Standards Alignment in Climate Project
STANDARDS ALIGNMENT IN OER PROJECT: CLIMATEAddressing climate change and building an equitable, zero-carbon future requires a comprehensive understanding of the scientific and societal challenges and solutions. State standards provide a framework to equip students with essential knowledge and skills, whether or not your standards explicitly address human- caused climate change.Social Studies StandardsMost states have integrated environmental and ustainability issues into social studies standards, focusing broadly on the interactions between humans and their environments. Climate change knowledge is particularly relevant in areas including geography, civics, economics, and government.The College, Career, and Civic Life Framework (C3 Framework) is designed to equip young people with the critical-thinking tools needed for inquiry, communication, and informed action. The C3 Framework is designed to support interdisciplinary application, making it an effective partner to Climate materials. Some states require civics seals for high school graduation, achieved through the completion of a capstone project that demonstrates civic involvement in conjunction with proficient coursework. Each lesson of Unit 5 is designed to support the requirements of a civics diploma seal through civic participation in students’ communities.Science StandardsClimate science involves many disciplines, including geology, physics, biology, and chemistry. Weaving climate content into these areas offers an opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of causes, impacts, and viable solutions.In many places, the evidence of a changing climate is recognized in science standards. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) explicitly support the study of climate change by examining climate systems, human impacts, mitigation strategies, and the role of technology.Literacy and English Language Arts StandardsLiteracy and English Language Arts standards play a critical role in helping students understand, communicate, and reflect on complex issues like climate change. Through reading, writing, speaking, and listening, students build the skills needed to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and express ideas clearly and persuasively. Climate-related content aligns well with ELA standards through informational texts, research, media literacy, and evidence-based writing.By analyzing a range of texts and media sources, students build critical literacy skills while learning to evaluate evidence, identify credible information, and communicate ideas clearly in discussions and written work about real-world challenges.Explore the topics below to see how OER Project: Climate materials connect with and support your classroom standards.Seals for civics are currently offered in Arizona, California, Georgia, New York, and Virginia. Several other states are in the process of developing civics diploma seals.
2Standards Alignment in OER Project: ClimateGeography & Human-Environment InteractionCourse materials prompt students to explore how human activities—like fossil fuel use, agriculture, and land development—shape Earth’s systems and how environmental changes impact societies around the world. The course uses maps, case studies, and regional climate data to deepen understanding of how geography influences both climate risks and solutions. Sample standardsOER Project: Climate suggested resourcesNCSS Theme: People, Places, and Environments: Explore how human actions modify the physical environment (e.g., carbon emissions, deforestation).C3 Framework • D2.Geo.4.6-8: Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people.• D2.Geo.8.6-8: Analyze how relationships between humans and environments extend or contract spatial patterns of settlement and movement.• D2.Geo.12.6-8: Explain how global changes in population distribution patterns affect changes in land use in particular places.Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)• MS-ESS3-1: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems: Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments. State Examples • California Grade 6 & 7 History and Social Sciences: Examine how civilizations responded to environmental challenges.• New York Grade 9 Global History and Geography: Analyze how societies adapt to and modify their environment.• Washington Grade 7 Social Studies: Explain and analyze how humans adapt to, depend on, and modify the environment.Lessons: • Lesson 1.1 Understanding Climate Change: Analyze historical data and trends that demonstrate climate change over time.• Lesson 2.3 Indirect Impacts of Climate Change: Evaluate evidence to understand the effects of climate change on humans.• Lesson 3.2 Climate Change Adaptation: Evaluate different climate adaptation strategies.• Lesson 4.1 The Grand Challenges: Identify the primary sources of carbon emissions.Materials• Infographics: • This Bites!• Small Parts, Big Impacts• Resilient Cities• Articles: • How Do We Know Climate Change is Real?• Climate Impacts: Sea-Level Rise• How Can We Take on Climate Change?• Videos: • Why Fish Farmers Need a Better Weather Forecast• Grand Challenge Overview• Activities• Direct Impacts Research• Mapping a Climate Future• Climate Change Impacts Around the World
3Standards Alignment in OER Project: ClimateCivic Engagement & Public PolicyTeachers are supported in teaching civic engagement and public policy by empowering students to analyze climate challenges through the lens of policy decisions and levers of effective action. Students explore real-world solutions, evaluate the role of governments and communities, and consider how they can advocate for change in their own lives and societies. Sample standardsOER Project: Climate suggested resourcesNCSS Theme: Power, Authority, and Governance: Explore the role of governments in addressing climate change through laws and international agreements.C3 Framework • D2.Civ.5.9-12: Evaluate citizens’ and institutions’ effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level. • D2.Civ.12.6-8. Assess specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed) as means of addressing public problems.Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – English Language Arts• Speaking & Listening 6.2: Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.• Writing 6-8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.State Examples • New York Grade 12 Participation in Government: Evaluate environmental policy debates and their consequences.• Illinois SS.CV.3.6–8.MdC: Compare ways citizens influence state and national government.• California Grade 8 History and Social Science: Describe civic participation as a means of achieving change.States with Civic Seals • Arizona, California, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, VirginiaLessons: • Lesson 1.4 International Climate Goals: Evaluate the successes and failures of previous climate policies.• Lesson 3.4 Effective Climate Action: Describe how individuals, businesses, and government can effectively address climate change.• Lesson 4.3 Implementing Decarbonization Strategies: Explain the need for international collaboration in addressing climate change. • Lesson 5.3: Climate Action: Policy: Evaluate the importance of government policy when it comes to climate action.• Lesson 5.4: Climate Action: Civic Action: Create a plan for civic action.Materials• Infographics: • Who Caused Climate Change?• Articles: • Understanding 1.5° Celsius• Decarbonization Goals• Working the Levers of Climate Action• Graphic Biographies: • Levers of Power• Civic Action• Videos: • Why Does Policy Matter?• International Climate Agreements• Activities: • Climate Policy Analysis• Global Policy Exploration• Policy Letter Writing• Community Climate Action Plan
4Standards Alignment in OER Project: ClimateHistorical PerspectivesCourse materials help students examine how human societies have changed Earth’s systems over time—from industrialization to the rise of fossil fuels and environmental movements. Students explore how past decisions, events, and innovations have contributed to today’s climate challenges and responses. By analyzing historical patterns and cause-and-effect relationships, students gain insight into how the past informs our climate future. Sample standardsOER Project: Climate suggested resourcesNCSS Theme: Time, Continuity, and Change: Explore how historical events, innovations, and decisions—like industrialization and environmental movements—have shaped today’s climate challenges and responses.C3 Framework • D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.• D2.His.2.9-12. Analyze change and continuity in historical eras.• D2.His.5.9-12. Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – English Language Arts• Reading Informational Text 8.3: Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).• Writing 9-10.2: Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.State Examples • Washington Grades 11-12 History: Analyze how current events today are rooted in past events.• New York 10.9d: Investigate one organization and one international action that sought to provide solutions to environmental issues, including the Kyoto Protocol.Lessons: • Lesson 1.4 International Climate Goals: Evaluate the successes and failures of previous climate policies.• Lesson 1.1 Understanding Climate Change: Analyze historical data and trends that demonstrate climate change over time.• Lesson 1.5 The History of Climate Change:Dig into Earth’s long climate history to uncover the lessons we’ve learned—and the warnings we’ve ignored.Materials• Infographics: • Who Caused Climate Change?• Articles: • Understanding 1.5° Celsius• Decarbonization Goals• The Industrial Revolution and Climate Change• Graphic Biographies: • Eunice Foote• Videos: • What is Climate Change?• International Climate Agreements• Climate History and Our Future• Activities: • Climate Policy Analysis• Global Policy Exploration• Climate Timeline
5Standards Alignment in OER Project: ClimateGlobal Interdependence & EconomicsStudents investigate how climate change is both a global problem and a shared economic challenge. Lessons explore how countries are connected through trade, emissions, and resource use—and how economic policies, such as carbon pricing and clean energy investment, can shift incentives. By examining global cooperation and economic interdependence, students better understand the barriers and opportunities for coordinated climate action.Sample standardsOER Project: Climate suggested resourcesNCSS Theme: Production, Distribution, and Consumption: Analyze how economic systems contribute to climate change and how tools like carbon pricing and clean energy investment can drive sustainable solutions.Global Connections: Explores how global issues—such as climate change, resource use, and economic policy—link nations together.C3 Framework • D2.Eco.15.9-12. Explain how current globalization trends and policies affect economic growth, labor markets, rights of citizens, the environment, and resource and income distribution in different nations.• D2.Civ.6.6-8. Describe the roles of political, civil, and economic organizations in shaping people’s lives.Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – English Language Arts• Writing 9-10.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.State Examples • Texas HS Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits: Understand the effect of changes in price on the quantity demanded and quantity supplied.• Florida Economics SS.8.E.2.2: Explain the economic impact of government policies.• Massachusetts HS Economics: Describe how prices send signals to buyers and sellers.Lessons: • Lesson 3.5 The Cost of Decarbonizing: Explain the relationship between green premiums and behavior, policy, and innovation.• Lesson 3.4 Effective Climate Action: Describe how individuals, businesses, and government can effectively address climate change.• Lesson 3.3 The Need for Climate Innovation: Evaluate the role of innovation in reaching climate goals.• Lesson 5.3: Climate Action: Policy: Evaluate the importance of government policy when it comes to climate action.• Lesson 1.4 International Climate Goals: Understand the need for international collaboration in addressing climate change.Materials• Infographics: • What’s a Green Premium?• Articles: • Understanding the Green Premium• The Solutions We Have and the Innovations We Need• Working the Levers of Climate Action• Videos: • Why Does Policy Matter?• International Climate Agreements• Green Premiums: The Extra Cost to Decarbonize• Activities: • Climate Policy Analysis• Global Policy Exploration• Policy Letter Writing• Exploring the Green Premiums• Exploring the IRA
6Standards Alignment in OER Project: ClimateHealth & Environmental JusticeThe course brings attention to how climate change impacts human health and deepens existing inequalities. Students learn how issues like air pollution, heat waves, and extreme weather disproportionately affect low-income communities and people of color—both locally and globally. Through case studies and data analysis, students explore climate as a justice issue and consider solutions that promote fairness, resilience, and equity. Sample standardsOER Project: Climate suggested resourcesNCSS Theme: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: Examine how institutions (e.g., healthcare systems, governments, NGOs) respond to environmental health challenges, and how systemic inequities shape those responses.C3 Framework • D2.Geo.4.9-12. Analyze relationships and interactions within and between human and physical systems to explain reciprocal influences that occur among them.• D2.Civ.14.6-8. Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies, and promoting the common good.Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – English Language Arts• Speaking & Listening 9-10: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.• Reading 6-8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.State Examples • Oregon HS Historical Knowledge: Analyze and explain persistent historical, social and political issues, conflicts and compromises in regards to power, inequality and justice and their connections to current events and movements.Lessons: • Lesson 2.3 Indirect Impacts of Climate Change: Analyze how climate impacts vary depending on factors such as geography, health, and income.• Lesson 4.4 A Climate Future: Evaluate the potential impact of climate change on health, jobs, and human systems.Materials• Infographics: • This Bites!• Articles: • A Climate Future: Health• Videos: • Are Natural Disasters Actually Natural?• Activities: • Climate Vulnerability• The Health Impacts of Climate Change• What Is Climate Justice?• Community Climate Action Plan• Climate and Health: What’s the Evidence• Data Investigation: Health
7Standards Alignment in OER Project: ClimateMedia & Data LiteracyStudents are guided to evaluate climate information critically—analyzing sources, identifying bias, and interpreting graphs, maps, and charts. Lessons explore how misinformation spreads, how data can be misrepresented, and why credible evidence matters in public discussions. These skills help students navigate complex climate narratives, form evidence-based arguments, and become more informed consumers and communicators of information.Sample standardsOER Project: Climate suggested resourcesNCSS Theme: Science, Technology, and Society: Explore how media, digital technologies, and data influence society. C3 Framework • D2.Civ.10.6-8. Explain the relevance of personal interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when people address issues and problems in government and civil society.• D4.1.9-12. Construct arguments using precise and knowledgeable claims, with evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging counterclaims and evidentiary weaknesses.Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – English Language Arts• Reading Informational Text 11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.State Examples • Massachusetts Grades 9-12 Digital Literacy and Computer Science: Advance research skills including advance searches, digital source evaluation, and synthesis of information.• Ohio 9-12.KC.3.b. Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility, and relevance of information, media, data, or other resources.Lessons: • Lesson 1.1 Understanding Climate Change: Apply claim-testing skills to evaluate data and people’s perceptions about climate change.• Lesson 1.2 Climate Disagreement: Identify what makes a source of information credible.Materials• Articles: • How Do We Know Climate Change Is Real?• Understanding Climate Change Disagreement• Activities: • Introduction to Claim Testers• Claim Testing: Earth’s Climate Record• Claim Testing: Evaluating Authority• Direct Impacts Research• Claim Testing: Practicing Authority
8Standards Alignment in OER Project: ClimateTechnology & InnovationStudents explore the role of science, engineering, and innovation in solving climate challenges. Lessons highlight breakthrough technologies—like solar power, battery storage, carbon capture, and plant-based proteins—and examine the benefits, limitations, and trade-offs of each. Students consider how technology can reduce emissions, build resilience, and transform industries, while examining the barriers to innovation.Sample standardsOER Project: Climate suggested resourcesNCSS Theme: Science, Technology, and Society: Explore how technological advancements address societal challenges like climate change, and how those solutions create both opportunities and trade-offs.C3 Framework • D2.Eco.7.9-12. Use benefits and costs to evaluate the effectiveness of government policies to improve market outcomes.• D2.Eco.13.9-12. Explain why advancements in technology and investments in capital goods and human capital increase economic growth and standards of living.Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – English Language Arts• Reading Informational Texts 6.7: Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.State Examples • Iowa Grads 6-8 Technology Literacy: Investigate global issues and make informed choices based on knowledge of technology systems, resources, and services.• Alaska Grade 10 Science and Technology: Demonstrates an understanding of how scientific discoveries and technological innovations affect our lives and society by researching a current problem, identifying possible solutions, and evaluating the impact of each solution.Lessons: • Lesson 3.3 The Need for Climate Innovation: Evaluate the role of innovation in reaching climate goals.• Lesson 3.2 Climate Change Adaptation: Research and advocate for an adaptation strategy.• Lesson 4.2 Decarbonization Solutions: Research a decarbonization strategy and advocate for its implementation.Materials• Infographics: • Vacuum the Sky: Direct Air Capture• Articles: • The Solutions We Have and the Innovations We Need• Solutions to the Grand Challenges• Videos: • The Need for Climate Innovators• Can We Make Electricity Without Fossil Fuels?• Activities: • What Is Innovation?• Climate Innovation Research• Evaluating Adaptation Solutions• Adaptation Solution Research• Evaluating Solutions to the Grand Challenges• Direct Air Capture Evaluation• Grand Challenge Solutions Research