A short video titled ‘Marxist theory: Relevant to climate change today?’ by Graham Murdock, Loughborough University, that discusses the impact of capitalism on climate change. Murdock discusses Marx’s commentary on the breakdown of the relationship of humans with nature due the industrialization of agricultural practices.
Students will learn the foundations of Marx’s theory of Capitalism and its historical development and capitalism’s influence on climate change. They will also learn about how rapid industrialization and capitalism have contributed to global warming. They will further learn how Marx’s analysis on ecology could also provide the solutions to problems in the context of climate change
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What are Marx’s main tenets about Capitalism?
What are Marx’s fundamental problems with Capitalism?
Discuss how industrialization and capitalism have contributed to global warming.
About the tool
Tool Name
Marxist theory: Relevant to climate change today?
Discipline
Economics, Social Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline
Marxism, Marxist Theory of Capitalism, Marx, Capitalism, Political Science
Climate Topic
Energy, Economics and Climate Change, Policies, Politics and Environmental Governance
A classroom/laboratory activity to understand the carbon cycle, and to explore how human activities may affect the natural carbon cycle.
Students will run a simulation to explore how an increase in fossil fuel use will affect the natural carbon cycle, and will discuss the possible impacts on flora and fauna.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
Which components in the carbon cycle act as carbon sinks?
What are the possible impacts of deforestation on the natural carbon cycle? How might these changes affect the Earth’s climate?
A reading that uses the Beer-Lambert Law to highlight the link between greenhouse gases and global warming. This reading by Tom Kuntzleman, Chemical Education Xchange (ChemEd X), uses the Beer-Lambert Law to explain the increasing global warming potential of Earth’s atmosphere due to the higher concentrations of greenhouse gases in recent times.
Students will learn about the composition of the atmosphere and the greenhouse effect. They will also be introduced to the Beer-Lambert Law which is used to study the transmittance of sunlight through the atmosphere. They will further learn how this law can be used to evaluate the absorbance values of individual gases in the atmosphere, particularly greenhouse gases.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the Beer-Lambert Law? How is it expressed in an equation?
Discuss the composition of the atmosphere.
How do increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases affect the absorbance of sunlight?
About the tool
Tool Name
Chemical Connections to Climate Change
Discipline
Chemistry
Topic(s) in Discipline
Beer-Lambert Law, Molar Absorptivity, Solar Absorption, Greenhouse Gases
Two E-learning courses (MOOCs) developed by Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune on Climate Change: Science, Impacts, and Policy and Teaching Climate Change. These courses were developed through the National Resource Centre (NRC) on Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune as part of the Annual Refresher Programme in Teaching (ARPIT), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India.
The courses include lectures on the current understanding of climate science and climate change, societal impacts of climate change, climate change policies and governance, and impacts of climate change. Additionally, the course includes lectures on how teachers of all disciplines can incorporate climate change in their everyday teaching.
The online course video playlist includes:
Introduction to Climate Science (Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland)
Climate Archives, Climate Data, and Climate Models (Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland)
Climate Change: Past Records: Climate Change on Tectonic Timescales, Orbital Timescales, Glacial/Deglacial Timescales, Millennial Timescales, Historical Timescales (Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland)
Modern Climate Change: Global Warming since the Industrial Revolution (Raghu Murtugudde)
Future Projections of Climate Change (Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland)
Mitigation and Adaptation (Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland and Malti Goel, Climate Change Research Institute)
Climate Change and Society: Culture, Politics, Social Dynamics (D. Parthasarathy, IIT Bombay)
Climate Change Policy and Governance: Global Negotiations and Domestic Policy Making (Navroz Dubash, Centre for Policy Research)
Climate Change: Impacts in India (Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland)
Climate Change and Impacts on
The Indian Monsoon (Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland)
Water Resources (Pradeep Mujumdar, IISc Bengaluru)
Biodiversity and Ecology (Deepak Barua, IISER Pune)
The Himalayan Glaciers (Argha Banerjee, IISER Pune)
Teaching Resources and Pedagogical Tools (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Chemistry Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Biology Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Physics Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Math and Statistics Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Economics Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Environmental Sciences Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Geography Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Social Sciences Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
Teaching Climate Change in the Humanities Classroom (Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune)
About the Tool
Tool Name
Climate Change: A Guide For Teachers Of All Disciplines
Discipline
Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Physics, Mathematics and Statistics, Economics, Social Sciences, Humanities
Topic(s) in Discipline
Climate Change Overview
Climate Topic
Introduction to Climate Change; Climate Literacy
Type of tool
E-learning Course
Grade Level
High School, Undergraduate
Location
Global
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Rahul Chopra (TROP ICSU and IISER Pune) for the National Resource Centre (NRC) on Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune as part of the Annual Refresher Programme in Teaching (ARPIT), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India
Hosted at
IISER Pune Science Media Center YouTube Channel
Link
Course 1: Climate Change: Science, Impacts, and Policy:- Link Course 2: Climate Change: A Guide For Teachers Of All Disciplines:- Link
A teaching module of resources and activities that accompanies ‘The Teacher-Friendly Guide™ to Climate Change’
edited by Ingrid H. H. Zabel, Don Duggan-Haas, & Robert M. Ross,the Paleontological Research Institution. This teaching module includes videos and classroom/laboratory activities on the following topics
Climate Science
Energy and Atmosphere
Infrared energy
Infrared absorption by carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide and temperature
Box Model: steady state vs. non-steady state behavior
Heat capacity
Thermal expansion of water
Carbon Cycle
Diurnal variations in carbon dioxide
How many molecules make a trace gas?
NOAA Mauna Loa data and rate of CO2 increase
Respiration
Hydrologic Cycle
Rainfall and river response
Climate Change Mitigation
Renewable Energy
Solar energy
Near-surface geothermal energy
Wind energy
Carbon Sequestration
Afforestation and Reforestation: tree biomass & carbon dioxide storage
Communication and Advocacy
Citizen science
About the Tool
Tool Name
Teach Climate Science The Teacher Friendly Guide To Climate Change
Discipline
Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Physics, Mathematics and Statistics, Economics, Social Sciences, Humanities
Topic(s) in Discipline
Climate Change Overview
Climate Topic
Introduction to Climate Change; Climate Literacy
Type of tool
Teaching Module
Grade Level
High School, Undergraduate
Location
Global
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Ingrid H. H. Zabel, Don Duggan-Haas, & Robert M. Ross
A reading by the American Physical Society that provides an overview on the physics of climate change. This reading introduces the concepts of energy balance, radiative forcings, advection, hydrological processes, General Circulation Models, and anthropogenic greenhouse gas. It also summarises the responses to climate change through mitigation and adaptation.
Students will learn about various physical concepts that are used to determine anthropogenic climate change. They will also be introduced to climate prediction and the uncertainty caused due to the changes in the climate feedback balance and the net impact of greenhouse gases.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the role of physics in understanding climate change?
Discuss some uncertainties of anthropogenically forced climate change impacts.
About the Tool
Tool Name
Climate Change
Discipline
Physics
Topic(s) in Discipline
Climate Change Overview, Energy Balance, Radiative Forcings, Advection, General Circulation Models, Greenhouse Gas
A classroom/laboratory activity to learn about the isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, analyze the isotopic composition of ice, and understand how isotopic compositions can be used to recreate past temperatures and climate.
Students will plot graphs to analyze data from the Vostok ice core in Antarctica, learn about the ice age and the gas age, calculate past temperatures using hydrogen isotope data, and discuss the possible impacts of changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) concentrations on climate.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
How can you use hydrogen isotope data in an ice core to determine temperature?
How can the isotopic composition of air bubbles in ice cores be used to recreate past climate?
About the Tool
Tool Name
Lab: Vostok Ice Core
Discipline
Chemistry, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline
Isotopes, Isotopic Ratios, Isotopic Composition in paleoclimate reconstructions, Atomic Number, Atomic Mass
Climate Topic
Climate and the Cryosphere, Climate Variability Record
Type of Tool
Laboratory Activity
Grade Level
Undergraduate
Location
Antarctica
Vostok Station
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Stephanie Pfirman, Barnard College
Hosted at
Columbia University: The Climate System course taught by Peter Schlosser, Stephanie Pfirman, Mingfang Ting, Jason Smerdon
A series of three lecture videos by Nadir Jeevanjee, Princeton University on the Physics of Climate Change. In these videos presented as blackboard lectures, Jeevanjee presents simple climate models and the underlying physics. These lectures include discussions on the following topics:
Introduction
The atmosphere in radiative-convective equilibrium
Heuristics of RCE
A simple RCE climate model
A two-box model for transient and equilibrium climate sensitivities
The water vapor feedback
Emission from unit optical depth
Ts-invariance of water vapor emission temperatures
Simpson’s Paradox And The Water Vapor Feedback
Why does mean precipitation increase with warming?
The Radiative Constraint On Precipitation
Flux Divergence And Mission To Space
Ts-invariance and the deepening troposphere
On constant relative humidity
Boundary Layer Relative Humidity
Free Tropospheric Relative Humidity
Students will understand the connections between physics and Earth’s climate. They will also be able to derive simple models through the use of basic physics laws and theorems such as Thermodynamic laws, Radiative-convective Equilibrium, Feedback Cycles, Radiative constraint and Relative Humidity.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the role of physics in understanding climate change?
How can simple physical models be used to predict climate change?
About the tool
Tool Name
The Physics of Climate Change: Three Blackboard Lectures on Simple Models in Climate Science
A set of hands-on laboratory activities that uses the pH scale to understand the changes in ocean chemistry due to increased carbon dioxide emissions. This module shows that increased ocean acidification has adverse effects on marine organisms.
A reading titled ‘The Teacher Friendly Guide to Climate Change’ edited by Ingrid H. H. Zabel, Don Duggan-Haas, & Robert M. Ross,the Paleontological Research Institution. This book includes the following chapters
Why Teach About Climate Change? by Don Duggan-Haas
Why Teaching About Climate Change Matters
Science Learning, Its Application, and Politics
We All Have Biases
Systems and Scales
Love and Beauty Will Persist
Resources
What Should Everyone Understand About Climate Change and Energy? by Don Duggan-Haas
What Do You Think?
Collecting Expert Opinions
Consensus Documents
Striving for a Coherent Conceptual Framework
Resources
What is Climate? by Ingrid H. H. Zabel and Others
Climate is a System
Measuring Climate
Greenhouse Gases and Global Temperature
Natural Causes of Climate Change
Summary
Resources
Climate Change Through Earth History by Robert M. Ross and Others
Why Past Climate Change Matters
Observing Climate Through Time in the Rock Record
History of the Earth’s Climate
Climate Analogs and Models
Resources
Evidence For and Causes of Recent Climate Change by Ingrid H. H. Zabel and Others
Changing Temperatures and Carbon Dioxide
Shrinking Ice Sheets and Glaciers
Changing Sea Ice Extent
Thawing Permafrost
Rising Sea Level
Causes of Recent Climate Change
What are the Likely Effects of Climate Change Going to Be?
Resources
6. US Regional Climates, Current and Future by Ingrid H. H. Zabel and Benjamin Brown-Steiner
Describing Climates
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
South Central
Northwest Central
Southwest
West
Hawaii
Alaska
Resources
Climate Change Mitigation by Ingrid H. H. Zabel
What is Mitigation?
Mitigation Strategies
Summary
Resources
Geoengineering by Ingrid H. H. Zabel
Counteracting Climate Change
Examples of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Techniques
Examples of Solar Radiation Management (SRM) Techniques
Geoengineering Choices
Resources
Climate Change Adaptation by Ingrid H. H. Zabel
How Much Does Adaptation Cost?
Types of Adaptation Strategies
Adatation to Different Climate Hazards
Equity and Social Justice Considerations
Resources
Obstacles to Addressing Climate Change by Don Duggan-Haas
Controversial Issues and Complex Systems
Creating Meaningful Dialog
Factors That Influence How We think
How Do People Change Their Minds?
How Can We Envision New Systems?
Resources
Perspective by Don Duggan-Haas
Apocalyptic Tales of Climate Change
Use of Language and Perspective in Teaching Climate Change
Hope and Optimism
Apocalyptic Prophesies Versus Predictions of Climate Change
Reality Check: A Personal Perspective
Science Teaching Toward a Sustainable World
Resources
About the Tool
Tool Name
The Teacher Friendly Guide To Climate Change
Discipline
Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Physics, Mathematics and Statistics, Economics, Social Sciences, Humanities
Topic(s) in Discipline
Climate Change Overview
Climate Topic
Introduction to Climate Change; Climate Literacy
Type of tool
Reading
Grade Level
High School, Undergraduate
Location
Global
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Ingrid H. H. Zabel, Don Duggan-Haas, & Robert M. Ross
A short reading by the Aspen Global Change Institute that summarizes what the atmosphere is. This resource can be used as an introduction to the topic by teachers interested in teaching about climate change and the role of the atmosphere.
This reading includes overview discussions on the following topics:
What is the atmosphere?
What makes up the atmosphere?
How do humans affect the atmosphere?
The reading also includes a short journal activity.
Students will understand what the atmosphere is. They will also understand about climate change and the role of the atmosphere.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the atmosphere?
Discuss climate change and the role of the atmosphere.
A laboratory activity to demonstrate the effect of black carbon on surface temperature of the Earth. This activity by Holzer et al. for the NESTA/Windows to the Universe team demonstrates the impact of black carbon on solar radiation absorption, particularly in the poles.
Students will be introduced to the albedo effect of black carbon. From the experiment, they will also learn how to collect and translate their findings using a simple model.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the albedo effect of black carbon and how does it affect the surface temperature of Earth?
Discuss how cutting down of black carbon emissions can reduce global surface temperatures.
About the tool
Tool Name
Changing Planet: Black Carbon- A Dusty Situation
Discipline
Chemistry
Topic(s) in Discipline
Carbon Chemistry, Allotropy, Allotropes of carbon, Black Carbon, Greenhouse Gas
Climate Topic
Climate and the Atmosphere, Greenhouse Effect
Type of tool
Classroom/Laboratory Activity
Grade Level
High School
Location
Global
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Missy Holzer, Jennifer Bergman, and Roberta Johnson
A panel discussion titled ‘Teaching Climate Change: Perspectives from History and the Humanities’ hosted by the Not Even Past platform of the Department of History at the University of Texas at Austin. The roundtable features Stephanie LeMenager, University of Oregon, Carlos E. Ramos Scharron, University of Texas at Austin, and Emily Wakild, Boise State University. Panel discussants include Erika M. Bsumek, University of Texas at Austin and Megan Raby, University of Texas at Austin. This video includes presentations and discussions by
Stephanie LeMenager “Climate Change Has No Discipline”
Carlos E. Ramos Scharron “Cambio Climático: Covering Climate Change as a Topic in a Latin American Studies Program”
Emily Wakild “Why Teaching Climate History is a Spiritual and Moral Imperative”
LeMenager discusses her co-edited book, ‘Teaching Climate Change in the Humanities’, with Drs. Stephen Siperstein and Shane Hall and ways to integrate climate science and climate change in the Humanities classrooms.
Ramos-Scharrón discusses some courses he teaches in Latin American Studies courses and how climate change is critical in understanding environmental challenges in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Wakild discusses how climate change can be integrated with syllabi in History courses. She specifically discusses examples that history teachers can use in their classrooms and how the moral and cultural dimensions of climate change may be a natural area of discussion for the Humanities and History.
Students will understand the importance of the Humanities in understanding climate change.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
How can the Humanities contribute towards our understanding of climate change?
What are the moral and cultural dimensions of climate change that the Humanities can help in our understanding of the climate crisis?
Discuss ways in which climate change education can be integrated with the curriculum in the Humanities and History.
About the Tool
Tool Name
Roundtable: “Teaching Climate Change: Perspectives from History and the Humanities”
Discipline
Humanities, History
Topic(s) in Discipline
Climate Change Overview
Climate Topic
Climate Literacy; Climate and Society
Type of tool
Video/Microlecture (1 hr 36 mins)
Grade Level
Undergraduate, Graduate
Location
Global
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Not Even Past platform of Department of History at the University of Texas at Austin
A short reading by the Aspen Global Change Institute that summarizes what the cryosphere is. This resource can be used as an introduction to the topic by teachers interested in teaching about climate change and the role of the cryosphere.
This reading includes overview discussions on the following topics:
What is the cryosphere?
How does the cryosphere change?
Human interactions with the cryosphere
The reading also includes a short journal activity.
Students will understand what the cryosphere is. They will also understand about climate change and the role of the cryosphere.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the cryosphere?
Discuss climate change and the role of the cryosphere.
A reading titled ‘Simple Models of Climate Change’ by Spencer Weart hosted on the website of Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics. This reading is a supplement to Spencer Weart’s book titled, ‘The Discovery of Global Warming’. This reading provides a history of climate change models from 1950 and how they evolved over time.
Students will learn about various topics in physics and earth sciences such as the greenhouse effect, atmospheric radiation, heat transfer, and general atmospheric circulation models. They will also learn how some ideas – correct and incorrect, about climate sciences were theorised and evolved with time.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
When was the first climate change model theorised?
What were some of the misconceptions about climate change in the mid-20th century?
What ideas and methods about climate change from the past have carried on into current climate change models?
A music album titled ‘The Rap Guide To Climate Chaos’ by Baba Brinkman that contains 24 tracks on climate change. The album discusses the science, politics and economics of climate change. The tracks cover a variety of topics such as greenhouse gases, carbon emissions, climate taxes and green capitalism.
Tracks include – Options, I.P.C.C., Keep It Positive, Greenhouse (feat. Aaron Nazrul), Party Don’t Stop, Run the Joules, Mo Carbon Mo Problems, What’s Beef (feat. Bill Nye), Battle Lines, Lost in the Numbers, Bright Side, Fossil Fuel Ballers (feat. Aaron Nazrul), Exxon Knew, Laudato Si, Yank the Plug, Make It Hot, Regulators, Carbon Bubble (feat. Mariella), Stranded Assets, Ride Electric (feat. Fand), This or That, Freedom Ain’t Free, Stand Up, Makin’ Waves (feat. Gaia’s Eye)
In songs such as ‘IPCC’, Brinkman addresses the findings of the committee and even internal disagreements on projections. On songs such as ‘Greenhouse’, he takes the listener through a sonic journey of development including the greenhouse effect, predicted rise in global temperatures from Svante’s study and puts them alongside the findings of the IPCC and its accuracy. He critiques his own consumption and the paradox of being unable to individually contribute to reducing the impact of climate change without large scale policy reforms. Brinkman speaks extensively about cap and trade vs climate taxes, and the ecological debt that richer countries owe the marginalized. The album also focuses on Exxon’s failures and lies.
Note that the album is available for purchase at the link above.
The tracks are available for free viewing on YouTube as part of Baba Brinkman’s performance for ‘Talks At Google’. This free resource can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ZH6R3Idb4&t=759s
Students will learn about the topic of climate change through music and learn about its current impacts. They will also learn about the important stakeholders in climate change politics and how climate change politics plays a huge role in the development of the global economy. Students will further learn about how music can be used to discuss science based topics in order to better understand them.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is climate change? Discuss the various perceptions of climate change
Discuss climate change topics and the politics underlying the problem
What is the role of fossil fuel burning in the warming of the planet?
What is green capitalism?
About the tool
Tool Name
The Rap Guide To Climate Chaos
Discipline
Humanities
Topic(s) in Discipline
Climate Change, Music, Rap, Hip-Hop
Climate Topic
Introduction to Climate Change, Climate and the Anthrosphere, Energy, Economics and Climate Change
A video microlecture titled ‘Social Sciences Perspectives of the Earth System’ by Raghu Murtugudde of the Murtugudde Climate Academy. This microlecture is a part of a larger series of climate change videos by Murtugudde and discusses the role of Social Sciences in understanding the Earth System. It includes discussions on societal forces, pressures, changes in the environment, impacts on society, environmental degradation and human well-being through the DPSIR framework. The video also discusses concepts like ‘The Resilience Cycle’ and ‘The Panarchy Model’ to explain the relation between society and the environment.
Students will understand the role of the Social Sciences in understanding the Earth System. They will also learn about the link between socio-ecological systems when addressing climate change.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the link between society and the environment?
Discuss the DPSIR framework.
How does the Panarchy Model explain the link between society, the environment and climate change?
A short reading by the Aspen Global Change Institute that summarizes what the hydrosphere is. This resource can be used as an introduction to the topic by teachers interested in teaching about climate change and the role of the hydrosphere.
This reading includes overview discussions on the following topics:
What is the hydrosphere?
The variable hydrosphere
How is the hydrosphere changing?
The reading also includes a short journal activity.
Students will understand what the hydrosphere is. They will also understand about climate change and the role of the hydrosphere.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
What is the hydrosphere?
Discuss climate change and the role of the hydrosphere.
An audio podcast titled ‘Climate Change and Literature: Reading Change’ that features Dr. Jemma Deer, Harvard University Center for the Environment. The podcast discusses the role of literature to understand and deal with climate change. The podcast discusses how analysing literature can allow for various interpretations and perceptions of climate change and the anthropocene. The podcast further discusses how literature allows for physical traces of society to be tracked and linked to climate change and nature, hence can potentially influence solutions.
Students will learn about the role of literature in understanding climate change and human society. They will also learn about the influence of literature on perceptions of climate change. Students will further learn about how understanding the anthropocene can influence climate change policy and solutions.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
How does literature help understand climate change?
What is the anthropocene?
How can interpretations of literature influence how society responds to climate change?
About the tool
Tool Name
Climate Change and Literature: Reading Change
Discipline
Humanities, English
Topic(s) in Discipline
Literature, Anthropocene
Climate Topic
Climate and Society
Type of tool
Audio (28 mins)
Grade Level
Undergraduate
Location
Global
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Alice Evatt, Henry Tann
Hosted at
The Oxford Research Center in Humanities, University of Oxford
