Climate Change Resources for Educators and Students
The earth’s climate is changing. While the planet’s climate has changed before, this time is different. People are causing these changes, which are bigger and happening faster than any climate changes that modern society has ever seen.
This page provides federal and non-governmental resources for students and educators to learn about and teach climate change.
On this page:
Federal Resources for Educators
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Climate Education
This site is NOAA’s gateway to many of their educational pages for students and teachers on earth sciences, including climate change.
NOAA Climate.gov
This site provides learning activities, curriculum materials, and multimedia resources for teaching about climate and energy.
NOAA: Data in the Classroom
This site hosts curriculum modules that demonstrate techniques for using real climate change data in the classroom.
NOAA National Ocean Service Education Content and Modules
This site provides students and educators with ocean, coastal, and climate literacy resources, including activities on ocean and climate literacy, sea level rise, and increasing your city’s resilience to climate change.
National Park Service Lesson Plans
Search through lesson plans about America’s National Parks, including lessons about how they are being affected by climate change.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Global Climate Change in Perspective
Learn about global climate change now and across geologic time, and access related resources, including study guides and videos.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Hot Potato: Climate Change, Food Systems, and You
This site provides access to a museum-educator-led virtual program examining the relationship between climate and food systems, as well as other videos and resources related to climate change.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
Find articles, videos, and resources about forests and climate change, including tips on using Forest Service research in the classroom.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): Resources for Educators
A collection of resources in English and Spanish on energy efficiency and renewable energy, including videos, lesson plans, and coloring books.
Federal Resources for Students
Elementary to Middle School
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): Climate Kids
Explore this interactive website with activities, articles, videos, and more about climate change, why it is happening, how it is impacting the earth, and how and why NASA studies the planet.
U.S. Energy Information Administration: Energy Kids
Learn about different energy sources and get tips to save energy in your home. Then test your energy knowledge with fun games and quizzes.
Middle to High School
NASA: Eyes on the Earth
With this app, monitor the earth’s vital signs, such as sea level height, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and Antarctic ozone.
NASA: SciJinks
Explore the world of weather through games, videos, downloadable posters, bookmarks, and more.
Other Educational Resources
Content on non-Federal websites is not endorsed by EPA and is not subject to Federal information quality, privacy, security, and related guidelines.
American Museum of Natural History: OLogy
Check out some of these games, stories, hands-on activities, and videos for learning about climate change.
Environmental Solutions Initiative at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (ESI at MIT): TILclimate Guides for Educators
These “Today I Learned: Climate” guides comprise flexible, ready-to-use activities for high school teachers, designed to bring concepts from energy to hurricanes to food into the classroom. They are an extension of the TILclimate Podcast series and complement other learning resources on the MIT Climate Portal.
National Geographic
Find lesson plans, articles, activities, and more for K-12 educators on earth science, climatology, conservation, and geography. Activities geared directly to students can be found at National Geographic Kids.