The History of Climate Change
Driving Question: What can the history of climate change teach us about the present and future?
For billions of years, Earth’s climate has shaped the evolution of life. But over the past 250, humans have become the biggest force driving climate change. What can the story of our planet’s past teach us about the choices we face today—and the future we want to build?
Learning Objectives:
- Explore how climate change shaped the past, influences the present, and could impact the future.
- Explain the connection between the Industrial Revolution and today’s climate challenges.
- Analyze how environmental movements worked to protect natural resources and promote conservation.
Opening: The History of Climate Change
Natural disasters are at times referred to as “acts of God” because they seem to come out of nowhere. But scientists actually know quite a bit about how they happen. Check out this opener to learn more.
The Long History of Climate Change
What do tree rings have to do with pirates?
Trees don’t just grow—they record history. Scientists can read tree rings like natural archives, uncovering past climate events such as droughts, fires, and even hurricanes. By pairing tree-ring data with historical shipwreck records, researchers identified a decades-long lull in storms. That stretch of calmer seas may have helped fuel the Golden Age of Piracy—showing how even subtle shifts in climate can ripple through history in surprising ways.
It seems we hear news about the uncertain future of our climate every day—this video and activity help put things into a long-term perspective.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Preview the questions below, and then review the transcript.
While you watch
Look for answers to these questions:
- Why were bacteria important to the development of early life?
- How did a change in the climate help societies become more complex?
- How has climate shaped human societies?
- What is different about climate change today from historical warming and cooling cycles?
- How are societies innovating to address climate change?
After you watch
Respond to these questions:
- What’s one potential negative impact climate change could have in the future?
- What’s one positive outcome that could come from how we choose to respond to climate change?
Industry and Our Planet
This activity requires some preparation—you’ll need to print the game template and gather large sheets of paper and markers. We promise it’s worth the effort! Be sure to review page 6 of the Lesson Guide for detailed teacher instructions before you begin.
Coal powered Britain’s rise as an industrial superpower, but it also supercharged changes to the atmosphere that are still unfolding today. These resources explore how the Industrial Revolution reshaped both human societies and Earth’s climate—and why that history matters for our future.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How did the Industrial Revolution change the way people used energy?
- What are the benefits and drawbacks of coal?
- Why do we use the preindustrial era as a benchmark for global temperature trends?
- How did industrialization lead to global interconnection? Why is it so challenging to transition the global economy away from fossil fuels?
After you read
Respond to these questions:
- Which changes to consumer behavior do you think would have the biggest impact on reducing emissions?
- What challenges might prevent people from making those changes?
The History of Environmentalism
To add some context to a discussion on environmentalism and climate change, check out this blog post, which questions whether the movement is still relevant.
What do Frankenstein and Teddy Roosevelt have in common? Both were inspired—and humbled—by the wild beauty and power of nature.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- In what ways did Romanticism help shape early environmentalism?
- What did early environmentalism look like in the United States?
- What is the purpose of the Environmental Protection Agency, and what has made its work the subject of debate?
- How did environmental disasters such as those that occurred at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl influence international cooperation?
- Why was the Paris Agreement significant?
After you read
Respond to this question: Do the environmental costs of pollution and climate change outweigh the economic benefits coal and other fossil fuels provide?
Closer: The History of Climate Change
There are many possible futures. How do you imagine the climate of tomorrow?
Early Environmental Activism
To dive deeper into early environmental activism, compare and contrast the legacies of the figures in these graphic biographies.
This graphic biography tool can further support close reading and analysis.
As change accelerated, the environment suffered—but some people sought solutions to overcome these negative effects.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the comic, paying attention to things like prominent colors, shapes, and types of text and fonts. How do you know where to start and in which direction to read? What’s in the gutters (the space between panels)? Who or what is the focus of the comic?
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- What was Foote’s big discovery?
- What happened to Eunice Foote’s work after she conducted the experiment?
- In what ways did cotton have a negative impact on Southern farmers?
- How did Carver work to improve both the quality of the soil and the quality of life for Black farmers?
- How do the pages’ design, text, and illustrations contribute to your understanding of Foote and Carver’s stories?
After you read
Respond to these questions:
- In what ways are the legacies of Eunice Foote and George Washington Carver similar?
- In what ways are they different?
- Which of these two early innovators do you think had a greater impact? Why?
