5 Creative Ways to Teach Human Impact on Climate Change

Climate change, a pressing global challenge, is undeniably influenced by human activities. As our planet faces the consequences of increasing greenhouse gas emissions and continuous population explosions, the need to comprehend and address “anthropogenic climate change” becomes more urgent than ever. 

Scientists, professors, and educators play a crucial role in this endeavor, leading the way to mitigate the impacts of human activities on the environment. Since dealing with this subject can be a little bit of a task, we have compiled 5 resources here to better plan the lectures.

1. Use Interactive Models and Simulations

One can plan to include models and simulations in educational settings while teaching about anthropogenic climate change. This approach is bound to develop a deeper appreciation for the natural ecosystem and climate among your students. 

By integrating recent situation-based learning modules in one’s models and simulation and providing scientifically accurate data and up-to-date information in model parameters, we can provide students with a competitive and dynamic learning experience. 

Labster provides an immersive simulation for students to understand the “role of anthropogenic factors in climate change”. Using a 3D virtual climate model, students can kickstart their exploration of the “unnatural global warming” caused by human activities. They can identify key contributors to climate change, evaluating benefits and environmental costs.  

2. Learning with Games and Activities

By adopting interactive approaches like game-based teaching, educators can enhance students’ understanding of complex environmental concepts. Here are examples of how you can do so.

• Climate Change Simulation Game: You can create a role-playing game where students act as policymakers, scientists, or community members to make decisions that impact climate change. As they evaluate different factors like human emissions, population growth, and technological advancements, they will be able to calculate the environmental cost against the value of each activity. For ease, you can try out Labster’s Cost-Value Tradeoff Game with a similar back-story.

• Green versus Industrial World Group Activity: You can divide the class into groups representing different perspectives: “one advocating for a greener, sustainable world” and the “other supporting a more industrialized approach”. As students engage in a structured debate, it will allow them to analyze and defend their positions based on scientific evidence.

3. Infusing Technology into Study Plans

Modern-day teachers can harness the power of technology to explain the topic more effectively. Different types of technological interventions hold the power to promote scientific inquiry amongst learners about globally important topics like human impacts on climate change. 

You can plan on organizing webinars and in-person seminars with climate change experts so that students can gain insights into real-world applications of climate science. You can also plan some virtual field trips to renewable energy facilities or conservation sites to enhance their understanding of climate change’s impact on the environment and communities. You can also introduce students to Labster’s 3D modeling simulation where they can take control of the 3D climate model.  

Discover Labster's Human Impact on Climate Change virtual lab today!

4. Inspiring Learners by Connecting to Career Prospects

The topic of climate change is a broad spectrum one and students often think of it to be of environmental significance and not of personal or professional importance. Educators need to bust this myth by effectively connecting the topic of anthropogenic climate change to prospective career opportunities. 

There is a huge market for “climate-focused expertise” across various fields in the present times. With governments and global policies becoming more stringent, the demand for professionals who understand environmental concepts and ideas with precision is at an all-time high! Some examples are:

• Environmental engineering and sustainability management experts mitigating climate change.
• Researchers and Scientists developing climate models for informed policy decisions.
• Entrepreneurs and Innovators moving towards sustainable business and solutions.s

5. Connecting the Topic to Real-World Applications

Connecting the subject of anthropogenic climate change with real-world issues by emphasizing the practical applications and relevance of this knowledge in addressing global challenges can serve the purpose. There are ample examples that can be quoted in this regard.

• Illustrating the direct impact of human activities on biodiversity, sea levels, etc.
• Explaining the importance and urgency of sustainable practices. 
• Significance of climate modeling and computational representation in predicting climate trends and informing policy decisions. 
• Scientific efforts to decrease global emissions 
• Importance of green energy

Final thoughts

Educating students on how even the minutest of our actions substantially impact climate change is of paramount importance in today’s world. As one of the most critical challenges facing humanity, climate change has far-reaching consequences for both the environment and society. Labster offers a groundbreaking solution in the form of its simulation to deepen the subject’s understanding of the subject. If we have to secure the future, we got to train our next-gen scientists young… and train them robust!

Try our free 30-day All Access Educator's Pass today and teach with the Human Impact on Climate Change simulation alongside 300+ other virtual labs!

References

1. Stern, D. I., & Kaufmann, R. K. (2014). Anthropogenic and natural causes of climate change. Climatic change, 122, 257-269.
2. Kaufmann, R. K., Kauppi, H., Mann, M. L., & Stock, J. H. (2011). Reconciling anthropogenic climate change with observed temperature 1998–2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(29), 11790-11793.