Artic-breeding Red Knots, which gather en masse in New Jersey during migration, are impacted by climate change.
Climate Change Education in New Jersey
Ensuring teachers are prepared for success By Lauren Madden and Margaret Wang I
N JUNE 2020, New Jersey made history by announcing that it would be the first state in the US to include cli- mate change standards across the K–12 spectrum.1 In a
statement, Mrs. Tammy Murphy, the state’s First Lady, who spearheaded this initiative noted…
“The adoption of these standards is much more than an added educational requirement; it is a symbol of a partnership between generations. Decades of short-sighted decision-making has fueled this crisis and now we must do all we can to help our children solve it. This generation of students will feel the effects of climate change more than any other, and it is critical that every student is provided an opportunity to study and understand the climate crisis
through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary lens.” Page 24 This sentiment is exciting and can serve as a great moti-
vating force for teachers and schools to grow green think- ers. Climate change impacts in New Jersey are magnified compared to many other places globally and include rises in sea level, an influx of many invasive species due to chang- ing temperature, increases in harmful algal blooms, and urban flooding, to name just a few.2 Studies show that teach- ers are interested in learning more about how to teach cli- mate change, though they might not have the know-how for implementing the instruction effectively.3 Research also sug- gests that education for climate change can help mitigate its impacts. For example, Kwauk and Winthrop suggest that if just 16% of high school students learn about climate change in school, it could result in a 20-gigaton reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.4 However, without purposeful planning, it could also
seem like climate change is just one more “add-on” for already-busy teachers and their overpacked school days. In an effort to make sure climate change education gets the rec- ognition it deserves, a plan was quickly put in place to better understand and share best practices.
Green Teacher 131
Photo by Gregory Breese/U.S. Fish and Wildlif Service
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