Climate Change Threatens a Nicaraguan Community

Articles/Websites

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10Social Studies, Biology

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by PBS

Open Resource

What it is

This student film tells the story of a 12-year-old and her Nicaraguan community, whose livelihoods are being threatened by a fungus that attacks their coffee plants.
The film is presented in Spanish with English subtitles and includes a song about deforestation.

Teaching tips

Positives

Since this filmmaker is a 12-year-old, the content might be particularly relatable and moving to young people.
The background essay provides additional information about the roya crisis in Central America in both English and Spanish.

Additional Prerequisites

While this video is narrated in Spanish with English subtitles, the majority of the information on the website is in English.
For viewing the video, students should either be proficient in Spanish or proficient in reading English subtitles, or the speed of the video can be slowed to allow more time for students to read or listen.

Differentiation

Prior to viewing the video, provide students with the Spanish/English vocabulary terms list provided in the "Support Materials for Teachers" link in order to build background knowledge that may aid comprehension.
Put students into groups for further discussion using the comprehension and critical thinking questions provided in the "Support Materials" section.
As described in the "Support Materials for Teachers" section, ask students to create a piece of media reflecting a local issue and how climate change is impacting them and their own communities.
Additional resources on this topic include this video highlighting the global coffee crisis, this video about climate solutions related to farming, and this resource about planting trees.

From the scientist review

This video resource, produced locally in Nicaragua and published by PBS, highlights how climate change is negatively affecting coffee production in the region. This resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Subjects: Social Studies, Biology
Other types: Videos
Format: Downloadable MP4/M4V
Language: English, Spanish
Location: South America
Provider: PBS
Authors: PBS, FILMS BYKIDS
Published: October 7, 2022
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2 + 6 more

Core

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

MS-LS2-4.Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
MS-ESS3-4.Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
MS-ESS3-5.Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
HS-LS2-2.Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-LS4-3.Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that organisms with an advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms lacking this trait.
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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