Skip to main content
MIT
Climate
Search

Main navigation

  • Climate 101
    • What We Know
    • What Can Be Done
    • Climate Primer
  • Explore
    • Explainers
    • Ask MIT Climate
    • Podcast
  • MIT Action
    • News
    • Events
    • Resources
  • Search

Main navigation

  • Climate 101
    • What We Know
    • What Can Be Done
    • Climate Primer
  • Explore
    • Explainers
    • Ask MIT Climate
    • Podcast
  • MIT Action
    • News
    • Events
    • Resources
  • Search
Educator GuideOctober 7, 2021

Trees, Forests, and Climate Change Educator Guide

TILclimate planting trees guide for educators
Photo Credit
Matt Artz via Unsplash

 

This Guide for Educators was developed by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative as an extension of our TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate) podcast, to make it easier for you to teach climate change, earth science, and energy topics in the classroom. It is an extension of the TILclimate episode "TIL about planting trees."

Browse all TILclimate guides for educators.

Description

Forests can be an important part of a lower-carbon future—but how does that work? Students experience the carbon cycle as a carbon atom, grounding their understanding of the flux of carbon between earth, air, water, and living things. Using data from Global Forest Watch, students investigate regional and global patterns of forest loss, gain, and carbon emissions to answer the questions: should we plant trees as a solution to climate change? Does location matter? How do we know?

 

 

SWBAT:
  • Explain a simple carbon cycle

  • Describe global patterns of forest loss and gain

  • Understand that deforestation causes carbon dioxide emissions, and that growing forests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

Skills:
  • Graphing
  • Map reading
  • Critical thinking
Standards:
  • HS-ESS2-4 Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.

  • HS-ESS2-6 Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon.

  • HS-LS2-5 Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon.

  • WHST.9-12.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content

  • WHST.9-12.7 Conduct research project to answer a or solve a problem

Disciplinary core ideas:
  • ESS3.A Natural Resources

  • ESS3.C Human Impacts on Earth Systems

  • ESS3.D Global Climate Change

  • LS2.B Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

  • LS2.C Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

     

What is included in this Educator Guide
  1. How to use TILclimate Educator Guides (Download)
     
  2. Teacher pages (Download)
    • Includes materials, discussion questions, background resources, and adaptation suggestions for science, social science, and ELA teachers
       
  3. Student pages (Download)
    • Carbon Cycle Game

    • Data Investigation: Global Forests

 

Listen to the episode

 

Browse all TILclimate guides for educators
Share
facebook linkedin twitter email compact
by TILclimate Podcast
Topics
Atmosphere
Education
Forests

Related Posts

PostJanuary 3, 2023

Thermodynamics and Climate Change

MIT OCW
Diagram of tidal power generating turbine.
PodcastDecember 15, 2022

E7: TIL about winter storms

TILclimate Podcast
PostDecember 11, 2022

Science Writing And New Media: Writing And The Environment

MIT OCW
Landscape photo of hillside with trees and a running stream.
PodcastNovember 15, 2022

E6: TIL about carbon offsets

TILclimate Podcast

MIT Climate News in Your Inbox

 
 

MIT Groups Log In

Log In

Footer

  • About
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Contact
Environmental Solutions Initiative
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge MA 02139-4307
Communicator Award Winner
Communicator Award Winner