Who Will Take the Heat?

PBS Teachers, NOVA

This activity engages students in a role play to negotiate an agreement between the United States and China about climate change policies. Students use given background material or can do their own additional research to present their assigned stakeholder's position in a simulated negotiation.

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Appropriate for a science or social studies class. This lesson would be a good cross-curricular performance assessment or final project.
Students learn about the environmental, economic, and political issues surrounding global climate change policy. Activity is from 2004 and can be enhanced with more recent scientific information that students can be challenged to find. Concise, accurate background material provided. Many additional references provided.
Stated learning outcome is one of participation in the negotiations. Ideally, the outcome can also include students demonstrating through their participation their understanding of related environmental, political and economic issues. Lesson is well-organized with detailed readings provided and some helpful suggestions about how to set up the negotiations. Suggestions about how to assess students and expand the project are provided.