Climate Literacy Through Data Analysis: High School Students Explore Climate Change Evidence

Project Summary

Twenty-two students in a co-taught Earth and Space Science class at Atholton High School analyzed historical climate data and scientific literature to understand the causes of climate change, developing critical thinking skills to differentiate between correlation and causation in climate science.

Detailed Story

At Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland, teacher Emily Kavanagh implemented an in-depth climate change curriculum for her Period 2 co-taught Earth and Space Science class. The project engaged 22 students in examining scientific evidence for climate change, with a particular focus on waste and recycling impacts. The curriculum was structured around developing students’ critical thinking skills through the analysis of multiple data sources. Students began by examining scientific literature on climate change, including research showing 99.9% scientific consensus that humans are causing climate change. They then analyzed historical temperature data spanning 450,000 years, Arctic temperature records, and recent climate trends. Through this comprehensive approach, students learned to: Interpret complex climate data visualizations; Identify patterns in Earth’s climate history; Distinguish between natural climate fluctuations and human-induced changes; Evaluate scientific claims using the correlation-to-causation spectrum; Connect waste management practices to greenhouse gas emissions. The project was organized into three learning sets exploring Earth-Sun dynamics, ice caps and oceans, and greenhouse gases. For each topic, students developed and revised models to explain climate mechanisms, evaluated evidence, and made predictions about future climate impacts. The curriculum emphasized the development of data literacy skills essential for understanding and communicating about climate science. Rather than simply accepting scientific conclusions, students were guided to develop their own evidence-based explanations through collaborative analysis and modeling. This approach fostered deeper engagement with the material and helped students build confidence in evaluating scientific claims.

Impact Statement

The project significantly enhanced students’ understanding of climate science and strengthened their critical thinking skills. Students reported enjoying the research process and gaining valuable insights about the connections between waste management and climate change. By learning to analyze scientific data and evaluate evidence, students developed the skills needed to become informed climate citizens capable of participating in public discourse about environmental issues. The curriculum’s emphasis on modeling and prediction also helped students understand potential future climate scenarios, fostering a sense of urgency and agency regarding climate action.