Climate change is a pressing issue with harmful and costly implications for our communities, economies and ecosystems. Tackling climate change will require future generations to understand and be prepared to solve a myriad of climate-related issues. Yet until recently, there was no standard or comprehensive approach for climate education across the state of Washington.

In 2018, EarthGen and CIG received funding from the Washington Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction to develop teacher training in climate sciences in line with the Next Generation Science Standards. The resulting initiative, known as ClimeTime, aimed to help fill the gaps in climate education in Washington by providing educators with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to effectively teach their students about climate change.

Photo Credit Chris Margill, USGS

ClimeTime advanced climate science education across Washington through teacher professional development. This work included assessing existing climate science educational materials; researching available regional climate science datasets suitable for classroom use; and determining best methods for integrating regional climate science, stories of climate adaptation actions and equity into resources to ensure alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards.

The UW Climate Impacts Group and Earth and Space Sciences designed and delivered climate science content, materials and activities throughout Washington state from Pasco and Spokane to Stevenson, Anacortes and Port Angeles. After year two, our STEM seminars reached hundreds of public-school teachers (>500), who in turn engaged over 10,000 students. The presentations, STEM seminar approach and learning outcomes make open educational resources available to all educators in Washington through the Office of the Superintendent.

Teaching the Teachers How to Teach Kids About Climate Change. This article highlights lessons taught by teachers who participated in ClimeTime teacher training.

How Can I Teach My Students About Climate Change? Heidi Roop is interviewed for this article on teaching climate change in the classroom.

ClimeTime Cited in Leading Journal. The Washington state program ClimeTime, which is facilitated by the state’s nine Education Service Districts (ESDs) and community partners, was recently cited as a popular and effective model for educator education in climate science.