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Lesson Plans & Activities

Peer-reviewed, classroom-ready NGSS-aligned lesson plans, activities, data puzzles, virtual field trips, and design challenges covering environmental hazards, climate change, mental health, Earth systems, community resilience, and more.  

Lesson Plans & Activities

Hurricane Tracks shows global tropical cyclones from 1950 - 2020. The majority of this activity is in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Eastern pacific, Southwest Asia, and in the Indian Ocean.
Hurricane Tracks

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
The Age of the Seafloor. The image demonstrates that the seafloor tends to be the youngest in the middle of each ocean, and the oldest near the coasts of the continents.
Age of the Seafloor

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
The National Risk Index Map demonstrates natural hazard risk data across the United States by county. Most of central US is in blue and demonstrates lowered hazard risk. Most coastal regions and counties with major cities are red and more at risk.
National Risk Index - County-level Hazards

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
Three children sitting on a wooden log meditating with a green forest in the background
Mindfulness Practices & Guided Meditation

This activity is one of seven activities in the Climate Mental Health Support Activities.

 In this lesson, students will participate in some practices designed to help them start to pay attention to their breathing and pay attention to the present moment. These practices can help students practice self-care and emotional regulation. When used regularly, mindfulness can help students build emotional regulation skills and build a community of compassion and respect.
Lesson
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
2024 Arctic sea ice summer minimum. The image depicts a satellite view of the Arctic where the sea ice is at a minimum during the summer as compared to the median extent that has been averaged from 1981 to 2010.
Arctic Sea Ice and Glaciers - Effects of Albedo

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
Satellite analysis of global historical precipitation data colored to represent the departure from normal based on the precipitation totals higher than the 1981-2010 average. The graph shows that North America, most of South America, Southern Africa, and Europe are receiving less precipitation than usual. It also shows more precipitation than normal in Latin America and parts of Africa. All of Southeast Asia and Australia are receiving significantly more moisture than usual.
Precipitation Departure - LA Fires

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
A man with a white beard and black zip-up sweatshirt who is a wildfire survivor speaks about his experience
Voices of Resilience: Collecting Stories of Survivors

This lesson is best used as part of the HEART Force curricular unit, but it can also be used as part of a unit on natural hazards. 

 Students collect stories from community members about their experiences with hazards.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
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Land Surface Temperature of the Americas in Fahrenheit
Land Surface Temperature - Arctic Blast

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
United states map with an Arctic air mass that is varying shades of blue covering a large part of the United States
Data Puzzle: Weather vs. Climate - Extreme Cold in a Warming World?

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 In this Data Puzzle, students explore the difference between weather and climate in the context of an extreme cold event that occurred during a NFL playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins on January 13th, 2024. The air temperature at kickoff was -4°F, making it the fourth coldest NFL game ever played! But what does this cold weather event tell us (if anything) in the context of long-term average temperature patterns in the region?
Lesson
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
Global temperature map showing climate patterns across Earth. Warmer regions are highlighted in red and orange around the equator, Africa, South America, and Australia. Cooler regions in light blue and deep blue appear in the polar areas of the Arctic and Antarctica, as well as northern Asia and North America
Surface Air Temperature Forecast - Climate Zones

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
Satellite shot of the Earth from space at night with light pollution.
Earth at Night - Human Impact

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will sharpen their critical thinking skills by making careful observations, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
2016 Global Vegetation Index from NOAA-20's Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The Vegetation Index shows level of vegetation based on the amount of absorbed visible light. The lushest areas are dark green and absorb the most visible light, while sparse vegetation is pale in color.
Vegetation - Seasons from Space

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly. Depicts much warmer than usual water temperatures globally during an El Niño year.
Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly - El Niño

This Data Lens is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of Data Lens lessons.

 In this short activity, students will strengthen their critical thinking skills by carefully observing the data, forming ideas, and backing them up with evidence.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
NOAA Science On a Sphere Data Lens logo overlaid on a world map showing Earth's vegetation and land use. The text reads “Exploring Earth’s Visual Stories
Lines of plants turning yellowish-green above dry and cracked brown dirt
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
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Nine people in hard hats standing and kneeling around scientific equipment which are large white cubes with the label 'WINDCUBE'. In the background there is an open field and mountain ridge.
Data Puzzle: Windstorms on the Front Range

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Although strong windstorms are a common weather event at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, a record-breaking windy spring soon after the Marshall Fire disaster had the public feeling on-edge. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze data on the number of windstorms and the number of red flag warnings to investigate the question, “Is it getting windier on the Front Range as the climate warms?”
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
Image of girls holding climate sign.
You are a Climate Leader

This activity is a stand-alone exercise part of seven activities from the Climate Mental Health Support Activities. 

 In this lesson, students will read brief biographies of youth climate activists and then reflect on how they can take climate action in their own lives. This lesson is best suited as the end of a unit or lesson on climate change as it requires some background knowledge on the causes of current climate change and potential mitigations or solutions.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
Ground of people gardening
Climate Solutions

This activity is a standalone exercise that is part of one of seven activities from the Climate Mental Health Support Activities. 

 In this lesson, students will participate in a short scavenger hunt to familiarize themselves with climate change mitigation strategies and solutions for decreasing heat-trapping emissions.
Lesson
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
Two girls standing side by side holding a sign that reads "The seas are rising but so are we!"
Visioning Possibility

This activity is a standalone exercise that is part of one of seven activities from the Climate Mental Health Support Activities. 

 In this lesson, students will find inspiration from innovative solutions, envisioning a hopeful future and their role in it.
Lesson
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
a photo of a man riding a bicycle on the road with green trees in the background
Connecting with Special Places in Nature

This activity is one of seven activities in the Climate Mental Health Support Activities.

 In this lesson, students will take time to connect to a place that is special to them.
Lesson
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
With a blue sky and mountain with a white peak in the background, the metal poles are visible of the East River Watershed field site
Data Puzzle: Snow in the Rockies

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Water from snowmelt high in the Rocky Mountains feeds into the Colorado River, a river system that more than 40 million people rely on for water. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze snowfall and snowmelt datasets to investigate the question, "How have snow conditions in the East River Watershed changed over time?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Virtual field trip
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
This is a picture that lists the 6 key active listening skills: pay attention, withhold judgment, reflect, clarify, summarize and share.
Active Listening Skills

This activity is one of seven activities in the Climate Mental Health Support Activities.

 In this lesson, students will identify emotions they experience as they learn about the impacts of climate change. In pairs, students will practice active listening skills as one student describes their emotions to the partner who applies active listening skills. They then flip roles and the other student describes their emotions while the partner listens.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
University/College
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
Talk About Climate Change Today Graphic from CLEAN Resource "Have the Talk: Climate Conversations"
Nature Appreciation

This activity is one of seven activities in the Climate Mental Health Support Activities.

 In this lesson, students will play, explore, appreciate, and practice perspective-taking in nature. All of these actions help positively connect youth to nature, and instill an ethic of care for the environment.
Lesson
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
This is an image of 9 students who are sharing their environmental projects.
Facilitating Discussions and Creating Solidarity

This activity is one of seven activities in the Climate Mental Health Support Activities.

 Talking about emotions related to climate change can help youth to process emotions, move on, and develop trust and connection with others through shared solidarity. In this lesson, students will discuss their thoughts and feelings about climate change with others. Consider teaching the Emotions Wheel and Active Listening activities before this in order to help students develop language and discussion skills.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
University/College
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
climate emotions wheel
The Emotions Wheel

This activity is a stand-alone exercise part of seven activities from the Climate Mental Health Support Activities. 

 Emotion wheels have been a visual tool used by psychologists for decades to help people better understand and interpret their feelings. This activity is for people of all ages and can be done with family members, in a classroom, with friends, work colleagues, etc.
Lesson
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
CLEAN logo, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
Cartoon image of green pine trees with orange fire shapes over them with dead brown brush at the bottom and a dark grayish blue sky
Data Puzzle: Wildfire, Drought, and the Future of Forests

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Wildfires are burning more and more of the forests across the western United States. In this Data Puzzle, Data Puzzle, students analyze post-fire forest recovery datasets as they gather evidence to construct explanatory models for the following question, "How do climate conditions impact the recovery of forests after a wildfire?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
Flood waters from Hurrican Dolly overtake a suburb
Social Vulnerability to Natural Hazards

This is the third of four lessons in the Lake County Cascading Hazards unit. This lesson can also be used in the HEART Force Curriculum. 

 In the third lesson of the Lake County Cascading Hazards unit, students learn about social factors that might make one group more vulnerable to a hazard than another.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
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Cascading hazards
Cascading Hazards

This is the second of four lessons in the Lake County Cascading Hazards unit. 

 In the second lesson of the Lake County Cascading Hazards unit, students dig into local stories and datasets, and learn about the connections between natural hazards.
Lesson
STEAM Activity
Middle School
High School
Five steps to prepare for wildfire
Take Action

Actions that will help families prepare for the next disaster can take a few minutes, and make a big difference when the time comes. Students will create a social media post or a short video to share what they are doing to prepare and encourage their friends to be prepared too.

 In the last lesson of the Lake County unit, students develop ideas to increase resilience to hazards in their community.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
A home being rebuilt after the Valley Fire as part of the Hope City project in Lake County. Photo Credit: Lake County News
ReVisioning Hazards

This is the first lesson in the Lake County Cascading Hazards unit, but can be used for any introduction to natural hazards curriculum. 

 In the first lesson of the Lake County Cascading Hazards Unit, students read a poem written by a local fire survivor, and utilize a visualization practice to build personal resilience.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
Orange sun with squiggly orange lines pointing down to green earth with electrons and molecules demonstrating global warming
Data Puzzle: Not All Warming is Equal

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 The dramatic increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has caused global temperatures to rise by more than 1.1°C (~2°F), but not all warming is equal. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide datasets to construct explanatory models for the following question, "Do the places on Earth where temperatures are increasing the most also have the greatest increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo, Mosaic logo
Cartoon graphic of two people talking and the text "Conversation Guides"
Conversation Guide: Our Relationship with Water

This structured conversation guide is a great way to begin a dialogue about shared experiences with water in your community!

 In this conversation, participants will explore their shared watershed and local ecosystems, and connect with neighbors through their common and unique experiences with water in the region. We hope individuals, families, and communities will share their memories and stories about water and come together to imagine a future they want for their communities.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
We are Water with birds and a sun: connecting communities
Cartoon graphic of two people talking and the text "Conversation Guides"
Guía de Conversación: Nuestra Relación con el Agua | Conversation Guide: Our Relationship with Water

This structured conversation guide is a great way to begin a dialogue about shared experiences with water in your community!

 En esta conversación, los participantes van a discutir su cuenca compartida y conectar a través de sus experiencias únicas y compartidas sobre el agua en la región. Esperamos que los participantes compartan sus recuerdos e historias sobre el agua y que se junten para imaginar el futuro que quieren para sus comunidades.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
We are Water with birds and a sun: connecting communities
Cartoon graphic of a camera with the text "Stop Motion Animation Workshop"
Stop Motion Animation

Learn how to create a short (<1 minute) stop-motion animation of a story!

 This short sequence of tutorials is designed to be completed in two sessions. Each part is about 1.5 – 2 hours long. You may want to leave time between sessions for students to make their pieces. Depending on how intricate their story is, they may need more time for cutting out shapes, making “characters,” etc.
Lesson
STEAM Activity
Action Project
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
We are Water with birds and a sun: connecting communities
Landscape shot of Greenland ice sheets in the background and rocks in the foreground. Two polar explorers stand on top of the rocks gazing out into the polar sheets.
Querying with QGreenland

These short, one-page tutorials are appropriate for beginner QGIS users. Users should have downloaded and opened both QGIS and the QGreenland project.

 These quick, one-page tutorials teach you how to analyze QGreenland datasets with beginner-level geoprocessing tools.
Lesson
Geospatial resource
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
QGreenland logo
Map of the United States with red dots showing the location of Wind Turbines in the United States
Data Puzzle: Wind Farms of the Future

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy sources like wind is essential if the US is to reduce its carbon emissions. But where should new wind farms be constructed? In this Data Puzzle, students analyze surface roughness and wind speed data to construct an evidence-based explanation for the following question, "Where in the United States (lands and waters) should new wind turbines be constructed to generate the most energy?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
GeoMag_Space
Geomagnetism Challenge

This lesson is centered around a data challenge using the CrowdMag application. The challenge includes live webinars, asynchronous videos, lesson plans, and the chance to win a raffle! The lessons and asynchronous videos can be used as stand-alone resources. 

 Individuals and classrooms are invited to join the GeoMag Data Challenge! Explore the power of community/citizen science, Earth's magnetic field, and data collection with us.
Lesson
STEAM Activity
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
CrowdMag App Logo
Moss campion (pink flowering plant) growing from speckled gray and light orange rocks with some green grasses
Data Puzzle: The Tipping Point

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Plants like moss campion are uniquely adapted to the cold, dry climate characteristic of the tundra biome...but temperatures are on the rise. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze temperature and reproduction data to construct explanatory models for the following question "How is moss campion reproduction affected by temperature?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
Demonstrates an arctic food web with animals including ocean algae, zooplankton, polar cod, a seal colored gray, a bowhead whale colored black and white, a polar bear, and sea ice algae colored green. In the background is a yellow sun, light blue sky, and there is also White Sea ice which the polar bear is on and the sea ice algae is underneath.
Data Puzzle: Tracing Carbon Through the Arctic Food Web

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

The Arctic is home to a huge variety of living things (humans included) that have adapted to harsh conditions. However, these conditions are changing as Arctic temperatures rise and sea ice declines. In this Data Puzzle, students trace the flow of carbon through the Arctic food web to construct explanatory models for the following question, "How might the decline in sea ice affect Arctic organisms large and small?"

Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
Moss campion plant photo by Dan Doak. Bright pink flowers with five petals and a yellow center with a dark background where some green leaves peak through.
Data Puzzle: What's the Limit?

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Moss campion is a key species indicator of climate change. In this lesson, students will explain how latitude impacts and affects these hearty tundra plants by analyzing and interpreting moss campion growth and survival data.
Lesson
Virtual field trip
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
An open journal with writing and text across that says "Explore, Read the letters and get to know their authors"
Letters to the Arctic

Letters to the Arctic is one of four activities in the The Drifting North Polar Planetarium Experience that invites students to explore what it was like to participate in the MOSAiC expedition to the North Pole.

 In this activity, students put themselves in the shoes of a scientist who works in a fragile and changing environment. Learning will be guided with the driving question: How do scientists feel about the places they study?
Lesson
Middle School
High School
Polarstern at night
Seasons and Light in the Arctic

Seasons and Light in the Arctic is one of four activities in the The Drifting North Polar Planetarium Experience that invites students to explore what it was like to participate in the MOSAiC expedition to the North Pole.

 In this activity, student's will explore why we have seasons and changing daylight throughout the year by graphing different daylight hours around the world. Learning will be guided with the driving question: How do we understand the Arctic light and seasons?
Lesson
Middle School
High School
Polar landscape
Sea Ice, The Character

Sea Ice, The Character is one of four activities in the The Drifting North Polar Planetarium Experience that invites students to explore what it was like to participate in the MOSAiC expedition to the North Pole.

 In this activity, student's will compare and contrast the different structures of freshwater ice and seawater ice with a hands-on lab. Learning about what makes sea ice so unique in the Arctic will be guided by the driving questions: How does saltwater sea ice differ from freshwater ice? What is sea ice like in the Arctic? and Why is sea ice important in the Arctic?
Lesson
STEAM Activity
Middle School
High School
Student engaging with Polargram station at Fiske Planetarium wearing an orange snowsuit standing in front of a green screen
Drifting North Polar Planetarium
In this MS/HS lesson, students will be transported to the Arctic with the MOSAiC expedition, The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Arctic Climate, in an immersive classroom and field trip experience.
Lesson
Unit
STEAM Activity
Middle School
High School
Mosaic logo
Aerial images of Lake Mead show the dramatic decline in water levels (~143 feet) from 2001 to 2015. Image from the National Park Service. First photo shows water up to top of dam, and second shows blue water much lower exposing orangish-gray rock on side of dam.
Data Puzzle: Megadrought in the Colorado River Basin

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Much of the western United States is experiencing drought conditions. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic climate data to construct explanatory models for the following question, "What is causing the megadrought in the Colorado River Basin?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
Green pine forest being consumed by red and orange flames with thick dark smoke rising from trees with flames surrounding them
Data Puzzle: Megafire - Rare Occurrences or the New Normal?

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Megafires have been a hot topic in the news over the past few years, but are they a new phenomenon? In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic wildfire data to construct explanatory models for the follow question, "How and why has the number of megafires have changed over time?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo
The Greenland Ice Sheet covers 79% of the surface of Greenland. Greenland is located north of Canada and the United States. Map credit: QGreenland
Data Puzzle: Balancing Act

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 Since the early 2000s, the Greenland Ice Sheet’s mass balance has been consistently negative, meaning more mass is being lost than gained. But this change in mass balance hasn’t always happened at the same rate. What could account for observed changes to the amount of ice in the Greenland Ice Sheet in recent decades?
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Geospatial resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo, QGreenland logo
Flattened image of globe with colors ranging from white to yellow to orange to red showing changes in Celsius from 1950-2019. Darker the color is equal to a higher change in temperature.
Data Puzzle: On a Budget

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 The Arctic is currently warming at a rate faster than the global average, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic Arctic datasets to construct explanatory models for the following question, "Why might the Arctic be warming faster than other places on Earth?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo, Mosaic logo
NASA photo showing Arctic sea ice minimum extent for each year from 1979 through 2019 with red line over image on faded graph showing decline in sea ice minimum.
Data Puzzle: To Reflect or Not to Reflect

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 The color of Earth's surface determines how much of the Sun's energy is reflected or absorbed, where lighter-colored surfaces are more reflective (higher albedo). In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic Arctic data to construct explanatory models for the following question, "How might the Arctic’s albedo be affected by the observed decline in sea ice?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo, Mosaic logo
MOSAiC scientist Gina Jozef poses with her drone on snow with giant ship in the background and a small white and red sled with a brown box behind her.
Data Puzzle: It's All Connected

This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.

 What makes the Arctic climate system so unique is the sea ice, which influences the Arctic climate in many ways. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic Arctic data to construct explanatory models for the following question, "What effect, if any, do leads (cracks in the sea ice) have on the transfer of moisture between the Arctic Ocean and atmosphere?"
Lesson
Data Puzzle Resource
Middle School
High School
Data Puzzles Logo, Mosaic logo
Antarctic Iceberg in McMurdo Sound with dark blue water surrounding it
Human Impacts on Climate Change: What will happen and what can we do about it?

This is the fifth lesson of a five-part curriculum about Antarctic physical environments and ecosystems. 

 In this lesson, students explore how human activities will continue to impact Antarctic ice, discuss human contributions to climate change, and investigate what we can do to stop/reverse these negative effects.
Lesson
High School
Long stretch of blue ice in East Antarctica with brown snow covered mountains in background and bright blue sky
Why does the ice melt on the “Frozen Continent”?

This is the fourth lesson of a five-part curriculum about Antarctic physical environments and ecosystems. 

 After exploring albedo in the previous lesson, this lesson expands on more factors that lead to surface ice melt in Antarctica.
Lesson
High School
Emperor penguin colony gathers tightly together on dark blue snow
Antarctic Life & Albedo

This is the third lesson of a five-part curriculum about Antarctic physical environments and ecosystems. 

 In this lesson, students explore the importance of albedo (or reflectivity) to penguins and the surfaces they inhabit and learn how penguin colonies may be mapped using satellites.
Lesson
High School
A group of seven penguins on an ice sheet with the dark ocean in the background
How does the changing climate impact the penguins around Antarctica?

This is the second lesson of a five-part curriculum about Antarctic physical environments and ecosystems. 

 In this lesson, students investigate the life history characteristics of different Antarctic penguin species and identify the changes that their populations have experienced.
Lesson
High School
Light blue meltwater on the ice shelf
What do we already know, or think we know, about climate & Antarctica?

This is the first lesson of a five-part curriculum about Antarctic physical environments and ecosystems.

 In this lesson, students will elicit initial ideas about climate, explore images of Antarctica, learn important vocabulary, and synthesize how satellite imagery can help us understand climate change in Antarctica.
Lesson
High School
Hazard Mitigation Planning Meeting. A group of nine adults gather around a wooden table littered with papers while discussing mitigation strategies. In the background is yellow walls with wooden shelves and drawers with plants and books on them
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
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Gray smoke rises from the Black Forest with blue sky in the background
Adapting to Extremes: Exploring the Science of Wildfire in Colorado

This lesson is best used as part of the HEART Force curricular unit, but it can also act as a stand-alone lesson to introduce students to wildfire in Colorado.

 Students build an understanding of wildfire in Colorado using multiple data sources in a jigsaw format.
Lesson
High School
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Big Thompson Flood image https://cires.colorado.edu/outreach/sites/default/files/2019-08/1024px-NOAA_logo.svg_.png. Brown flood water races through the street with green trees and houses with green roofs on either side
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
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A green pine forest on the side of a mountain in the background of a small log cabin with a blue roof on a green grassy hill
Wildfire 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 wildfire StoryMap to explore the Colorado Resiliency Framework.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
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Hazard mitigation planning on blue map with white lines
Exploring Local Hazard Mitigation Plans

This lesson is part of the Community Resilience Expo, a culminating event for the HEART Force curriculum unit, where students will share what they’ve learned during the hazard lesson and the role-playing game.

 In this lesson, students will explore their county Hazard Mitigation Plan to gain understanding about the hazard in their area (flooding, wildfire, or drought), including historic hazards, probability of future occurrences of the hazard, and vulnerability of the area to the hazard.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
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Four students gather at a table with books, strategizing and thinking. In the background is windows to a bright sun and green blurred trees
Design a Resilient Future

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

 In this lesson, students will work in small groups to develop an idea to increase community resilience, utilizing Design Thinking. 
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
A diverse collection of trees, shrubs, and brush of varying green and yellow shades are around a blue pond with a wooden bridge in the left background. In the distance are the tops of mountains and a blue cloudless sky.
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
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A colorful children’s drawing titled “Welcome to Healthy Village” shows houses promoting eco-friendly themes: Solar Energy, Recycle & Reuse, Clean Water, Organic Farming, Cotton Farm, Organic Kitchen, Wind Energy, and Electric Gym. A river runs through the village with trees, mountains, and birds in the background, and people engaging in related activities. The caption reads, “America’s future starts with healthy children because they are the path to a better world
Envisioning a Resilient Future

We suggest teaching this lesson to introduce the HEART Force Unit.

 In this lesson, students create a vision for the future of their community and identify what resources are most important to them as a starting point for resilience planning.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
heartforce placeholder, Logo with the words "CLIMATE MENTAL HEALTH" in an arch. "CLIMATE" is in blue, "MENTAL" in red, and "HEALTH" in green. In the center, a person sits on top of a globe holding a green sign with a red heart. On the left, another person holds a protest sign that reads "There is no planet B." On the right, a person sits cross-legged reading a book. Another small figure holds a megaphone
Colorado Mountains covered in snow in the background with orange and yellow trees in the foreground on rolling hills
The Vocabulary of Hazards

We suggest teaching this lesson to introduce the unit as it will benefit students in their understanding of natural hazards throughout the entire HEART Force Unit.

 This lesson uses a matching game to build students' understanding and familiarity with different terms used in the world of resiliency planning.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
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A student stands while doing a presentation.
How Can We Present Solutions for Food Waste and Emissions at School?

This is the fifth lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education Design Challenge Unit which is meant to follow the middle or high school Climate Resiliency Education units.

 This lesson provides guidance for students to create and practice a presentation about their design challenge results that they developed in the previous lessons and how to present it to the school administration.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
A large truck dumps trash into a landfill with a blue sky in the background.
How Can We Decrease Our Impact on the Earth’s Climate at our School?

This is the first lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education Design Challenge Unit which was designed to follow the middle or high school Climate Resiliency Education units.

 In this design challenge lesson students explore the Denver Public School District’s solid waste plan and discuss how their school can save or decrease emissions by reducing solid waste at our school.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
A group of students using laptops at desks all pushed together to form one collaborative workspace.
How Can We Reduce Emissions Associated with Food Waste in Our School?

This is the fourth lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education Design Challenge Unit which is meant to follow the middle or high school Climate Resiliency Education units.

 In this activity students utilize the data that is collected and propose solutions to mitigate food waste in their school.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
A grocer checks milk on a shelf at a grocery store, the milk jugs have different colored caps of light blue, dark blue and red.
How Can We Understand Waste and Emissions in Our School's Food System?

This is the third lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education Design Challenge Unit which is meant to follow the middle or high school Climate Resiliency Education units.

 This lesson outlines for students how to design and carry out an investigation to audit their school’s food waste system.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
A trash can overflowing with food such as lettuce, tomato, bread, banana, and a milk jug with a blue lid.
How Does Our School Food System Create Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

This is the second lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education Design Challenge Unit which is meant to follow the middle or high school Climate Resiliency Education units.

 In this design challenge lesson, students examine their school food system and develop an investigation about food waste in order to know what should change.
Lesson
Design Challenge
Action Project
Middle School
High School
The sign at the entrance of NOAA's Maua Loa Observatory in Hawai'i.
Is it Normal That World Temperatures Are Rising This Fast?

This is the fifth lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education High School Climate Unit.

 This lesson explores if it is normal that world temperatures are rising at the currently observed fast pace.
Lesson
High School
A wall full of colorful post-it notes.
Why Are Cities Getting Hotter?

This is the first lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education High School Climate Unit.

 During this lesson, students explore the increase in summer temperatures and describe the pattern as it relates to Colorado using a video by the Denver Post.
Lesson
High School
A table of states with the fastest warming summers from Climate Central.
What is Special About Cities Compared to Rural Places?

This is the second lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education High School Climate Unit.

 This lesson explores climate data at local, national, and global levels to determine that temperatures are changing all over the world, and that there are certain locations where temperatures are warming faster than the global average.
Lesson
High School
A satellite image of the state of Colorado.
Why Are Cities and Other Regions of the World Getting Hotter?

This is the third lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education High School Climate Unit.

 This lesson has students investigate how albedo is contributing to temperature increasing in some places, like cities, are increasing at faster rates than elsewhere.
Lesson
STEAM Activity
High School
The carcasses of dead fish lie in a dry lake bed.
What Impact do Increasing Greenhouse Gases Have?

This is the sixth and final lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education High School Climate Unit.

 In this lesson, students utilize case studies to learn about the ways climate change is currently impacting people and other living things around the world.
Lesson
High School
Two smokestacks releasing smoke into the air with a blue sky.
How Do Humans Contribute to the Increase in Global Temperatures?

This is the fourth lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education High School Climate Unit.

 Students explore the greenhouse effect in this lesson using a computer simulation and develop a model for how it works.
Lesson
High School
Group of students filming an interview indoors; one person holds a boom microphone, another operates a camera, while a man sits in front of them speaking, with a large world map on the wall behind
Filmmaking: Post-production

This is the third part of a 3-part unit on the filmmaking process for both formal and informal education settings.

 This lesson teaches students about editing films and respecting licensed materials, while also ensuring they receive the support they need to ensure completion of their films. 
Lesson
Action Project
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
locc logo
Person in a pink plaid shirt operating a video camera on a tripod in an open field with mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
Filmmaking: Production

This is the second part of a 3-part unit on the filmmaking process for both formal and informal education settings.

 In this lesson, students film interviews with content experts as well as additional B-roll footage, and film mentors help students find existing footage and media to supplement their films. 
Lesson
Action Project
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
locc logo
Close-up of people setting up a professional video camera, with one person adjusting controls and another holding cables
Filmmaking: Pre-Production

This is the first part of a 3-part unit on the filmmaking process for both formal and informal education settings.

 This lesson has students explore science content, decide on the topic for their film, and do all the preparatory work before filming begins.
Lesson
Action Project
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
locc logo
A close up image of a grooved glacier in black and white
Exploring Arctic Climate Data

This is the third activity of a three-part curriculum about Arctic climate; the activities may be used independently or in sequence.

 In this final activity, students use authentic Arctic climate data to explore albedo and its relationship to seasonal snowmelt as a self-reinforcing feedback mechanism, which is then applied to large scale global climate change.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
University/College
Two scientists in large red parkas kneeling on the ground working on scientific equipment in a snowy landscape while a cold wind whips snow up around them.
Do you really want to visit the Arctic?

This is the second activity of a three-part curriculum about Arctic climate; the activities may be used independently or in sequence.

 This jigsaw activity introduces students with Arctic weather data using a role-playing activity that has students read and interpret graphs while considering the optimal time to plan a research mission to the Arctic.
Lesson
Middle School
High School
University/College
Alpine tundra vegetation with large boulder with snowy mountain range in the background
Exploring the Arctic

This is the first activity of a three-part curriculum about Arctic climate; the activities may be used independently or in sequence.

 This activity introduces students to the Arctic and Arctic climate. Through a virtual exploration of the geography of the Arctic students become familiar with the region. They are then introduced to meteorological parameters that Arctic research teams use.
Lesson
STEAM Activity
Middle School
High School
University/College
Illustration of two people high-fiving in a work environment

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