The climate in our hands - Ocean and Cryosphere

A Guide to Engaging Students with Climate Science

The Office for Climate Education (OCE) proudly introduces "The Climate in Our Hands – Ocean and Cryosphere", an invaluable resource for primary and secondary educators (ages 9–15). This handbook empowers teachers to bring the critical science of climate change, focusing on oceans and cryospheres, into their classrooms through interactive and multidisciplinary activities.

By exploring the profound relationship between the ocean, cryosphere, and climate, students are equipped with the knowledge and tools to understand the impacts of climate change and the actions needed to address it.

What You’ll Find in The Climate in Our Hands – Climate Change and Land Guide

This resource offers a two-part approach to climate education:

• Part 1: We Understand – Students delve into foundational concepts of climate science, exploring topics such as: the differences between weather and climate and their role in global systems, the greenhouse effect and its role in human-induced climate change, the crucial connections between oceans, cryosphere. This section employs inquiry-based learning to foster critical thinking, featuring hands-on experiments, role-playing, and multimedia resources to make climate science engaging and accessible.

• Part 2: We Act – Moving from understanding to action, this section encourages students to develop and implement real-world climate projects, such as: adaptation projects like enhancing coastal resilience, mitigation initiatives such as reducing their school’s carbon footprint and awareness campaigns to share knowledge within their communities. The handbook guides students in translating knowledge into tangible actions, fostering both individual and collective climate responsibility.

Key Learning Outcomes for Students

By using this handbook, students will:

• Understand the science behind climate change and its effects on oceans and cryospheres.
• Learn about the importance of oceans and cryospheres in regulating the Earth's climate.
• Explore real-world evidence of climate change through experiments and data analysis.
• Discover actionable solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts.
• Build critical thinking, collaboration, and project management skills through inquiry-based and project-based learning.

How to use "The Climate in our hands - Climate change and Land"

In this video, Djian Sadadou, Communication Officer at the OCE, guides you through effective ways to incorporate the teacher's guidebook in your classroom, making climate science both accessible and actionable for students.

A spreadsheet version of the Worksheet E3.1 is available in 2 different formats : Excel and OpenDocument (see Part 1, lesson E3 "climate justice").

Different videos and multimedia activities are proposed with the guide book to further extend the learning experience.