Engaging Climate Change Learners in Public School Settings

Abstract: 

Teaching students about energy, carbon emissions, and climate change requires a fundamental knowledge of what we use energy for in our society. It also requires that students understand the relative magnitudes of our current energy sources, and the true environmental cost of using each source. Often, this information is lacking, as it falls outside traditional classroom standards for earth science. A short card game is being developed which tries to convey what we use energy for in the world, and where that energy comes from. It is hoped that after only a few games that students will have a better appreciation for where our energy comes from and where it goes, allowing for a more nuanced discussion on energy efficiency goals and renewable energy development. This FUNding Friday project pulls data from US, EU, and UN sources, and offers a fine-grained breakdown of energy use by sector. Students are able to play the world as-is, as well as make policy decisions (Ban SUVs, eg.) and explore the costs and benefits of doing so. Submitted by: Jesse Roberts, University of Wisconsin - Madison, [email protected]

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