Find Time For Teaching Climate Literacy

Standards for Teaching Climate Change 

Climate change education is already a part of the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) and any curriculum that fully meets these standards. NGSS and other frameworks have been designed to support educators in their own understanding of concepts like environmental literacy. Explore these resources to see where climate literacy aligns to your classroom content.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

The NGSS provides a framework for teaching climate science through inquiry and real-world applications. Explore resources that explain how to incorporate climate science topics across K-12.

Essential Principles of Climate Literacy

Understand Earth's climate systems, the causes and impacts of climate change, and how equitable solutions can drive urgent action to build sustainable approaches to adaptation and mitigation.

Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C’s)

California's EP&Cs outline the interdependent relationships between human societies and natural systems, emphasizing the importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility in decision-making.

 

Ocean Literacy 

Do you have students who are interested in ocean conservation? Explore these supplementary standards and guidelines to add ocean literacy to your environmental education tool kit.

  • The Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Ocean Sciences for Learners of All Ages (PDF) Learn More
  • A Handbook for Increasing Ocean Literacy: Tools for Educators and Ocean Literacy Advocates
    • Developed by the National Marine Educators Association, with the support of NOAA (PDF) Learn More
  • Alignment of the Ocean Literacy Framework to the NGSS (PDF) Learn More

Climate Connections Across Subject Areas

Climate literacy isn't limited to science lessons. Integrating climate themes across subjects, from language arts to art and social studies, makes learning more relevant and engaging. Here are some ways to weave climate literacy into your curriculum, no matter what you teach.

Resources by Subject

  • English Language Arts

    Explore a curated list of books focused on climate change for all ages, including fiction, non-fiction, and memoirs. Use literature to spark student curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking about climate issues through storytelling.

    Silicon Valley Reads

  • Math and Data Science

    Use interactive tools like the En-ROADS Climate Simulator to explore the quantitative impacts of policy decisions on climate outcomes.

    En-roads

  • Social Studies

    Food connects culture, climate, and geography. This activity encourages students to research regional recipes and explore how local climates shape food (or culinary) traditions and agricultural practices.

    Recipe for a Region

  • Arts

    Art can be a powerful tool for exploring climate patterns and systems. These activities encourage students to use art to represent how earth’s systems are balanced and reflect on how human actions impact these systems.

    Earth Artistically Balanced

Browse our Partner Library

Many of the lessons in our partner library extend across content areas and you can search Cleanet.org by content area. If you’re looking for some quick inspiration for integration, explore some of these resources.