Connecting Data to Storytelling

Lesson Plans

Grades11, 12, APSocial Studies, English Language Arts, Mathematics

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Open Resource

What it is

In this activity, students will listen to a 90-second radio story and then use the Yale Climate Opinion Maps to find out more about the climate opinions of the community featured in the story.
Using the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning framework, students will make a claim based on evidence from the story and the data, and their own reasoning.

Teaching tips

Positives

The Student Page is an easy-to-follow fillable pdf that guides students through the activity.
There are many radio stories to choose from.

Additional Prerequisites

Teachers should be familiar with the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning framework; more information about the framework can be found here.

Differentiation

This activity would work well in statistics classes because it makes data more relevant and accessible to others.
Teachers could use this lesson multiple times with different radio episodes.
After completing the activity, students could exchange their responses with another student and then evaluate one another's claims, evidence, and reasoning.
Other resources on this topic include this mind map featuring solutions for global warming and this activity on navigating Yale Climate Maps.

From the scientist review

Students can explore this resource to learn and gain insights on climate storytelling from the radio, articles, charts, visuals and other media available in the resource to make climate knowledge and conversation relatable. All materials have been validated and suitable for students to use. The resource is recommended for teaching.

How we review resources

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Hosted on climatecommunication.yale.edu

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At a glance

Grades: 11, 12, AP
Subjects: Social Studies, English Language Arts, Mathematics
Other types: Activity - Classroom, Worksheets, Interactive Media, Podcasts
Format: PDF
Language: English
Location: North America, North America > United States
Provider: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Authors: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Published: April 27, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · HS-LS2-7. + 46 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

HS-LS2-7.HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9 Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.6CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.6 Evaluate reports based on data.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

New Jersey Climate Education Hub

New Jersey Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
HSS.IC.B.6(+)HSS.IC.B.6(+) Evaluate reports based on data (e.g., interrogate study design, data sources, randomization, the way the data are analyzed and displayed, inferences drawn and methods used; identify and explain misleading uses of data; recognize when arguments based on data are flawed).

Oregon Climate Education Hub

Oregon Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

11-12.RH.211-12.RH.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate and evidence-based summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
11-12.RST.211-12.RST.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
11-12.RST.911-12.RST.9 Synthesize information from a range of sources into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
11-12.WHST.411-12.WHST.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
HS.DR.A.4HS.DR.A.4 Use mathematical and statistical reasoning to formulate questions about data to evaluate conclusions and assess risks.
HS.ESS3.1HS.ESS3.1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
R.11-12.2R.11-12.2 Objectively and accurately summarize a complex text to determine two or more themes or central ideas and analyze their development, including how they emerge and are shaped and refined by specific details. (RI&RL)
W.11-12.4W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are culturally-sustaining and rhetorically authentic to task, purpose, and audience.
M.SP.IC.B.6M.SP.IC.B.6 Evaluate reports based on data.

Maine Climate Education Hub

Maine Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HSS.IC.B.6HSS.IC.B.6 Evaluate reports based on data.
HS-ESS3-1HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
W.9-12.3W.9-12.3 Routinely produce a variety of clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, audience, and purpose.

New York Climate Education Hub

New York Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
AII-S.IC.6aAII-S.IC.6a Use the tools of statistics to draw conclusions from numerical summaries.

Connecticut Climate Education Hub

Connecticut Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9 Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.6CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.6 Evaluate reports based on data.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
HS-LS2-7.HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

ECCLPs Climate Education Hub

ECCLPs Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.6CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.6 Evaluate reports based on data.
HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Michigan Climate Education Hub

Michigan Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

S.IC.6.S.IC.6. Evaluate reports based on data.
HS-LS2-7HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
HS-ESS3-1HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
RSLHSS.11-12.2.RSLHSS.11-12.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RSLSTS.11-12.2.RSLSTS.11-12.2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
RSLSTS.11-12.9.RSLSTS.11-12.9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
WSLHSSSTS.6-12.4.WSLHSSSTS.6-12.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Illinois Climate Education

Illinois Climate Education Standards legacy

RH.11-12.2.RH.11-12.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RST.11-12.2.RST.11-12.2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
RST.11-12.9.RST.11-12.9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
WHST.11-12.4.WHST.11-12.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
S-IC.6.S-IC.6. Evaluate reports based on data.
HS-LS2-7.HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

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What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

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Want this to fit your class?

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