In this brief, students will read about the impacts of climate change in Connecticut, the negative effects on human health, the most at-risk populations, predictions for the future, and six recommendations to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat events.
Teaching Tips
Positives
Students will learn how climate change is already impacting communities.
The resource highlights the intersection of climate and social justice issues by identifying the most at-risk groups, including homeless and low-income communities.
Additional Prerequisites
The link "Climate Change and Health in Connecticut: 2020 Report" in the introduction section and the links in references 22 and 23 are broken.
Students should already be familiar with climate change.
Differentiation
This brief is focused on mitigating the risks of extreme heat, but students can brainstorm ways to reduce emissions and research strategies already utilized in their community.
Civics classes can explore the role of the government, organizations, and individuals in preventing the negative health effects of extreme heat.
Earth science classes can use this resource when learning about local climate change impacts, extreme weather, and climate change mitigation strategies.
Science classes can use this to connect to lessons about homeostasis, evaporative cooling, energy transfers, or nature-based solutions for urban populations.
Scientist Notes
This resource from the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health summarizes how anthropogenic climate change has increased extreme heat days in Connecticut, how extreme heat impacts human health and how certain segments of the population are more at risk, before introducing a list of recommendations. This brief is founded in sound science, with all climatic data based on primary observations from NOAA. The text is clear, with key points printed in bold. The brief is also exceptionally well-sourced, with all sources cited, including many which are peer-reviewed. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-5 Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.
HS-ESS3-5. Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth’s systems.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Civics
D2.Civ.5.9-12 Evaluate citizens' and institutions' effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Science & Technical Subjects (6-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.10 By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
National Health Education Standards
Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
1.12.3 Analyze how environment and personal health are interrelated.
