Fifth National Climate Assessment (2023) Introduction

Provided by: U.S. Global Change Research Program |Published on: March 5, 2024

Scientific Reports

1112AP

Synopsis

This introduction section of the Fifth National Climate Assessment opens with the poem "Startlement" by Ada Limón and provides students with information to understand the report.
Students will know the intended audience of the report, summaries of the chapters, the structure of the report, definitions and scenarios, and advances since the last report.

Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Civics, English Language Arts

Authors: U.S. Global Change Research Program

Region: North America, United States

Languages: English

Positives

The poem, written to accompany this report, allows teachers to connect science and English language arts.
The report highlights advancements in including Indigenous knowledge and issues of injustice.

Additional Prerequisites

Students can hover over the words with a dotted underline to see their definitions. The resource also links to a glossary.
Teachers and students should read this introduction before the chapters because it provides critical context.
Students should understand the basics of climate change and its causes and impacts to get the most out of this report.

Differentiation

Students can read this introduction and then choose one chapter of the report that interests them to read and report back to the class about.
English language arts classes can read the poem, discuss elements of poetry present, and analyze the meaning.
This resource is best suited for older and more advanced students because of the formal, content-specific language. Consider reading it together as a class or in small groups to aid in understanding.
After reading this introduction, teachers can choose which chapter(s) best fit their curriculum. The topics covered include physical science, economics, social systems, justice, and others, making this resource applicable to many subject areas.
To assess student understanding, teachers can have students summarize to peers how to read the report and identify its structural features.
The overview chapter is also a good starting point, which teachers can find here.

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