Climate Change Lessons

Available for viewing are recordings of two lessons about climate change in New Mexico for middle and high schoolers.

Climate Hope: From Knowledge to Action

Climate Hope: From Knowledge to Action is a toolkit designed by the 350 New Mexico Climate Education committee, in partnership with Talking Talons Youth Leadership. It is specifically designed for use in New Mexico middle school classrooms, or high school classrooms, to provide a comprehensive set of 4 lessons and a project to teach students all about climate change and its impacts, the science of it, solutions, youth empowerment, and climate justice.

Teaching Climate Change Resources

The 350 New Mexico Climate Education committee curated this collection of educational resources for students across New Mexico. Browse lessons for all ages, New Mexico-specific curriculum and programs, books, visuals, news media resources, youth activist organizations, videos, podcasts, and results from a climate education survey of New Mexico teachers.

Ecology Class Series

Two virtual climate change lessons were presented in 2021 by our educator Fiana, as part of a 6-class ecological education series for middle and high school students, in partnership with Nature Niños New Mexico (part of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation) and Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area (part of the Valencia Soil & Water Conservation District).

Lesson 1: Climate Change & Wildfires

A discussion of the basics of why climate change is happening and human-caused, and impacts of it with a focus on New Mexico, particularly regarding increase in numbers and scale of wildfires.

Lesson 2: Studying Impacts of Ecosystem Change on Wildlife

Learn about various ways that climate change is impacting wildlife in New Mexico, and how to use simple scientific research and tools to study the changes that are happening.

Lesson 3: Rio Bravo River Changes

The next 3 lessons were presented by Allison Martin of the Valencia Soil & Water Conservation District at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area.

Ever wonder what the Rio Grande used to look like before large cities and communities? Take a look and learn with us!

Lesson 4: Rio Bravo River Changes

Ever wonder how human impacts have changed the ecosystem in the Middle Rio Grande? Explore these changes as we take a look into the past, present and future of this landscape!

Lesson 5: Rio Bravo River Changes

Explore Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area and discuss; soil diversity, ground water level, native plants and animals, conservation and restoration efforts, and habitat diversity.

Lesson 6: Review and Final Projects

The last class was a review, sharing, and discussion about final projects in which students shared project ideas for how to help with an ecological problem they learned about during the class. (not recorded)