Abstract

The ocean is inextricably linked to human societies. Climate change and its associated impacts to the aquatic environment pose problems for human communities as well. It is important for students and citizens to understand the changes they can expect to see on a local level, and prepare to respond to those impacts due to climate change. In this lesson, high school earth science students participate in a mock “stakeholder meeting ” activity, where they role-play as land planners, emergency responders, and watermen, using climate change projections and county elevation information to create resilience plans for their communities in the year 2050.

About this resource

This artice, which was published in Current, the journal of National Marine Educators Association, outlines one of the hands-on lessons included in the programming delivered as part of a science transfer project. The complete lesson plan, along with all resources used in the development and implementation of the activity, can be found online within the following two links: Assessing the County's Readiness for a Climate Related Event and Background Material for the Stakeholder Meeting. A related lesson is outlined in this article: Enhancing Climate Education for a Changing Chesapeake Bay.