Students will be able to:

1. Identify potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of climate change in Michigan.

2. Describe how complex topics like climate change can have many perspectives and no single solution.

3. Describe some of the various concerns that individuals may have based on their diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations

Grade 6-7 Science:

• Evaluate data, claims, and personal knowledge through collaborative science discourse. S.IA.06.12, S.IA.07.12

• Describe the origins of pollution in the atmosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere, (car exhaust, industrial emissions, acid rain, and natural sources), and how pollution impacts habitats, climatic change, threatens or endangers species. E.ES.07.42

HS Earth Science:

• Based on evidence of observable changes in recent history and climate change models, explain the consequences of warmer oceans (including the results of increased evaporation, shoreline and estuarine impacts, oceanic algae growth, and coral bleaching) and changing climatic zones (including the adaptive capacity of the biosphere). E5.4D

HS Biology:

• Recognize that, and describe how, human beings are part of Earth’s ecosystems. Note that human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the equilibrium in ecosystems. L3.p4A

• Examine the negative impact of human activities. B3.4C

Grade 6-8 Social Studies:

• Describe the environmental effects of human action on the atmosphere (air), biosphere (people, animals, and plants), lithosphere (soil), and hydrosphere (water) (e.g., changes in the tropical forest environments in Brazil, Peru, and Costa Rica). 6-G5.1.1, 7-G5.1.1

Climate Literacy Principles

• #3. Life on earth depends on, is shaped by, and affects climate.

• #6. Human activities are impacting the climate system.

• #7. Climate change will have consequences for the earth system and human lives.