also act as a stand-alone lesson to introduce students to drought in Colorado.

Humans have been affected by severe drought throughout history; in this lesson students explore this concept by analyzing environmental data to classify patterns and practice communicating their findings.
Lesson
High School
heartforce placeholder
Middle School Flood Unit

This HEART Force curricular unit includes all lessons for the Middle School Flood curriculum. 

The HEART Force curriculum builds an understanding of wildfire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
Unit
Middle School
heartforce placeholder
Middle School Drought Unit

This HEART Force curricular unit includes all lessons for the Middle School Drought curriculum. 

The HEART Force curriculum builds an understanding of wildfire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
Unit
Middle School
heartforce placeholder
High School Flood Unit

This HEART Force curricular unit includes all lessons for the High School Flood curriculum. 

The HEART Force curriculum builds an understanding of wildfire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
Unit
High School
heartforce placeholder
High School Drought Unit

This HEART Force curricular unit includes all lessons for the High School Drought curriculum. 

The HEART Force curriculum builds an understanding of fire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
Unit
High School
heartforce placeholder
Illustration of two people high-fiving in a work environment

Get involved and stay up-to-date with CIRES CEEE.