Lessons and Standards

Through the 6th-grade program, students build an understanding of climate change, explore the factors contributing to it, and discover how both individuals and their local utility company can take action to create a more resilient community. Students also deepen their belief that science is something they can do and that they have the potential to be science leaders.

During their field trip to San Diego Gas & Electric’s (SDG&E) Wildfire & Climate Resilience Center, students gain a foundational understanding of climate change by investigating how carbon dioxide traps heat on Earth and how human activities are increasing its levels. They explore how a warming planet leads to extreme weather events, such as wildfires and storms, and learn about the role of SDG&E in preparing for these challenges. Through interactive activities, students design a renewable-energy-powered home, develop a strategy to manage a citywide blackout, and assess the impact of a simulated extreme weather event.

Students also have the opportunity to meet a science leader who shares their career pathway. This interaction allows students to ask questions and reflect on their own potential to pursue a career in science.

During their classroom experience, students explore their personal impact on climate change by calculating their own carbon footprints. They work in teams to brainstorm and develop actionable strategies to reduce carbon emissions in their daily lives.  Each student signs a pledge to commit to one action to help combat climate change, reinforcing their role as agents of change within their community.

Collectively, these experiences build students’ belief that they can recognize and do science, science is important and relevant, that a career in science is a possibility for them, and that they can make a difference in the world.

Next Generation Science Standards:

Performance Expectations: 

MS-ESS3-5: Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures.

MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

Cross Cutting Concept:

Systems and systems models – students understand that a system is a group of related parts that make up a whole and can carry out functions its individual parts cannot. They can also describe a system in terms of its components and their interactions.

Classroom Lessons:

Schedules

Additional Resources