2026 Assessment Report: Wisconsin’s Changing Climate
Scientific Reports
Grades9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts, University of Wisconsin
What it is
- This report outlines the climate impacts and paths towards resilience for Wisconsin.
- Students will understand how climate change affects extreme weather, agriculture, tourism, health, recreation, and more, and how nature-based solutions, reducing emissions, and adaptations can help create a more resilient state.
- This is the updated version of the Community Sustainability Assessment Report - 2021.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This report's focus on resilience gives it a hopeful and empowering tone.
- The report allows students to see how climate change is impacting their lives in terms of extreme weather, the economy, recreation, and more.
Prerequisites
- Students will need to understand climate change and its causes before reading this report.
- It may also benefit students to have a basic understanding of climate change impacts on a global scale.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Wisconsin teachers can use this report as a way to explain the local context of climate issues that are often discussed in broader, global terms. For example, when teaching a lesson on extreme weather and climate change (like this one), teachers can use the extreme weather sections of this report to help contextualize the information.
- Teachers can have students explore the many maps, charts, and figures in a gallery walk to analyze and interpret the data.
- The report references the fact that marginalized groups have to deal with a disproportionate amount of climate impacts. To expand on this idea, teachers can use this lesson as an introduction to environmental justice.
- Teachers can expand on the health impacts caused by climate change using this lesson.
From the scientist review
This report discusses climate change in Wisconsin. It discusses how the climate has changed, how it will change, and how these changes will impact the state. The report also discusses how to build resilience and adapt to the changes in nature. The report connects climate change impacts to more than just the weather, illustrating how widespread they may be. The report is also a good example of how scientists communicate their findings among themselves and with the public. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
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