NOAA Climate Stewards in Hawaii: A Case Study in Teaching Climate Science

Many teachers have trouble talking about climate change in their classrooms

Discussions of climate change have become politicizedSome teachers are not sure of the science themselvesLike any “hot button” issue, the loudest voice may not

be supported by the data.58% of US Citizens accepted climate

change as real last year (Pew Research Center poll, 2011)

More than 25% of teachers reported having arguments over this issue

(NESTA Survey of Earth Science Teachers, 2011)

Down from 77% in 2006

3

from: Inman, M. (2012)

A need for teaching climate change in the classrooms

Yale survey finds that even those teens who accept that humanity is heating up the planet are often confused about the reasons (Inman, 2012)

Build Climate Literacy so educators can:

• understand the concepts of climate

•assess the scientifically credibility of information

•make informed and responsible decisions, and initiate actions in the community

NOAA Climate Stewards Purpose

NOAA Climate Stewards ProgramIs all about providing scienceOffers mini grants (Hale Kula received $500.00) Offers travel support for Climate Stewards to

attend professional development opportunitiesEstablished six regional groups with a goal of

fostering regular communication and collaboration among educators within those regions

Focus projects in your communitiesFocus projects in citizen science

6

projects in your communities

7

Reusable Bags School/Community Garden

projects in citizen science

8

Sea Urchin Sciencein the classroom

Sea Urchin Scienceon the reef

Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program

Based on an earlier research project conducted on a Kaneohe Bay patch reef that had been cleared of invasive seaweed using the “Super Sucker” and then had native collector urchins placed and monitored to see how well they were able to control the invasive algae.

This project originates from the $500.00 Climate Stewards mini grant that focuses on continued improvement of the health of Oahu’s coral reefs. This year, Hale Kula teachers agree to participate by housing salt

water aquariums in five classrooms. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources agreed to

provide small urchins to the school for students to raise and to actively engage in scientific research.

9

Image source: ryanphotographic.com

The “Super Sucker”An underwater vacuum that

“sucks” invasive algae right off the reef!

10

Is all about providing science:Prior to this project, teachers from Hale Kula, Wheeler and Solomon Elementary schools engaged in active professional development opportunities including monthly workshops focused on climate change and corals.

One full day experience at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology on Coconut Island with Dr. Fenny Cox

11

Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program

Image source: c.weiner Image source: hmbi.hawaii.edu

Is all about providing science: On site teacher professional development, focused on the

physical properties of water and what happens to sea level as ocean water warms.

As the Earth warms, its waters will also expand slightly.

As Earth’s atmospheric temperature rises from global warming, the oceans will warm and sea levels will rise from the expansion of the water, as well as from the

addition of water from melted land-based glaciers.

12

Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program

Is all about providing science:Professional Development focused on the chemistry of ocean water and the impact changes in the chemistry have on marine life.

As CO2 increases in the atmosphere the pH

of the ocean decreases leading to ocean acidification.

Acidic ocean waters stress and react with the carbonate skeleton of corals.

13

Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program

Project Goals:Through Comprehensive evaluation we will measure:

whether the program increases environmental and climate literacy of the teachers and the students

whether the program increases the number and impact of climate stewardship activities at the school and in the community

14

Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program

Image source: hawaiiarmyweekly.com Image source: ryanphotographic.com

Project Goals Continued:Increased control of invasive algae on the reefs of Kaneohe BayContinued participation of Hale Kula and addition of schools in the Scholfield/Wheeler

Complex and then to other schools in Central Oahu and the Leeward CoastSchool and community adoption of

project management after year five

to sustain climate stewardship

activities

15

Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program

Image source: ryanphotographic.com

National Climate Stewards Project

• 140 educators in 40 States and DC

• Formal Educators - elementary through university

• Informal educators - nature centers, science centers and zoos.

• Climate Stewards Wiki

NOAA Climate Stewards Process

National Leadership Team

Additional Professional DevelopmentOpportunities for other Teachers

Education Conferences, Workshops, and Webinarse.g. Climate Change Here and Now: Impacts on Pacific Islands, Coastlines, and OceanNASA’s Aquarius: Ocean concepts in the classroom Webinar Series

Free Online Courses and Workshops From the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and funded by NOAA, NASA, and the Navy - Space is available for the fall 2012 cohort

Stewardship in Action!

National Contacts Peg Steffen peg.steffen@noaa.gov

NOAA’s National Ocean ServiceCommunications & Education Division

Bruce Moravchik bruce.moravchik@noaa.govNOAA’s National Ocean Service

Communications & Education Division

21

Hawaii Contacts Richard Jones rmjones7@hawaii.edu

University of Hawaii – West OahuEducation Division

Maggie Prevenas prevenas@hawaiiantel.net

Kalama Intermediate School, Maui 7th Grade Science

NOAA Climate Stewards Impacts

"It is better to teach people in advance about the environment, than to reverse the damage they do..."

6th grade student

Image source: mprevenas

Climate Stewards