Climate Change Education Across the Curricula, Across the Globe

Climate Change Education Across the Curricula

Tag: Graduate

Video/ Microlecture: Climate Change: The Physics Connection

Posted by on in Physics
  • 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
      1. Heuristics of RCE 
      2. A simple RCE climate model 
    • A two-box model for transient and equilibrium climate sensitivities 
    •  The water vapor feedback 
      1. Emission from unit optical depth 
      2. Ts-invariance of water vapor emission temperatures 
      3. Simpson’s Paradox And The Water Vapor Feedback 
    • Why does mean precipitation increase with warming?
      1. The Radiative Constraint On Precipitation
      2. Flux Divergence And Mission To Space 
      3. Ts-invariance and the deepening troposphere
    • On constant relative humidity
      1. Boundary Layer Relative Humidity
      2. 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:  ‌

  1. What is the role of physics in understanding climate change?
  2. 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
Discipline‌ ‌Physics
Topic(s)‌ ‌in‌ ‌Discipline‌ ‌Climate Change Overview, Climate Physics, Climate Models
Climate‌ ‌Topic‌ ‌ ‌Climate Literacy; Planetary Climate; Planetary Energy Balance
Type‌ ‌of‌ ‌tool‌ ‌ ‌Video/ Microlectures (70 mins)
Grade‌ ‌Level‌ ‌Undergraduate; Graduate
Location‌ ‌Global‌ ‌
Language‌ ‌English‌ ‌ ‌
Translation‌ ‌‌
Developed‌ ‌by‌ ‌Nadir Jeevanjee
Hosted‌ ‌at‌ ‌High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University Website
Link‌ ‌Link
Access‌ ‌Online‌ ‌
Computer‌ ‌Skills‌ ‌Basic‌ ‌

Video/Microlecture: Teaching Climate Change in the Humanities and History Classrooms

Posted by on in Humanities

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 

  1. Stephanie LeMenager “Climate Change Has No Discipline”
  2. Carlos E. Ramos Scharron “Cambio Climático: Covering Climate Change as a Topic in a Latin American Studies Program”
  3. 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:

  1. How can the Humanities contribute towards our understanding of climate change?
  2. What are the moral and cultural dimensions of climate change that the Humanities can help in our understanding of the climate crisis?
  3. Discuss ways in which climate change education can be integrated with the curriculum in the Humanities and History. 

About the Tool 

Tool NameRoundtable: “Teaching Climate Change: Perspectives from History and the Humanities”
DisciplineHumanities, History
Topic(s) in DisciplineClimate Change Overview
Climate Topic Climate Literacy; Climate and Society
Type of tool Video/Microlecture (1 hr 36 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byNot Even Past platform of Department of History at the University of Texas at Austin
Hosted atYouTube
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video Lecture: An Introduction to Atmospheric Thermodynamics

Posted by on in Earth Sciences, Physics

A video lecture titled, ‘Atmospheric Thermodynamics – Introduction’ from the e-learning course, ‘Introduction to Atmospheric Science’ developed by C Balaji, IIT Madras, for National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), India. This video lecture discusses the laws of thermodynamics, the gas laws, Boyle’s Law, Hooke’s law, and Dalton’s Law.

Students will learn about the basics of thermodynamics and its importance in atmospheric physics. They will learn about the role of pressure, partial pressure, temperature, and molecular behaviour in thermodynamic calculations. Additionally, students will also learn about the role of thermodynamic laws and calculations in various fields of studies.

A transcript of the lecture is also provided.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What are the laws of thermodynamics?
  2. How do changes in temperature and pressure impact thermodynamic calculations?
  3. How are thermodynamic calculations used to predict climate and weather patterns?

About the tool

Tool NameLecture-10: Atmospheric Thermodynamics- Introduction
DisciplinePhysics, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineThermodynamics, Atmospheric Thermodynamics, Atmospheric Sciences, First law of Thermodynamics, Second Law of Thermodynamics, Earth system, Boyle’s Law, Hooke’s law, Dalton’s Law
Climate TopicClimate and the Atmosphere
Type of toolVideo Lecture (51 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byC Balaji, IIT Madras
Hosted atNPTEL (https://nptel.ac.in/courses/119/106/119106008/)
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Reading: Postcolonial Studies and Climate Change

Posted by on in Humanities

A reading by Dipesh Chakrabarty, The University of Chicago titled ‘Postcolonial Studies and the Challenge of Climate Change’ that discusses the link between globalization and global warming. Chakrabarty discusses this link through the writings of Homi K. Bhabha, that aims to stretch post colonial thinking to include the reality of climate change and global warming. The reading also discusses the challenges that climate change issues pose in a “neoliberal” capitalist world. Chakrabarty highlights the three images of human that currently exist:

  1. The universalist-Enlightenment view of the human with the ability to exercise rights 
  2. The globalized view of the human
  3. The human as a geological force that changes the climate 

Chakrabarty makes this distinction to understand the current debate between society, globalization and climate change. Through the writings of Homi K. Bhabha, the reading discusses ‘the postcolonial criticism of the human’ and ‘the human in the anthropocene’ that focuses on issues such as anthropogenic global warming, degradation of the natural environment and the development of humanity. 

Students will learn about postcolonial globalization and climate change. They will also learn about the criticism that postcolonial thinkers have about the current age of the anthropocene and the increasing changes in the climate. Students will further learn about the attempts that postcolonial thinkers have made to ensure that climate change and global warming are part of the human reality for future preservation of the environment. Additionally, students will learn about the failed recognition that society gives to the interdependence of humans on nature and its natural beings.   

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. What is the link between globalization and climate change?
  2. How do postcolonial thinkers criticise the age of the anthropocene?
  3. Discuss the three images that postcolonial thinkers have created for the human 
  4. How can postcolonial studies about the anthropocene inform the future?

About the Tool 

Tool NamePostcolonial Studies and the Challenge of Climate Change 
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplinePostcolonial Studies, Cultural Studies, Neoliberalism, Anthropocene, Globalization, Capitalism
Climate Topic Climate and the Anthroposphere; Climate and Society
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byDipesh Chakrabarty New Literary History (Vol 43, 1)
Hosted atThe Johns Hopkins University Press
LinkLink
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video Lecture: Quantum Mechanics and Climate Change

Posted by on in Earth Sciences, Physics

A lecture that describes how quantum mechanics plays a role in understanding Earth’s climate systems and climate change. This lecture by Brad Marston, Brown University, uses Richard Feynman’s double slit experiment to explain how changing concentrations of greenhouse gases could potentially affect Earth’s climate.

Students will be provided an overview of several key concepts in physics, such as the photoelectric effect, and some of the important equations used. They will further be introduced to the changing levels of CO2, atmospheric dynamics, how temperatures are measured, and how melting sea ice is affecting the circulation of wind, among other things.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. State the Photoelectric Effect along with its equation.
  2. Discuss the equation used to measure temperatures on different planets. 
  3. Discuss how the melting of ice affects the circulation of winds?

About the tool

Tool NameHow Quantum Physics Can Help Us Fight Climate Change
DisciplinePhysics, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineQuantum Physics, Photoelectric Effect, Photons, Quantum Mechanics, Atmospheric Dynamics, Planck’s Constant, Richard Feynman Experiment 
Climate Topic Climate and the Atmosphere
Type of tool Video Lecture (1h 17mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byBrad Marston, Brown University
Hosted atYouTube
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video: Ethics, Philosophy and Value Theory

Posted by on in Humanities

A video by John Broome, University of Oxford, on how ethics and philosophy impacts climate change policies. This video discusses the influence of philosophy on decision making and how it can specifically bring a paradigm shift in climate-related policy making.

Students will be introduced to philosophical concepts such as moral philosophy, value theory, decision theory, and intuition of neutrality. They will also learn how to use these theories in climate change decision making related to economic policies. Additionally, students will also learn how incorrect interpretation of certain philosophical thought leads to errors in value judgements.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. How does philosophy influence climate change decision making?
  2. What is value theory? How can it be used to understand the value of climate related human deaths?
  3. How does ‘intuition of neutrality’ lead to amoral policy making? 

About the Tool

Tool NameJohn Broome | Climate change ethics: Life and death
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplinePhilosophy, Moral Philosophy, Ethics, Public Policy, Value Theory, Decision Theory
Climate TopicClimate and Society
Type of toolVideo (59 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byJohn Broome, University of Oxford
Hosted atStanford ENERGY channel on YouTube
Linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJlkXzYkT3g
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Classroom/ Laboratory Activity: Interactive Quiz on the Water Cycle

Posted by on in Chemistry

An interactive quiz about the Water Cycle. This  quiz by NASA’s Global Climate Change website allows students to test their knowledge about the natural water cycle and its role in Earth’s climate. 

Students will be quizzed on various aspects of the water cycle, including evaporation and precipitation. They will understand the connections between the various components of the water cycle and be introduced to some of the facts and figures associated with these components. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discuss the ‘Water Cycle’ and its components in the classroom. 
  2. Discuss how climate change can potentially affect the water cycle. 

About the tool

Tool NamePrecipitation and the Water Cycle
DisciplineChemistry
Topic(s) in DisciplineEnvironmental Chemistry, Water Cycle, Biogeochemical Cycles, Hydrologic Cycle, Condensation, Evaporation, Evapotranspiration, Groundwater, Precipitation, Sublimation
Climate Topic Climate and the Hydrosphere; Climate and the Atmosphere
Type of tool Quiz
Grade LevelMiddle School, High School
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byNASA’s Global Climate Change
Hosted atNASA’s Global Climate Change Website
Linkhttps://climate.nasa.gov/quizzes/water-cycle/
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Teaching Module: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation

Posted by on in Earth Sciences

A teaching module titled ‘Adaptation and Mitigation’ from the e-learning course titled ‘Earth in the Future’ developed by Timothy Bralower and David Bice, The Pennsylvania State University. This module discusses the various mitigation and adaptation strategies and discusses what can be done about climate change. This topic is listed as Module 12 of the e-learning course. This overview reading can be used as an introduction to the topic by teachers interested in teaching about Climate Adaptation and Mitigation. The module includes the following topics: 

  1. The Economic Costs of Climate Change
  2. Abatement Costs: The Costs of Reducing Emissions
  3. Strategies for Reducing Carbon Emissions
  4. Modeling the Economics of Climate Change
  5. The Need for Regulation of Emissions
  6. Agriculture
  7. Water Resources
  8. Energy Resources
  9. Human Health
  10. Transportation
  11. Migration/Relocation
  12. Geoengineering
  13. Global Equity and Climate Adaptation

Students will learn about climate mitigation and adaptation in the long-term and the short-term. They will also learn about economics of climate change and its role in adaptation and mitigation. Students will additionally understand mitigating carbon emissions from energy, agricultural and transport sectors, among others. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discusses potential solutions to the climate crisis.
  2. What is climate mitigation?
  3. Discuss mitigation strategies of energy, transport, and agricultural sectors.
  4. Discuss some long term mitigation strategies.
  5. Discuss some climate adaptation strategies.

About the Tool 

Tool NameAdaptation and Mitigation
DisciplineEarth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineClimate Change Overview, Adaptation, Mitigation
Climate Topic Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Type of tool Teaching Module
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byTimothy Bralower and David Bice
Hosted atEarth in the Future, The Pennsylvania State University 
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video Lecture: First Law of Thermodynamics

Posted by on in Earth Sciences, Physics

A video lecture titled, ‘Basic Thermodynamics’ from the e-learning course, ‘Introduction to Atmospheric Science’ developed by C Balaji, IIT Madras, for National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), India. This video lecture explains and details the first law of thermodynamics (Q – W = Delta E) in the context of atmospheric science.

Students will be introduced to the first law of thermodynamics. They will further be introduced to terms such as adiabatic and isothermal processes and related equations and methods of calculating geo-potential thickness using Radiosonde data. 

A transcript of the lecture is also provided.

  1. State the first law of thermodynamics with the equation. 
  2. State the relationship between pressure and volume. 
  3. Discuss the first law of thermodynamics with respect to Earth’s atmospheric system. 

About the tool

Tool NameBasic Thermodynamics
DisciplinePhysics, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineThermodynamics, First Law of Thermodynamics, Adiabatic Process, Isothermal Process, Energy, Atmospheric Sciences, Earth system, Atmosphere
Climate Topic Climate and the Atmosphere
Type of tool Video Lecture (49 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byC Balaji, IIT Madras
Hosted atNPTEL
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video/Micro Lecture: Amitav Ghosh on History and Climate Change

Posted by on in Humanities

A video lecture by Amitav Ghosh, author of ‘The Great Derangement: Fiction, History, and Politics in the Age of Global Warming’ as part of a 4 part lecture series delivered at the University of Chicago’s Randy L. & Melvin R. Berlin Family Lectures. In this video lecture, Ghosh discusses the link between history and climate change. The video also discusses impacts of climate change on historical narratives of capitalism and imperialism in Asia. 

Students will understand the role of climate change in shaping history. They will further understand how global warming has contributed to shaping societies in the Asian continent.   

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discuss the link between climate change and history. 
  2. Discuss how climate change influenced the history of South Asia.

About the Tool 

Tool NameThe Great Derangement: Literature, History, and Politics in the Age of Global Warming
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplineHistory, Political History, Imperialism, Colonialism,  Non-fiction, Literature, Climate Fiction
Climate Topic Climate and Society
Type of tool Video/ Micro Lecture (1 hr 13 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byAmitav Ghosh at the Berlin Family Lectures, The University of Chicago 
Hosted atYouTube
Linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlKJ0r_2__Y&list=PLWEhymgNyZb8tuULW2lwe9AD5F8fOPKIV&index=20 
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video/Microlecture: Climate Change and Society

Posted by on in Social Sciences

A video lecture that discusses how the social sciences have evolved to address issues of climate change by D. Parthasarathy. This video lecture is part 1 of a 2-part lecture  series titled ‘Climate Change and Society: Culture, Politics, And Social Dynamics’ of a MOOC. This MOOC has been developed by the National Resource Center on Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India.  The lecture focuses on the threat and vulnerability of the human population to climate change viewed through the lenses of the social sciences and climate sciences. This lecture discusses how social vulnerability is understood in the social sciences as “vulnerability and adaptation as representing the set of socio-economic factors that determine people’s ability to cope with stress or change” and how it is understood in the climate sciences as “vulnerability is the likelihood of occurrence and impacts of weather and climate related events, and capacity of population groups to reduce vulnerability”. 

The video further discusses how the social sciences have contributed to the understanding of vulnerability by discussing concepts of social inequalities like caste, religion and social status. It also highlights the impact of climate change in developing countries.  Additionally, the lecture discusses the need for a transdisciplinary approach and how the social sciences can further contribute to the understanding of climate change and societal impacts. These include:  

  1. Ethnographic insights: Studies that could discuss cultural values and political relations that influence climate related knowledge and the perception of climate change. This could help formulate better adaptation policies
  2. Historical perspective: History can be used to understand traditional mechanisms of adapting and coping and understanding societal collapse, survival and sustainability. 
  3. Holistic view: Studies that discuss the changing forms of consumption and production and their consequences such as migration and refugee crises. 

Students will learn about understanding climate risk and vulnerability from the perspective of the social sciences. They will also learn about climate change threats and vulnerability and social inequalities such as  caste, religion and social status. Students will further learn about how culture influences societies to adapt, survive, and mitigate the risks of climate change. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discuss the role of the social sciences in understanding climate change risks and vulnerability 
  2. Discuss the social inequalities can contribute to climate change induced vulnerability in developing countries

About the tool

Tool NameW10 CO7 LO1 Climate Change and Society: Culture, Politics, And Social Dynamics Lecture 01
DisciplineSocial Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineClimate Change Overview, Sociology, Anthropology, Social Inequalities, Caste, Religion, Vulnerability, Culture
Climate Topic Climate Literacy, Climate and Society, Policies, Politics and Environmental Governance  
Type of tool Video (52 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal 
LanguageEnglish 
Translation–
Developed byIndian Institute of Science Education and Research , Pune, India
Hosted atYouTube
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic 

Video Lecture: Thermodynamics and the Hydrostatic Equation

Posted by on in Earth Sciences, Physics

A video lecture titled, ‘The Hydrostatic Equation’ from the e-learning course, ‘Introduction to Atmospheric Science’ developed by C Balaji, IIT Madras, for National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), India. This video lecture introduces the hydrostatic equation and explains in detail the concept of ‘virtual temperature’ and its importance in thermodynamics. 

Students will learn about virtual temperature, impact of water vapour on virtual temperature, hydrostatic equation, impact of pressure on hydrostatic equation, and geo potential and its importance in thermodynamics.

A transcript of the lecture is also provided.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What is ‘virtual temperature’?
  2. Given the virtual temperature of air is 298K and water vapour content is 1.5%, what is the actual temperature of air?
  3. What role does virtual temperature play in Earth’s Climate System?

About the tool

Tool NameLecture-11: The Hydrostatic Equation
DisciplinePhysics, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineAtmospheric Sciences, Atmospheric Physics, Virtual Temperature, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Hydrostatic Equation
Climate TopicClimate and the Atmosphere; Climate and the Hydrosphere
Type of toolVideo Lecture (50 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byC Balaji, IIT Madras
Hosted atNPTEL (https://nptel.ac.in/courses/119/106/119106008/)
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video/micro lecture: Introduction to Gender and Climate Change

Posted by on in Social Sciences

A video lecture by Vibhuti Patel, SNDT Women’s University, India, titled ‘Gender and Climate Change’ that discusses gender dimensions of climate change. This lecture discusses the role of women in households and how climate change induced events such as natural and manmade disasters, water and food shortages and deforestation differentially impact them. Additionally, the lecture discusses examples of indigenous tribes and local knowledge systems. The lecture further discusses the current role of women in the climate change discourse, women’s ecological movements, and the need to include women in decision and policy making.  

Students will learn about the impacts of climate change on women. They will also learn about how women are far more vulnerable to climatic events and hence the need to ensure that women are included in climate policy and decision making. Students will further learn a brief history of women’s ecological movements in India and the current role women play in reducing the impacts of climate change.  

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. Discuss the gender dimensions of climate change.
  2. Discuss the symbiotic relationship of indigenous women and the natural environment. 
  3. Discuss the women’s ecological movement in India. 

About the tool

Tool NameGender and Climate Change
DisciplineSocial Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineGender, Gender Studies, Women Studies, Women’s Ecological Movement 
Climate Topic Climate and Society, Policies, Politics and Environmental Governance
Type of tool Video/Microlecture (33 min)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byVidya-Mitra Channel by National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology, MHRD, India
Hosted atYouTube 
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic 

Video/ Microlecture: Poetry in Strange Times

Posted by on in Humanities

A microlecture titled ‘As climate changes, I order a salad: contemporary poetry and the strange times of climate change’ by Sam Solnick,  University of Liverpool that discusses three poems that focus on temporalities associated with climate change. The video also discusses the role of media and poetry in shaping the climate change narrative. The video further discusses methods of analysing contemporary poetry. 

Students will learn about the representation of climate change in contemporary poetry. They will also learn about different interpretations and approaches to understand climate change through poetry. Students will further learn of the impact of digital media on how we perceive and respond to climate change. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. What are the various temporalities of climate change?
  2. How does the media shape our experience of climate change?

About the tool

Tool NameAs climate changes, I order a salad: contemporary poetry and the strange times of climate change
DisciplineHumanities, English 
Topic(s) in DisciplinePoetry,  Literature,  Anthropocene, Temporalities, Digital Media
Climate Topic Climate and Society
Type of tool Video/ Microlecture (17 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal 
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed bySam Solnick, University of Liverpool
Hosted atVimeo
Linkhttps://vimeo.com/164747631
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic 

Reading: Climate Change and the Decline of Insect Population

Posted by on in Biological Sciences

A short article that describes the decline of insect population due to climate change. This article by the Entomological Society of America focuses on the importance of insects in food webs and how climate change affects their distribution.

Students will learn how a changing climate generally reduces the population of insects and potentially alters the food web. Further, they will learn about the impacts on food security and the potential spread of vector-borne diseases. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Why are insects important to an ecosystem? 
  2. How does climate change affect insect populations? 
  3. Discuss the impacts of climate change on insect population, food security and disease.

About the tool

Tool Name Climate-Change Impact on Insects ‘Simply Cannot be Ignored’
Discipline Biological Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline Insects, Arthropods, Insect Biodiversity, Food Web, Food Security, Invasive Species, Vector-borne Diseases
Climate Topic  Climate and the Biosphere
Type of tool  Reading
Grade Level High School, Undergraduate
Location Global
Language English 
Translation
Developed by Entomological Society of America
Hosted at Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Link https://www.entsoc.org/climate-change-impact-insects-simply-cannot-be-ignored
Access Online
Computer Skills Basic

Video/Micro Lecture: A Commentary on Dipesh Chakrabarty’s The Climate of History: Four Theses

Posted by on in Humanities

A short video commentary  by Dr Maya Dodd, FLAME University, India  on ‘The Climate of History: Four Theses’ by Dipesh Chakrabarty. This video commentary summarizes Dipesh Chakrabarty’s essay on the link between history, literature and climate change. Dodd summarizes the four theses posed by Chakrabarty in his essay.   

Students will learn about the link between climate change and history of the human species and the planet. They will specifically learn about the ‘Anthropocene’ and the four theses that Dipesh Chakraborty poses to better understand the evolution of human history and the environment.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discuss the link between human history and environmental history.
  2. What are the four theses posed by Dipesh Chakrabarty in his essay? 

About the Tool 

Tool NameA Commentary By Maya Dodd on Dipesh Chakrabarty’s ‘The Climate of History: Four Theses’
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplineAnthropocene, History, Literature, Fiction, Non-fiction, Environmental Humanities 
Climate Topic Climate and Society, Climate and the Anthroposphere
Type of tool Video/ Micro Lecture (5 min 30 secs)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byDr. Maya Dodd, FLAME University, Pune, India for TROP ICSU by Science Media Centre, IISER Pune
Hosted atTROP ICSU
Linkhttps://videos.files.wordpress.com/G0y5ng1D/m-dodd_video-micro-lecture_dcfourtheses_hd.mp4
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Reading: Dipesh Chakrabarty ‘The Climate of History: Four Theses’

Posted by on in Humanities

An essay by Dipesh Chakrabarty, The University of Chicago titled ‘The Climate of History: Four Theses’  that discusses the link between human history and climate change. The reading discusses the environmental history of the planet, the ‘Anthropocene’ and how humans have become geological agents with respect to climate change. Chakrabarty presents four arguments in his essay. These are 

  • Thesis 1: The distinction between natural and human history is a distinction that has to be dropped in this new era. 
  • Thesis 2 talks about the emergence of humans as a geological force and how this “severely qualifies humanist histories of modernity/ globalization”. 
  • Thesis 3: The Anthropocene requires us to put global histories of capital in conversation with the species history of humans. 
  • Thesis 4 talks about how we can probe the limits of historical understanding by the cross hatching of species history and capital history.

Students will learn about the ‘Anthropocene’ and the link between environmental history and human history. They will further understand the relationship between global histories of capital and the species history of humans.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does the crisis of climate change spell the collapse of the distinction between natural history and human history?
  2. What is the idea of the ‘Anthropocene’ and how does it qualify humanist theories of freedom?
  3. How do you reconcile the global histories of capital and the species history of humans in the Anthropocene?

About the Tool 

Tool NameThe Climate of History: Four Theses
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplineHistory, Cultural Studies, Anthropocene, Environmental History 
Climate Topic Climate and the Anthroposphere; Climate and Society
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byDipesh Chakrabarty The Climate of History: Four Theses Critical Inquiry (Vol 35 No. 2) 
Hosted atFaculty of Law, University of Victoria, Canada
Linkhttp://www.law.uvic.ca/demcon/2013%20readings/Chakrabarty%20-%20Climate%20of%20History.pdf
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Reading: Climate Change in Literary Fiction

Posted by on in Humanities

An article by Amitav Ghosh, author of ‘The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable’ in The Guardian that discusses the lack of climate change in fictional writing. The author discusses the evolution of the narrative in novels and why fiction writers have been resistant to include the topic of climate change in their work. He further discusses why novelists tend to address the topic of climate change through non-fiction since fiction derived from climate change deviates from trends of ‘gradualism’ in contemporary narratives and yet does not belong to ‘surrealism’ and ‘magic realism’ due to its nature of being ‘real’.

Students will learn about the genre of Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) and how it differs from science fiction (Sci-Fi) . They will also learn about the evolution of narratives surrounding environmental phenomena in contemporary works of literature. Students will understand challenges that contemporary authors face when trying to write about ‘real’ topics like climate change.   

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What is Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi)?
  2. Discuss why climate change has not caught the collective imagination of writers.
  3. How do history, culture and politics influence works of literature?

About the tool

Tool NameAmitav Ghosh: where is the fiction about climate change?
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplineLiterature, Fiction, Climate Fiction, Cli-Fi, Non-fiction, Writing, Literary Analysis, Narrative
Climate Topic Climate and Society
Type of tool Reading 
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byAmitav Ghosh
Hosted atThe Guardian
Linkhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/28/amitav-ghosh-where-is-the-fiction-about-climate-change-
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic 

Video/Micro Lecture: What is Cli-Fi?

Posted by on in Humanities

A video micro lecture by Stephanie LeMenager, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, that discusses the genre of climate fiction (Cli-Fi). The video introduces this new genre of writing and includes definitions by contemporary artists, authors and filmmakers. This video further highlights new sub-genres such as ‘anthropocene fiction’ and ‘solar punk’ that have their origins in Cli-Fi.

Students will learn about the new genre of climate fiction in literature. They will also learn how authors, artists, and filmmakers portray the current global crisis and their challenges. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. What is climate fiction (Cli-Fi)? 
  2. How can Cli-Fi inform and provide solutions to help mitigate climate change?

About the Tool 

Tool NameWhat is Cli-Fi?
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplineClimate Fiction, Cli-Fi, Literature, Anthropocene Fiction, Solar Punk
Climate Topic Climate and the Anthroposphere; Climate and Society
Type of tool Video/ Micro Lecture (2 mins 30 secs)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byStephanie LeMenager, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University
Hosted atYouTube
Linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9XuxHtfOxQ
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video/Micro Lecture: Amitav Ghosh on Literary Fiction

Posted by on in Humanities

Video lectures by Amitav Ghosh, author of ‘The Great Derangement: Fiction, History, and Politics in the Age of Global Warming’ as part of a 4 part lecture series delivered at the University of Chicago’s Randy L. & Melvin R. Berlin Family Lectures. In this set of two video lectures, Ghosh discusses the impact of global warming and climate change on fiction. He discusses climate narratives in literary fiction and the lack of climate change narratives in contemporary literature. 

Students will understand the importance of climate change narratives in literary fiction. They will also understand the influence of climate change on everyday narratives. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discuss climate narratives in literary fiction.
  2. Why has the climate crisis been underrepresented in literary fiction?

About the Tool 

Tool NameThe Great Derangement: Literature, History, and Politics in the Age of Global Warming
DisciplineHumanities
Topic(s) in DisciplineLiterature, Fiction, Climate Fiction, Cli-Fi, Contemporary Literature, Literary Analysis, 
Climate Topic Climate and Society
Type of tool Two Video Lectures (1 hr 15 min & 1 hr 17 min)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byAmitav Ghosh at the Berlin Family Lectures, The University of Chicago
Hosted atYouTube
LinkVideo Lecture 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW8n6RAAxTg&t=2408s
Video Lecture 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvvilBabbog 
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic