Teaching Climate

Collection of Climate and Energy Educational Resources (CLEAN)

A collection of 700+ free ready-to-use rigorously reviewed by educators and scientists. Suitable for secondary through higher education classrooms.

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Guides for Teaching Climate and Energy Science

Climate and energy are complex topics with rapidly developing science and technology and the potential for controversy. See the following pages for relevant principles concepts teaching materials and pedagogic approaches for each grade level.

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Climate Literacy Guide

Trends in Our Changing Climate

"Earth's climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primarily as a result of human activities. The impacts of global climate change are already being felt in the United States and are projected to intensify in the future-but the severity of future impacts will depend largely on actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the changes that will occur." NCA4, 2018

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Global Climate Dashboard

Tracking climate change and natural variability over time

Greenhouse Gases

The heating influence of all human-produced greenhouse gases was 49 percent higher in 2022 than it was in 1990.
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Arctic Sea Ice

Since 1979, the extent of ice covering the Arctic Ocean at the end of summer has shrunk by more than 40 percent.
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Carbon Dioxide

Atmospheric carbon dioxide has risen more than 50 percent since people began burning fossil fuels for energy.
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Mountain Glaciers

The glaciers in a key reference network lost an average thickness of 94 feet between 1970 and 2023 (preliminary data).
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Ocean Heat

The ocean is storing 91% of the excess heat from global warming, causing sea level rise, ice shelf retreat, and stress on marine life.
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Sea Level

Sea level has risen 8-9 inches since 1880, and the rate of increase has accelerated over the satellite era.
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Spring Snow

Since the start of satellite observations in 1967, June snow cover has shrunk by 12.9 percent per decade.
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Incoming Sunlight

The sun’s brightness does vary over time, but no changes have occurred that are big enough to cause observed global warming.
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Surface Temperature

Earth's temperature has risen 0.14 degrees F per decade since 1880. The rate of warming has more than doubled since 1981.
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