Earth Week: 2,000 local high school students share views on climate change
By Carol Jean Tomoguchi-Perez
April 1, 2024 The Environmental and Climate Change Literacy Projects (ECCLPs) surveyed more than 2,000 California high school students in Fall 2023 to gain insight on when they believe climate change is happening; where they typically learn this information; and if they feel their schools are doing an adequate job of covering climate-related topics. The ECCLPs High School (Grades 9-12) Student Climate Change Education Report findings include: |
More than 90% of students believe climate change is happening now
Only 7% of those surveyed believe that climate change won’t happen until a future date, while 3% do not believe it will happen at all. Two out of three students range from fairly concerned to concerned about climate change, while one in five are very concerned.
The surveyed students' beliefs on what is causing climate change varied
The students’ responses encompassed many possible causes of climate change, with the most mentioned being: fossil fuels (mentioned 283 times); gas/gases (269); pollution (248); carbon (171); emissions (140); cars and factories (tied with 134 mentions each); and people (122).
Many students are not fully comfortable explaining what they believe are the causes of climate change, and their knowledge of the consequences of climate change
Of those surveyed, the majority (42%) feel fairly comfortable discussing these topics, while 7% and 19% don’t feel comfortable at all or only slightly comfortable, respectively.
Social media is where the majority of students source information on climate change
A whopping 74% of the students surveyed reported gathering information on climate change from social media. The other top source is the news (62%), while 2% claimed they do not receive information on climate change.
Students feel that schools are not doing enough to support them in their lack of fluency in climate-related topics
Students reported that climate change lessons – most commonly covered in their science classes – focused least on critical thinking and media literacy (20%), political organizing and advocacy (12%), community building (12%) and social-emotional skills (10%).
Read the full report here.
Only 7% of those surveyed believe that climate change won’t happen until a future date, while 3% do not believe it will happen at all. Two out of three students range from fairly concerned to concerned about climate change, while one in five are very concerned.
The surveyed students' beliefs on what is causing climate change varied
The students’ responses encompassed many possible causes of climate change, with the most mentioned being: fossil fuels (mentioned 283 times); gas/gases (269); pollution (248); carbon (171); emissions (140); cars and factories (tied with 134 mentions each); and people (122).
Many students are not fully comfortable explaining what they believe are the causes of climate change, and their knowledge of the consequences of climate change
Of those surveyed, the majority (42%) feel fairly comfortable discussing these topics, while 7% and 19% don’t feel comfortable at all or only slightly comfortable, respectively.
Social media is where the majority of students source information on climate change
A whopping 74% of the students surveyed reported gathering information on climate change from social media. The other top source is the news (62%), while 2% claimed they do not receive information on climate change.
Students feel that schools are not doing enough to support them in their lack of fluency in climate-related topics
Students reported that climate change lessons – most commonly covered in their science classes – focused least on critical thinking and media literacy (20%), political organizing and advocacy (12%), community building (12%) and social-emotional skills (10%).
Read the full report here.
Hands-on learning: Earth Week activities for students
In partnership with Empatico, the UCI Science Project offers four free activities suitable for students and families with children aged 5-18 to participate in, to broaden their understanding of climate change and the world around them. The virtual lessons are designed to equip students with a foundation of empathy-centered skills, and include the following:
What is Climate Change?
This activity will teach children aged 5-11 about how the greenhouse effect causes global warming, and actions they can take to help mitigate the negative effects of human activities on the environment.
Learn About Climate Change
Suitable for children aged 11-14, the lessons provide access to satellite images that depict changes in global temperatures, while building on how the greenhouse effect causes global warming, and actions they can take to help mitigate the negative effects of human activities on the environment.
Gratitude Nature Walk
Participating in a nature walk to practice gratitude for their school or home communities allows children aged 5-14 to make observations and ask questions about nature, while reflecting on humans’ impact on the world around them.
Guardians of the Earth
For older individuals aged 11-18, this lesson will teach about the Māori Tribe of New Zealand and their struggle to maintain and protect their ancestral land, while also encouraging them to identify a local landmark, create artwork that raises awareness of environmental issues affecting the landmark site, and thinking of actions that can help protect and restore the site.
What is Climate Change?
This activity will teach children aged 5-11 about how the greenhouse effect causes global warming, and actions they can take to help mitigate the negative effects of human activities on the environment.
Learn About Climate Change
Suitable for children aged 11-14, the lessons provide access to satellite images that depict changes in global temperatures, while building on how the greenhouse effect causes global warming, and actions they can take to help mitigate the negative effects of human activities on the environment.
Gratitude Nature Walk
Participating in a nature walk to practice gratitude for their school or home communities allows children aged 5-14 to make observations and ask questions about nature, while reflecting on humans’ impact on the world around them.
Guardians of the Earth
For older individuals aged 11-18, this lesson will teach about the Māori Tribe of New Zealand and their struggle to maintain and protect their ancestral land, while also encouraging them to identify a local landmark, create artwork that raises awareness of environmental issues affecting the landmark site, and thinking of actions that can help protect and restore the site.