Climate in the Classroom

Using funding through SPRC’s Coastal Technical Assistance Grant, a project team including staff from UNH Cooperative Extension, NH Sea Grant, and SRPC, in partnership with Oyster River Middle School (ORMS) and the Durham Public Library, developed a grade school climate change lesson. ORMS is within the Oyster River Cooperative School District which includes the Towns of Durham, Lee and Madbury. The goal of this program was to educate and empower students and their parents. During the month-long climate lesson, students learned about:

• How the earth’s climate is changing, and how this is related to human activities (fossil fuels, greenhouse gas effects, etc.);
• The impacts of climate change (melting glaciers, sea level rise, changing rain and snow patterns, stronger storms, etc.);
• The difference between weather and climate;
• Ways to take action to slow climate change.

The project team visited several fifth-grade classrooms to present a “Climate Change” lesson focused on Durham, Lee, and Madbury that built on a unit developed by the teachers. Students then conducted research to collect images and information that was used to develop posters answering seven key questions about climate change. The project culminated in a workshop in which the students presented their posters to parents and decision-makers in their community.