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Stabilization Wedges Game
https://cmi.princeton.edu/wedges/game

Carbon Mitigation Initiative, Princeton University

This is a team-based activity that teaches students about the scale of the greenhouse gas problem and the technologies that already exist which can dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Students select carbon-cutting strategies to construct a carbon mitigation profile, filling in the wedges of a climate stabilization triangle.

Activity takes about three 45-minute class periods, possibly more with the closure and assessment.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»


Grade Level

Activity could be modified to be used in an upper middle school environment.

Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Energy Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines

4. Personal and Civic Responsibility:C) Recognizing efficacy
Other materials addressing:
C) Recognizing efficacy.
4. Personal and Civic Responsibility:D) Accepting personal responsibility
Other materials addressing:
D) Accepting personal responsibility.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.3 Humans and Their Societies:C) Political and economic systems
Other materials addressing:
C) Political and economic systems.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.4 Environment and Society:A) Human/environment interactions
Other materials addressing:
A) Human/environment interactions.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.4 Environment and Society:D) Technology
Other materials addressing:
D) Technology.
3. Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues:3.1 Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues:A) Identifying and investigating issues
Other materials addressing:
A) Identifying and investigating issues.
3. Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues:3.1 Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues:C) Identifying and evaluation alternative solutions and courses of action
Other materials addressing:
C) Identifying and evaluation alternative solutions and courses of action.
3. Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues:3.2 Decision-Making and Citizenship Skills:D) Evaluating the results of actions
Other materials addressing:
D) Evaluating the results of actions.
3. Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues:3.2 Decision-Making and Citizenship Skills:B) Evaluating the need for citizen action
Other materials addressing:
B) Evaluating the need for citizen action.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

  • A large amount of prior knowledge on both the part of the educator and the students is required; having some previous experience with this content is helpful in order to teach/facilitate the lesson. This activity could generate more questions than the background info prepares educators for.
  • Not all strategies have sufficient background to promote critical discussion; input from educator in these areas could be valuable.
  • This activity could be used by older students to inform younger students about CO2 emissions and solutions.

About the Content

  • Students will learn about the impact CO2 emissions have on global climate change.
  • Introduces the concept behind a stabilization triangle (carbon-cutting strategies that can keep the Earth's CO2 emissions trend "flat"). The strategies presented in this activity are i) efficiency and conservation ii) fossil fuel-based strategies iii) nuclear energy and iv) renewable energy and biostorage.
  • This activity from the Carbon Mitigation Initiative was a joint project between Princeton University, BP, and Ford.
  • Comment from expert scientist: The strengths of this activity are not scientific. It's almost exclusively a policy/technology exercise framed by an initial science lesson. It's good at what it does, but it doesn't teach climate science. Understanding available technological solutions and their potential contributions to addressing emissions challenges is an important part of climate literacy.

About the Pedagogy

  • A good culminating activity for a unit on renewable energy options and climate change. It addresses both the problems and the solutions.
  • Students will develop reasoning and negotiation skills in order to find a solution and defend it to a larger group; there is no "right" answer.
  • This activity is based completely in individual choice and so offers opportunities to a diverse group of learners.
  • Opportunities for adults outside the classroom to become included/engaged with student learning - administrators or community members could judge stabilization triangles.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • Easy to use, clearly written instructions with all necessary handouts provided.
Entered the Collection: December 2012 Last Reviewed: June 2016

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