This is the most recent update on the "Six Americas" from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
The "Six Americas" are six groups based on their opinion of climate change. These six groups are Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The article features an embedded image showing the Six Americas over time, from 2008 to 2021.
It allows students to see how perspectives have changed and that more people are becoming aware of the climate crisis.
Additional Prerequisites
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication has robust public opinion data. These interactive climate opinion maps are a great place to explore.
Differentiation
Students can design and conduct a survey of their classmates and teachers in school to see their views on climate change. This would be a great interdisciplinary activity, where students could graph their results and write a short report on their findings.
Students could take the Six Americas Super Short Survey to see if they are Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, or Dismissive.
Scientist Notes
The resource outlines a survey to investigate behavioral and strategic communication patterns towards climate change. The method used in delineating the six groups for the study is appropriate, and the resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
English Language Arts
Reading (K-12)
R.9-12.6 Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Social Studies
Civics & Government
Civics & Government 1 (F2): Students understand the ideals, purposes, principles, structures, and processes of constitutional government in the United States and in the American political system, as well as examples of other forms of government and political systems in the world by explaining how and why democratic institutions and interpretations of democratic ideals and constitutional principles change over time.
