Chapter 21: Climate Crisis Issues in Our Community

The lesson plan, Climate Crisis Issues in Our Community, addresses one of the most pressing needs in the curriculum today. This past year we have had more extreme hurricanes, forest fires, and even a global pandemic. The planet’s surface has increased in temperature 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit since the 19^th century. The world’s oceans have increased in temperature affecting plant and sea life globally. These climate-related events affect the polar ice caps, permanent ice fields, and ocean levels across the planet. The record high temperatures in the United States have increased the frequency of extreme weather events (i.e., heat waves, hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and forest fires; NASA: Climate, n.d.). Are students aware of how these events are related? Or how human choices have impacted these events? This lesson will address the essential question: “How do human choices affect climate crisis issues?”