Climate Solutions 101: Setting the Stage
Videos
Grades8, 9, 10, 11, 12, APScience, Health
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Project Drawdown
What it is
- This video explains how population growth, urban sprawl, and an expanding global economy have created a growing need for water, food, land, and energy.
- Students will also learn that the dramatic increase in agriculture has caused tropical deforestation, natural water sources to diminish, and greenhouse gas emissions to grow.
- Downloadable graphics, links to more information, and two related video discussions on equitable climate solutions and climate justice are also included below the video.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This expertly produced video offers bold imagery and easy-to-understand line graphs (which are available as downloadable graphics).
- The video ends with a thought-provoking comparison between life on Earth fifty years ago and life on Earth today.
- The two additional videos offer conversations on climate change in relation to topics of hope, equity, empathy, humility, and unity.
Additional Prerequisites
- The video offers a lot of information, so it may be best to pause the video at intervals to discuss each topic as a class before moving on to the next topic.
- Students should have a basic understanding of agriculture.
Differentiation
- Science classes could use the video to create a cause and effect chart showing how modern society has created the environmental problems highlighted in the video. The activity can be extended by creating a solutions column to show how the "effects" can be reversed or changed.
- Advanced students can read the two linked articles to delve more deeply into the topics discussed in the video.
- Other resources on this topic include Who Is Responsible For Climate Change? – Who Needs To Fix It?, How Does Climate Change Affect Us? | Our Climate Our Future, and Have the Talk, Climate Conversations.
From the scientist review
Project Drawdown applies stringent research standards to their products, and all of the information presented in this resource is independently verifiable. This resource is recommended for teaching.
How we review resourcesReady to use it?
Hosted on drawdown.org
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
