Teaching kids about global warming

by Deb Powers

 One of the most important tasks we have - not only as parents, but as a society - is teaching our kids about the planet and how to be responsible stewards for it. It may still be summer, but the kids will be back in school soon. Whether you're a teacher looking for resources to teach kids about global warming, or a parent in need of sources to help kids with school projects about global warming, this list of kids' global warming resources is for you.

Resources for kids to learn about global warming and climate change

EPA Kids' Climate Change Pages

The EPA has one of the best sets of learning pages about Climate Change I've seen. It's written to a fifth-sixth grade level, but it doesn't talk down to older students and is still easily accessible to younger students. It includes sections like:

• Climate Change - What it is
• Climate Detectives
• The Climate System
• Weather and Climate
• What it all means
• what you can do

While this is a "kids' site", I highly reccomend it to anyone who wants to understand some of the basic concepts about climate change in clear, easy to understand language.

 EEK! Environmental Education for Kids

Slick and glossy is the best way to describe this nifty environmental magazine for kids. Aimed at grades 4-8, it's put together and maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The magazine is updated frequently and includes lots of great features and activities for studying nature, conservation and earth sciences, along with a teachers guide so that parents and teachers can make the best use of the material. Check out Global Warming is Hot Stuff for a great overview of climate change issues that's appropriate for kids of this age.

 The Green Squad

Created by the Natural Resources Defense Fund, the Green Squad are a group of four cartoon kids who found out how the school and their environment affect their health and figured out ways to fix them. Aimed at kids in 3-5th grade, the comic-style web site encourages kids to learn about their environment and how they can affect it. Kids get an assignment to find waste and environmental problems in their schools and neighborhoods and take steps to make them better.

TUNZA

TUNZA is a UN-sponsored magazine written by teens for teens. Its focus is on youth and what they are doing in the world to foster climate change action. The magazine is very international in flavor, and includes articles and interviews with teens and teen activists in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa. The site makes good use of social networking tools to help teens get together and work together around the world to help preserve the environment and stop global warming.

Be Different. Live Different. Buy Different.

 Buy Different challenges teens - the number one consumer group in the country - to think before they buy. This one is a great one for parents and teachers of kids ages 13 and up. It leads them through the effects that their purchases have on the world, the environment and biodiversity, and makes them think twice about rampant consumerism.

These are just a few examples of websites and resources that reachers and parents can use to help educate their kids about global warming, climate change and the environment. There are many others out there, and I'll make a point of highlighting them when I find them. Till then - enjoy the sunny summer sun!