Climate Vocabulary
Driving Question: What vocabulary do we need to talk about climate change?
Talking about a problem as complex as climate change requires a common vocabulary. Explore some of the most common terms and how they’re used so that you can take part in the conversation.
Learning Objectives:
- Define common climate vocabulary terms.
- Understand how climate vocabulary terms are used.
- Understand common misconceptions about climate vocabulary terms.
Vocab Terms:
- adaptation
- carbon cycle
- carbon footprint
- clean energy
- climate
- climate change
- fossil fuel
- global warming
- greenhouse gases
- mitigation
- ozone layer
- sequestration
- weather
Opener: Climate Vocabulary
This is literally probably the most fun you’ll have thinking about common use and misuse of words you think you know.
Vocab Games
Learn the most important (and misunderstood) terms about climate change: What do they mean and how are they used?
Test Your Knowledge
If possible, consider using a trivia platform like Kahoot to simplify setup and add some fun.
Test yourself and your classmates to check your understanding of climate vocab.
Closer: Climate Vocabulary
For a fun alternative to this closer, ask students to develop their own Mad Libs and swap with a partner.
Climate vocab help us _______ (verb) and be more ______ (adjective) as we take action.
Vocab Organizer
Keep track of climate vocab definitions and uses so you can return to these terms when you need to.