Science, Social Studies, Physics, Earth and Space Sciences, Economics, Civics, Mathematics, World Languages, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Other
The En-ROADS simulator helps in understanding how we can achieve our climate goals through changes in energy, land use, consumption, agriculture, and other policies.
It shows how changes in GDP, energy efficiency, technological innovation, and carbon price influence carbon emissions and global temperature.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The En-ROADS simulator is available in many languages.
It is very good for lovers of math, statistics, and analysis.
Additional Prerequisites
The En-ROADS online simulator comes with a user guide which should be studied and used by the educator before trying it out with the students. There are also video illustrations, all under the help section.
Although the simulator can be used and viewed in the 12 languages listed above, the user guide is only available in English.
This resource could be used in a civics course as a policy workshop or role-playing game.
Science classes could use this resource to explore which combination of potential solutions could allow us to reach our global climate goals.
This resource could be used in language classes as it is available in numerous different languages.
Educators and learners who desire to be more grounded on climate change problems and solutions can sign up for this free course offered by En-ROADS.
Other resources related to climate change solutions include the interactive tool Climate Solutions, and the Table of Solutions by Project Drawdown.
Scientist Notes
En-ROADS, though a variance of C-ROADS, is a simulator that will offers educators and students the opportunity to explore and learn the trends in global CO2, land use changes, population growth rate, etc. It has undergone a series of iterations, and it is recommended for teaching.
Standards
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
D1.1.9-12 Explain how a question reflects an enduring issue in the field.
Dimension 2: Civics
D2.Civ.10.9-12 Analyze the impact and the appropriate roles of personal interests and perspectives on the application of civic virtues, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human rights.
D2.Civ.13.9-12 Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences.
Dimension 2: Economics
D2.Eco.10.9-12 Use current data to explain the influence of changes in spending, production, and the money supply on various economic conditions.
D2.Eco.11.9-12 Use economic indicators to analyze the current and future state of the economy.
Dimension 2: History
D2.His.15.9-12 Distinguish between long-term causes and triggering events in developing a historical argument.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Writing (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Common Core Math Standards (CCSS.MATH)
Statistics & Probability: Interpreting Categorical & Quantitative Data (9-12)
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.A.1 Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.A.2 Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare center (median, mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) of two or more different data sets.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.B.6 Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how the variables are related.
