Teaching More About Climate Change Could Reinvigorate Science Education

by Mike Smith · 2009-10-15 15:55:00 UTC
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Earlier this year, a congressman in California thought it about time that children were taught more about climate change in school. Mike Honda, a former high school science teacher, introduced the "Global Warming Education Act," hoping that the bill would allow teachers access to a range of resources created by the National Science Foundation. Some would consider this to be a politically loaded issue — indeed the bill never made it past committee — but this isn't about political opinion. Siding with the best scientists of the best institutions around the world who all agree climate change is happening, is a serious threat, and that we're too blame, isn't a political viewpoint. It's a rational one.

Far from being something controversial, climate change, green technology, conservation and greenhouse gas reduction could inspire many kids to get involved in science — seeing the issue on the news everyday, and being able to relate the work they're doing to the real world. That's an opinion shared by education Prof. Randy McGinnis who explains that climate change "is becoming one of the most crucial science topics for this generation of young learners. When students see how scientific knowledge can be applied to decision-making about a specific issue like climate change, it makes the importance of science (and math) become apparent." Considering how desperately we need improvements in science and math education, climate change could be the incentive and inspiration teachers have been searching for.

(Today is Blog Action Day for Climate Change)

Photo credit: A.gonzalez

Mike Smith is associate editor at Change.org.
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