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Climate Migration Learning Lab

Provided by: The Climate Initiative |Published on: May 7, 2026

Lesson Plans

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Synopsis

In this six-lesson module, students will learn about climate migration, moving from a global to a local understanding.
Students will analyze case studies of climate migration, write their own case study using data they have collected, identify a local climate migration issue they are passionate about, and design a communication project to spread the word about this issue.
An overview of each lesson is provided in the slide deck, which includes links to teacher presentations, student labs (materials that may need to be printed or assigned), additional resources, and more in-depth teacher plans.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Civics, Geography

Authors: The Climate Initiative

Region: Global, Maine

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

This module demonstrates how using data as evidence is like interpreting the story that the data tells.
The Bring it Home lesson takes a global issue and puts it in local terms for students to understand the implications for their own communities.

Prerequisites

Lesson 1 has students look at climate migration through economic, ecological, and sociocultural lenses. Some students may need an explanation of these lenses before beginning the lesson. This slide deck provides an overview of the three lenses and is also linked in the Lesson 1 slides.
Teachers should note that the link to the worksheet for the Bitmoji classroom goes to the answer key. Teachers may want to make their own copy of the classroom and worksheet to avoid students accessing the key.
Teachers may have difficulties opening the slide deck for Lesson 4, and will need to request access to the slide decks for Lessons 5 and 6. These slide decks are optional, and teachers may not need them.
Lesson 2 asks students to annotate the case study text. Teachers may want to model annotation when introducing the activity.

Differentiation & Implementation

As students watch videos in the slides throughout the lesson, some may benefit from having a piece of paper nearby to record their thoughts, questions, and answers to the questions posed in the slides.
If students do not have the time or resources to gather data with surveys, focus groups, interviews, or other methods, students can use resources linked throughout the module to research their questions on a broader level.
Students can also use resources, like this environmental justice map or this climate impacts map, to identify climate change issues in their communities that may be connected to climate migration.
Lesson 5 briefly mentions climate anxiety. Teachers may find these materials helpful for introducing students to the concept of climate anxiety and helping them process it.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

TCI (The Climate Initiative)

The Climate Initiative is a nonpartisan, science-based climate change organization based in Kennebunkport, Maine whose mission is to empower youth voices for climate action. Through national education and empowerment initiatives, youth are learning about climate solutions and becoming agents of change in their communities and beyond. Learn more about TCI by connecting with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.

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Climate Migration Learning Lab

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

About the Partner Provider

Related Teaching Resources