Climate and Energy Educational Resource Collection
The CLEAN Collection is a high-quality and rigorously reviewed collection of climate and energy educational resources and lesson plans aligned with the Climate Literacy and Energy Literacy frameworks, and the Next Generation Science Standards. Through peer-review, scientists and educators ensure scientific accuracy, pedagogic effectiveness, and classroom readiness for each resource. With nearly 1000 items in the CLEAN collection, there are multiple ways to find the resources you need. Type in a keyword, or click on the filter options, and off you go!
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Grade Level Show all
College Upper (15-16)
168 matchesClimate Literacy Principles
- Humans can take action 65 matches Humans can take actions to reduce climate change and its impacts.
- Sun is primary energy 22 matches The Sun is the primary source of energy for Earth's climate system
- Climate is complex 58 matches Climate is regulated by complex interactions among components of the Earth system
- Life affects climate; climate affects life 19 matches Life on Earth depends on, is shaped by, and affects climate
- Climate is variable 54 matches Climate varies over space and time through both natural and man-made processes
- Our understanding of climate 82 matches Our understanding of the climate system is improved through observations, theoretical studies, and modeling
- Humans affect climate 47 matches Human activities are impacting the climate system
- Climate change has consequences 75 matches Climate change will have consequences for the Earth system and human lives
Teaching Across the Curriculum
Climate and Energy Topics
- Causes of Climate Change 45 matches Includes natural changes (cyclic variability, volcanic eruptions, solar output) and human-caused changes (due to GHG emissions and land use changes)
- Climate Impacts 80 matches Includes sea level rise; extreme weather; drought; changes to ecosystems, plants and animals; melting ice and permafrost; ocean warming; impacts to water resources, agriculture, public health and national security
- Climate System 63 matches Includes natural processes within the climate system: orbital patterns, solar radiation, oceans, atmosphere, water cycle, the natural greenhouse effect, carbon cycle, regional climates and differences between climate and weather.
- Energy Use 28 matches Sources of energy, usage trends, conservation, policy
- Human Responses to Climate 56 matches Includes policy, mitigation, adaptation, risk management, personal responsibility
- Measuring and Modeling Climate 90 matches Instrumental measurements, proxy data, climate model projections
- Nature of Climate Science 12 matches Includes the process of science and common misconceptions about climate science
NGSS Performance Expectations
NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas
NGSS Cross-Cutting Concepts
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices
Current Search Limits:
Grade LevelCollege Upper (15-16)
Results 1 - 10 of 168 matches
With the help of two climate experts, this video discusses how the social cost of carbon is calculated, how it should (perhaps) be calculated, and why the effort to quantify this value is necessary ...
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This video introduces viewers to oceanic thermohaline circulation - the system of global ocean currents that cycle warm and cold water across the planet.
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This video presents a brief introduction to an alternative energy source - ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC).
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Major Storms and Community Resilience
This is Unit 1 of a larger module and centers on the fundamental concepts of major storms and community resilience. In this unit, students acquire a vocabulary related to storm systems and risk, ...Reviewed Collection
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Phenology Trends and Climate Change in Minnesota
In this module, students will practice answering a specific question about how climate change has affected the flowering date in American elm trees. After students learn to manipulate the elm data ...Reviewed Collection
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Sustainability is a complex term applied to many different contexts in a variety of ways. As a result, it can be challenging to determine how sustainable something really is. In this module, students ...
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Tracking Water Using NASA Satellite Data
Using real data from NASA's GRACE satellites, students will track water mass changes in the U.S., data that measures changes in ice, surface and especially groundwater. The background ...Reviewed Collection
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Scientific Consensus: A Tsunami of Evidence
This is the first lesson in a series of 6 lessons about climate change from the National Center for Science Education. The 'Tsunami of Evidence' module directly addresses common ...Reviewed Collection
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Back to the Future: Climate Edition
This activity engages students through an exploration using real data of paleoclimate proxies, such as ice cores, tree rings, and sedimentary analysis that provide evidence for past climates.Reviewed Collection
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This activity allows students to demonstrate the thermal expansion of water for themselves using water bottles and straws. The discussion allows them to explore the connection between this concept ...
Reviewed Collection
This resources has passed the CLEAN review process