Science Literacy Week September 20 - 26, 2021

Derived from an undergraduate course taught by the author, this accessible book seeks to challenge and provoke readers by posing a series of topical questions concerning climate change and society. Topic summaries provide answers to technical, socio-economic and moral questions surrounding the deployment of climate science. These include how to build and test a climate model, whom and what is most at risk from climate change, and whether we should geoengineer the climate. Practical exercises and case studies provide deeper insights by taking readers through role-play activities and authentic climate change projects. Supporting materials, including notes for instructors and students, graphics, video-clips, games, and online resources, offer scope for further private study and group work. With a focus on applying climate science in practice, this book is ideal for students of geography, natural science, engineering and economics, as well as practitioners involved in the climate service industry.

Groundswell is a collection of stirring and passionate essays from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous writers that, together, present a compelling message about how traditional Indigenous knowledge and practices can and must be used to address climate change. The chapters eloquently interconnect, taking us from radical thinking to the gentleness of breath, demonstrating that we are all in this together, that we must understand what needs to be accomplished and participate in the care of Mother Earth.

Authors tap into religious and spiritual perspectives, explore the wisdom of youth, and share the insights of a nature-based philosophy. These collective writings give you a chance to contemplate and formulate your own direction. A moral revolution that can produce a groundswell of momentum toward a diverse society based on human rights, Indigenous rights, and the rights of Mother Earth.

Get help teaching one of the hottest topics in science with Understanding Climate Change, Grades 7–12. This nine-session module is written to be practical and accessible. It provides both extensive background and step-by-step instructions for using three-dimensional methods to explore this complex subject. It fits easily into a middle or high school curriculum while addressing the Next Generation Science Standards. The material can be covered in just three or four weeks or used in part to supplement your existing curriculum. Best of all, your students will find the module truly engaging. Rather than spoon-feeding them information, the lessons spur them to investigate evidence of climate change and global warming for themselves.

Understanding Climate Change is designed with the Learning Cycle and the BSCS 5E Instructional Model in mind. The module starts with an in-depth look at sources of CO2 (carbon dioxide) and the greenhouse effect. It then addresses misconceptions about climate change; in fact, an entire session is devoted to evaluating information to see if it’s accurate, verifiable, complete, and from a reputable source. Then the lessons prompt students to conduct their own scientific research, discuss ripple effects, and examine solutions. The authors deliberately structured this module to build a conceptual foundation without risking information overload. Your students will come away prepared to analyze what they hear about climate change outside of class. They’ll also be ready to use critical thinking skills to draw their own conclusions about what should be done and to come up with ways they can take action to mitigate the effects of climate change in their homes, schools, and communities.

In clear and accessible language, Generation Us explains the phenomenon of global warming, outlines the threat it presents to future generations and offers a path toward solutions to the problem. The reality of global warming has long been accepted within the scientific community, yet it remains a hotly debated topic at the political and social level. Why is this? Is it the fact that the ultimate effects of global warming will not be felt in our lifetimes? Do we really feel no moral responsibility for future generations? Dr. Weaver, one of the world's leading experts in the field, contends that, just as humans have been responsible for creating the problem of global warming, we must also be the solution.

Climate Change is a hot-button topic today and one that requires skill to examine and grasp different viewpoints. This book introduces readers to multiple perspectives on the topic and encourages them to objectively view local, national, and global connections to help them form knowledgeable points of view.

From hurricanes to droughts to melting glacial ice, the signs are all around us Our planet has a fever, and the environment is suffering. What can you do to help? Even small changes can reduce the gases that lead to global warming. Protest pollution. Replace a light bulb. Plant a tree. Join the Green Generation. Together we can make a world of difference.

We live in an energy-rich age, in which we can turn on a light with the flick of a switch or drive anywhere by turning a key. But, our vehicles, factories, and power stations, which create the electricity needed to light and heat our buildings, pump carbon dioxide into Earth's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide overload from these human activities is making our planet hotter and hotter--and is causing the Earth's climate to change. Find out what scientists are doing to find sustainable new forms of energy that will secure our planet's future.

"Imagine a city draped in a blanket of green ... Is this the city you know?" This beautiful book of narrative non-fiction looks at the urban forest, starting witha bird's-eye view of the tree canopy, then swooping down to street level, digging deep into the ground, then moving up through a tree's trunk, back into the leaves and branches. It discusses the problems that city trees face such as the abundance of concrete, poor soil and challenging light conditions. It traces the history of trees in cities over time, showing how industrialization and the growth of populations in urban centers led to the creation of places like Central Park in New York City, where people could enjoy nature and clean air. It wasn't until Dutch Elm disease swept across North America, killing hundreds of thousands of trees, that people realized how important trees are to our cities. So how can we create a healthy environment for city trees? Some urban foresters are trying to create better growing conditions using specially designed soil trenches or planters, they are planting diverse species to reduce the harm of invasive pests, and they are maintaining trees as they age, among a number of other strategies. The urban forest is a complex ecosystem, and we are a part of it. Trees make our cities more beautiful and provide shade but they also fight climate change and pollution, benefit our health and connections to one another, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and much more. It is vital that we nurture our city forests. Includes a list of activities to help the urban forest and a glossary.

When you stop to think about it, weather is incredible: it's whimsical, varied, ever-present, sometimes destructive and other times, beautiful. This immersive illustrated nonfiction book is an invitation for readers to ponder weather and approach it with a newfound sense of understanding, awe, and wonder. Through four chapters--sun, rain, ice and snow, and extreme weather--this book explores different weather phenomena, from rainbows and sunsets to clouds, frost, and rainstorms. Moments of distress and destruction are offset by the calm after a storm or the peaceful feeling of a blanket of fresh snow. Evocative paintings convey the sheer power of weather, while lyrical text captures the richness of our natural environment. The book takes an inspiring tone rather than an exhaustive, factual one. The book explicitly makes the links between extreme weather, climate change, and human activity, and poses questions often, inviting young readers to observe and inquire about their own environment or to imagine other ones.

From the Native Trailblazers series comes a new book with the stories of twelve brave people who work tirelessly to save our environment. These are stories of courage, determination and resistance to multinational corporations and disastrous government policies that are harming the planet. Readers will learn about Grace Thorpe, who worked to keep Native reservations from becoming nuclear waste dumps; Tom Goldtooth, the director of the Indigenous Environmental Network; and Winona LaDuke, who works on a national level to raise public support and create funding for Native environmental groups. Read about the next generation of Native environmentalists, including Ben Powless, a founding organizer of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition; Melina Laboucan-Massimo, tar sands campaigner for Greenpeace Canada; and Teague Allston, an intern with the National Wildlife Federation tribal and public lands program.

As climate change is warming our planet, the ice in Earth's cryosphere is melting - from glaciers to mountain top patches to permafrost. An unexpected result of this melting has been the discovery of artefacts that were long preserved in the ice's depths. Tools, clothing and, perhaps most remarkable, human bodies have been revealed at the edges the retreating ice. Examining these discoveries, along with traces of plants and animals also melting out of the ice, is the work of researchers in a brand-new scientific field called glacial archaeology.

It's not too late! The natural world can still be healed.  Rewilding is an important environmental movement to restore habitats to their natural state in order to support native species and make room for animals to move freely. In this comprehensive look at rewilding, the authors present examples from around the world where endangered animals have been rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitats. From pandas and peregrine falcons to jaguars and wolves, the story of these animals testifies to the fact that with good management, the extinction of species can be avoided. This book also relates how cities have begun to restore nature by planting everything from tiny rooftop gardens to huge parks on disused land. Written for 9 to 12-year olds, this book serves as a great resource for projects as well as a fascinating book to read or browse.

A colorful infographic look at the many surprising and fascinating facts about water. Where did water come from--before it got to Earth? Why is the water you drink the same stuff that was around when dinosaurs were alive? If water can't be created or destroyed, how can we run out? Find out the answers to these and many more intriguing questions in this vibrant book, designed to appeal to visual learners. Dive in and discover: * Why water is so important to different religious faiths; * Amazing extreme lakes and rivers around the world; * The surprising connection between water access and girls' education worldwide; * How climate change affects water, and vice versa--and what you can do about it; . . . and more. Filled to the brim with colorful illustrations and diagrams, easy-to-understand infographics, and illuminating photos, Water Wow is a dazzling and fun introduction to the importance of water in our lives.

Why do you live where you do? The answer is a lot more complicated than it might seem. Why that house? Why this community? Why do cities sprout where they do? And what makes living there even possible? Geography, topography, climate, landscape, food security, politics, economics, and more all play a role in how we choose the place we call home. This book takes readers on a tour of the various ways humans adapt to our environments -- or change them to suit our needs. It considers the big picture -- we live on Earth because it has a breathable atmosphere -- right down to the little things, like friendly neighbors, that simply make us happy. Why We Live Where We Livelooks back in history at the transition from nomadic hunting to farming and the rise of cities following the Industrial Revolution. It also looks ahead to anticipate future concerns: how will climate change and rising water affect people who live near the ocean? Can humans survive in space? This comprehensive, cross-curricular resource will equip readers with a solid background on human habitation and context about their place on the planet.

This lively collection of fascinating facts and fables, colorful cartoons, and dynamic illustrations explains how everything on Earth is connected. Since its original publication, concern for the environment has grown, and although environmental damage has increased, so too have "green" strategies. This new edition reflects these changes, with expanded discussion of environmental issues and new technologies, as well as many more activities. New sidebars offer extra facts, tips, and real-life examples of things other budding ecologists have done to make the world a better place.