           |
Global Climate Change Websites
These websites all have a world focus – to help students understand
what climate change means for the planet as a whole.
To help you quickly find the sites you need, they are roughly sorted
into four categories:
- Teacher Sites – Including Lesson Plans/Projects/ Backgrounders
- Research Sites – Primarily useful for student research
- Kids’ Clubs – Fun sites, with jokes, animations, interaction
tools
- Calculators – Sites where students input data to get immediate
results
Keep in mind that many of these sites fall into more than one category.
Many of the teacher sites and kids’ club sites, for instance, also
contain excellent background information on climate change. To find the
site you’re looking for, click on the linked list below, or browse
through the alphabetical list of sites. Each site listed has a brief description.
Global Teacher Sites – Including lesson plans/projects/backgrounders
Global Research Sites – Information for students and teachers
Global Kids’ Clubs – Fun sites with interesting information
Global Calculators – Students input information for immediate feedback
| |
In a Nutshell:
Great lesson plans for teaching about energy use and its effect
on climate change. |
Don’t Miss:
- Lesson Plans – Elementary, Middle School and
Secondary lesson plans; some interesting, engaging ideas.
Created by: Alliance to Save Energy
Scope: Global, North American
Target Grades: K–12
Relevance: Energy teaching materials written
for different grade levels. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
“Dr. Global Change” is an archive of questions
and answers on global environmental change. |
Don’t Miss:
- Archive by Topic – A searchable archive of
information on climate change science, impacts, mitigation, and more.
- Global Change Links – Good
info-links, primarily to U.S. sites
Created by: U.S. Global Change Research Information
Office
Scope: Global
Target Grades: 5–12
Relevance: Broad range of information for student
research |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
A great collection of climate change news and links, arranged by specific
topic, including links for kids. |
Don’t Miss:
- Topics under Climate Change Links Directory (middle
of the page – scroll down) – more than 2,500 sites listed,
organized in topics.
- Vital Climate Graphics (right side
of page – click on Climate Overview) – a collection of UNEP graphs
and tables illustrating climate change. A great teaching resource.
Created by: Ecological Internet, Inc.
Scope: Global
Target Grades: 6–12
Relevance: Excellent collection of links for
student research. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
An interactive map of early warning signs of climate change.
Click on the map in your region, and you’ll link into a
description of climate change indicators in that area. Includes
a downloadable teacher’s guide. |
Don’t Miss:
- The Map – A dramatic, interactive illustration
of the different early warning signs around the world
- For
Educators – A curriculum guide containing four activities
to help students work with the map.
Created by: Union of Concerned Scientists
Scope: Global, but with some specific information
about the North
Target Grades: 9–12
Relevance: Excellent information for background/research,
plus activities. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
A wonderful international kids’ site, including clear,
informative backgrounders, games, poems, quizzes, and more. Students
are encouraged to submit their own reports, poetry, and ideas. |
Don’t Miss:
- Explore/Climate Change – Well-written backgrounders
- Network – Students
share their stories
- Play & Learn – Games, puzzles, jokes, and more
Created by: Tata Energy Research Institute,
New Delhi, Indi
Scope: Global
Target Grades: 3–9
Relevance: Lots of student-written, fun, inspirational
material from children around the globe. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
An online encyclopedia covering major atmospheric topics, including:
global warming; climate change; and climate and weather. Many
definitions are offered at both beginner and advanced levels. |
Don’t Miss:
- Topic Tree – Click on Atmosphere, Climate, Climate
Change and Global Warming for whole lists of useful definitions.
- Search – Search
for any definition
Created by: Atmosphere, Climate & Environment
Information Programme, UK
Scope: Global
Target Grades: 3–12
Relevance: Excellent reference information. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
A kid-oriented site with clearly written backgrounders, plus
games and links. |
Don’t Miss:
- Backgrounders – Click on any of the list of
topics – Climate Change (What it is); Can We Change
the Climate? We CAN Make a Difference – and you’ll
find clearly written backgrounders suitable for intermediate-grade
children doing research.
- Climate Animations – On
global warming and related topics, each with an interactive
quiz
Created by: Environmental Protection Agency
(U.S.A.)
Scope: Global
Target Grades: 4–9
Relevance: Good background information for
young researchers. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
The GLOBE Program links students with real science projects
designed by scientists, and also links students from around the
world. See also GLOBE Canada – Yukon link. |
Don’t Miss:
- Teachers’ Guide – filled with activities
and information
- Field protocols – for teachers
and students of environmental monitoring in real science projects,
on Weather, Soil, Land cover, Phenology, and Hydrology
- Ongoing
projects with scientists, including CloudSat, to be launched
Spring 2004
Created by: NASA
Scope: Global, operating in over 100 countries,
including Canada
Target Grades: K–12
Relevance: GLOBE students take repeated scientific
measurements of weather variables, including: temperature (minimum,
maximum, daily), rainfall (pH), snowfall, cloud cover and type,
relative humidity, aerosols, barometric pressure, and ozone.
Builds understanding of the interactions of variables that make
up weather, locally and globally, of what climate is, and how
climate change is understood and measured. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
A site to watch for the latest information on climate change
and its impacts in different parts of the world. |
Don’t Miss:
- Home – Click on the links to various “hot
news” items on the home page
- Multi-Media Presentation – The
Heat Is On – Hard-hitting 10-min. intro to the topic
of climate change
- Topics on the Top Bar – News,
Weather, Science, Disinformation and Solutions – All
deal with current information in an interesting analytical
manner.
Created by: Ross Gelbspan, reporter and editor
for 31 years at The Philadelphia Bulletin, The Washington Post
and The Boston Globe
Scope: Global
Target Grades: 7–12
Relevance: Very current news and analysis on
world climate change patterns |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
by an international network of indigenous peoples protecting
the earth. |
Don’t Miss:
- Climate Justice – This section contains links
to a collection of articles from an indigenous perspective,
and powerful statements made by indigenous groups responding
to climate change. Click on the sidebar list (Page 1, Page
2, etc.) to read the link topics.
Created by: IEN (Indigenous Environmental Network)
Scope: Global, emphasis on North America
Target Grades: 7–12
Relevance: An indigenous perspective on climate
change. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
This rather technical site contains excellent up-to-date information
on climate change, produced by working groups of scientists. |
Don’t Miss:
Created by: United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP); World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Scope: International
Target Grades: 9–12 |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
Everything you need to know about different energy sources,
available in a convenient, downloadable format. |
Don’t Miss:
- Curriculum Guides and Activities – Click on “Energy
Infobooks” for a collection of backgrounders, project
suggestions, and lesson plans for all levels, K–12.
Created by: NEED – National Education
Energy Development
Scope: Global, North American
Target Grades: K–12
Relevance: Energy backgrounders and teaching
materials written for different grade levels. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
Excellent information on various forms of renewable energy for
secondary students or teachers. |
Don’t Miss:
- Icons across the top identify different types of
renewable energy: hydro, bio-energy, thermal, wind, solar
Created by: Center for Renewable Energy and
Sustainable Technology, Washington, DC
Scope: U.S., Global
Target Grades: 10–12
Relevance: Good current information on what
is happening with renewable energy technologies in the U.S. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
Lets students experiment with different climate change variables,
by using the computer mouse to movie controls. It displays effects
instantly. |
Don’t Miss:
- The Calculator – A very complex calculator,
suitable for advanced students only.
Created by: Université catholique de Louvain,
Institut d'Astronomie et de Géophysique, Belgium
Scope: Scope
Target Grades: 11–12
Relevance: Excellent modelling information
on current and future patterns. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
Some basic information in a story format with good animation. |
Don’t Miss:
- Animation – “Why will the earth become
hot?” – great animation at an elementary school
level
Created by: UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change
Scope: Global
Target Grades: 3–8
Relevance: Good animation on basic concept
of atmospheric and global warming. |
Top
| |
In a Nutshell:
Fun kids’ site with good information on both renewable
and non-renewable energy. |
Don’t Miss:
- Energy Facts – Click on pictures for
more information on different types of energy
- Fun & Games – Crosswords, riddles, experiments and
more
- Glossary – All the energy words you ever wanted
to know
Created by: U.S. Department of Energy
Scope: U.S., Global
Target Grades: 4–8
Relevance: Good information on energy: renewable
and non-renewable |
Top |
