Workshop Objectives:

1. Provide teachers with accurate background information on climate science

·         basics of climate science with examples and experiments

·         address and explain myths and misconceptions

·         explain how scientific theory can be societally controversial

2. Provide teachers with tools to teach in the 7-12 classroom

Climate Change has been in the news for many years. Climate keeps changing in response to ongoing greenhouse gas emissions, and climate science media coverage continues to increase as more and more people are affected by the changes, and learn about the risks a warming climate poses to society. But what about the naysayers? Don’t they have a point? Isn’t this all much ado about nothing? Millennials overwhelmingly accept the science; and they ask important questions about their future. But they are also the children of a parent generation effectively misinformed about the facts. Therefore, teachers need to be better informed to explain the science, address misconceptions, and be prepared to deal with parents if necessary.

This workshop will (i) review the basics of climate change science, including two experiments suitable for the classroom, (ii) address the most common myths widely circulated in US society, (iii) discuss solutions and the barriers to pursuing them, as well as (iv) provide suggestions of how to incorporate climate science into the general science, biology, chemistry, physics, or math classroom.

For information contact Dr. Janice Meyer at 979-458-2511 or janice.meyer@tamu.edu