Lessons and Standards

Through the 6th grade program students gain a preliminary understanding of climate change, explore how natural sinks, like plants and phytoplankton, can decrease atmospheric carbon dioxide, and make a difference in the world by sharing their thoughts, feelings, and ideas about how climate change is impacting themselves, their family and friends, and their community.

During their classroom day, students build belief that they are a unique person who belongs to a community of scientists.  Students work together on a team building challenge, gain an understanding of how climate change works, make observations and predictions about CO2 levels across the Earth’s surface using computer models, and learn that plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere helping to mitigate climate change.

During their day at the Living Lab students 1) collect and analyze data using the 123Survey app and GIS mapping technology to determine if there are areas in their community which may act as stronger buffers to climate change, 2) become microbiologists and conduct an experiment to see how human activities impact phytoplankton – a small ocean dwelling plant that acts as one of the world’s largest carbon sinks, and 3) share their story of climate change and its impacts with teachers, parents, peers, and local policymakers through the creation of an online publication. Students also meet a scientist who shares their career pathway, and challenges and obstacles they have faced along the way to becoming a science leader. Collectively, these experiences build students’ belief that science is something they can do, and a scientist is someone they can become.

Next Generation Science Standards:

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