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Climb-IT Change

Provided by: The Nature Conservancy |Published on: March 25, 2025

Videos

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Synopsis

This video from Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy shows the journey of Conservation Biologist Trevor Bloom and his team as they travel (and rock climb) to determine the impact of previous wildfires on populations of Saxifraga austromontana.
The research team traveled through and climbed Idaho's City of Rocks, East Spanish Peak of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, Jackson, WY, Missoula and the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, and Prusik Peak of Washington's Enchantments.

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Subjects: Biology, Health

Authors: Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy

Region: Washington, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The video has a cinematic quality and feels like the retelling of an adventure.
Students will get to see an example of a green career that allows for time outside doing what you love.

Prerequisites

Students should understand climate change and some of its impacts, such as increases in wildfires, invasive species, and flooding.
Teachers may want to preface the video with a quick introduction to rock climbing and how it works.

Differentiation & Implementation

Using the call to action at the end of the video, students can brainstorm and implement strategies to convince others to get outside and become stewards of the land. Students can create infographics, artwork, videos, songs, or other media to share the message.
These researchers used their passion for the outdoors and rock climbing to understand climate change and help work towards solutions. Students can take some time to brainstorm what they are passionate about and how that passion can be used to contribute to solving the climate change problem. This brainstorming can also be transitioned into a conversation about green careers.
To understand more about how climate change impacts lead to wildfires, students can view the Youth Climate Story: Pine Beetles and Wildfires in Colorado or use the resources in the Wildfires Student Lab. Additionally, math classes can use the lesson plan Fired Up Over Math: Studying Wildfires From Space to connect wildfire research to mathematical concepts like area and data analysis.

Scientist Notes

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Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.

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