The Climate Initiative: Curriculum for young ambassadors in the face of climate change

Developed in conjunction with the National Audubon Society's Climate Report, these lessons that highlight climate change through the lens of Wisconsin's birds are a fantastic way to engage your students with one of the most important and timely issues of our time. Today's kids must be connected to their local environments, and be thinking globally about our earth. 

The "Young Ambassadors in the Face of Climate Change" curriculum consists of 10 lessons that are classroom tested, engaging, interactive, and ready to get kids thinking critically about their world. Lesson materials are available to download below, and lesson kits are available to borrow from the Madison Audubon office - all for free! 

CURRICULUM IN ACTION: All about our first year of teaching students about birds and climate change

Have Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance teach these monthly lessons in your classroom, or receive all of the support you need to teach them yourself.

If you are interested in contracting a SoWBA educator to implement or assist with this curriculum, contact us at education@swibirds.org.

Please note that many of these files are large. Sometimes links appear broken because they files are larger than the internet connection can handle. We’re sorry if this is frustrating! High resolution files can be downloaded through Google Drive by clicking this link: Climate Change Documents on Google Drive. If you have trouble accessing the Google Drive documents, please email education@swibirds.org

Learning about habitat needs and shifting climate is hands-on, active, and fun with this curriculum! Photo by Emily Meier

Learning about habitat needs and shifting climate is hands-on, active, and fun with this curriculum! Photo by Emily Meier

Our Climate Change curriculum includes outdoor and indoor activities that are hands-on and active. Photo by Emily Meier

Our Climate Change curriculum includes outdoor and indoor activities that are hands-on and active. Photo by Emily Meier

Lesson 1: The scientific method & phenology

Lesson 2: Climate change introduction & Habitat Scramble! 

Empathy and understanding are also lessons in our Climate Change curriculum. Photo by Emily Meier

Empathy and understanding are also lessons in our Climate Change curriculum. Photo by Emily Meier

Lesson 3: Carbon cycle

Lesson 4: The Greenhouse Effect

Lesson 5: Winter adaptations of animals 

Service-learning is a great way to add to your student's knowledge about local habitats and actions we can take to help combat climate change. Photo by Carolyn Byers

Service-learning is a great way to add to your student's knowledge about local habitats and actions we can take to help combat climate change. Photo by Carolyn Byers

Lesson 6: Build-a-bird adaptations

Lesson 7: Migration

Lesson 8: Phenological mismatch

Lesson 9: Climate Forum

Lesson 10: Birdathon

  • Have your classroom participate in the Great Wisconsin Birdathon! This is what it looked like when one class got out into the field: School Spotlight

  • Ask us about the school-wide birdathon we help Lincoln Elementary throw each spring. This could be a fun event for your school too!

This Climate Change Curriculum was created under a 2014-2016 Grant from National Audubon Society and a 2015-2016 grant from the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board. 

 

Banner photo by Carolyn Byers