The Teacher-Friendly Guide to Climate Change

This Teacher-Friendly guide does what it sets out to do – to provide teachers with the background for an effective discussion of climate change with their classes. And it does it very well, in a balanced, even-handed way. The necessary material is there, with all terms that might be seen as technical clearly explained in the margins, and with excellent, well-designed illustrations that are not glitzy but informative. The maps and charts are especially good, but some will need to be looked at in the web version. I found especially well done the Chapter on Climate Change through Earth History (excellent marginal charts reminding the reader of what geological period one is in), and the ones on US Regional Climates, Geoengineering (risks given their place) and Climate Change Remediation. Not just for teachers, I would say -- this is a readable factual introduction to the evidence for climate change, and the issues in dealing with it, for the general reader as well.

I purchased two books and read them both. The first “Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming” written by a group of conservative hacks and published by a conservative organization is a joke; its claims are unsupported by scientific fact and are clearly slanted to support a conservative agenda. The “Teacher-Friendly Guide” is the exact opposite. It is well written and the positions taken are well supported by scientific fact. It is also written at a level that is understandable to any middle school student. I highly recommend it.

Great resource for teachers and parents alike.

An important work for all educators, and anyone interested in understanding complex issues and the pursuit of solutions. The Teacher-Friendly Guide to Climate Change is written in the manner of excellent instruction; conceptual understanding is enhanced through rich factual examples that will help not only in learning, but also in the overcoming of arguments disavowing that climate change is an issue worthy of study.The seriousness of the issue, and the peril of inaction could lead to a text replete with doomsday scenarios. Instead, there is a spirit within the work that leaves the reader hopeful and energized about the possibilities for improving present conditions and future outcomes. That sort of feeling is difficult to find in pedagogical works, and the potential good that can come from an energized teacher imparting knowledge and optimism to a cohort is impossible to measure.The authors convincingly point out how best to engage in dialogue with those who see the issue as one of politics and not fact. Pointing out that people and societies have had changes of heart on other issues provides proof that mindsets can change.Though this is not the work of one author, it reads coherently and smoothly. Its science is accessible, and neither talks down to the reader nor conveys a bound research periodical feel. The editors convincingly connect skills often seen in other disciplines (check out the section on “Controversial Issues and Complex Issues”) to help support learning and action.This work should find a home in every school, not just at the secondary level. Informed, knowledgeable action is the best type, and this text helps show the path to understanding and solutions.

Not too long ago my son's high school teacher confused climate change and the ozone hole in his classes, and it's clear from the literature that many teachers don't have a particularly good understanding of climate change. This book can help address that. Yes, there are hundreds of books on climate change at this point, but this is the only one I know of that pulls the topic together as comprehensively as it does for teachers, although resources like the Cartoon Guide to Climate Change would still be a better fit for students. The topic of climate change is so big, of course, that even this book at 284 pages only scratches the surface of the topic. Nevertheless, it's a very useful and easy to use addition to the literature.

An excellent collaboration on one of the most important topics of our time. This is the perfect publication for those who want to have a better grasp on climate change - at the very least it's a great place to start, but for the layperson it's likely much more than that. I found the graphs and charts to be useful and accessible to my students (9th graders and 12th graders). Refreshingly, human-induced climate change is not treated as a debate. The impacts of climate change are ongoing, thus it's crucial that students receive a proper introduction to climate change in their science classes. I'm very grateful to the authors and publishers of this work.

The organization of the book allows readers to dive in and get right down to the business of teaching climate change. The information is displayed in a manner that makes for quick reference (e.g. very helpful visuals and thought-provoking quotes) with enough accurate information pertaining to each that lessons can be quickly and effectively built around the central topics. I would say this book is a "must" for any teacher interested in accurately teaching climate science.

Written by scientists and science teachers who know their stuff and who are excellent communicators! This book is a must-have guide for teachers who need the facts, unclouded by political agendas, in order to teach the science of climate change effectively.