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 politicized Some teachers are not sure of the science themselves Like 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 More than 25% of teachers reported having arguments over this issue
(Pew Research Center poll, 2011) (NESTA Survey of Earth Science Teachers, 2011)

Down from 77% in 2006

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)

NOAA Climate Stewards Purpose

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 Program

Is all about providing science
Offers mini grants (Hale Kula received $500.00) Offers travel support for Climate Stewards to attend

professional development opportunities Established six regional groups with a goal of fostering regular communication and collaboration among educators within those regions Focus projects in your communities Focus projects in citizen science

projects in your communities

Reusable Bags

School/Community Garden

projects in citizen science

Sea Urchin Science in the classroom

Sea Urchin Science on the reef

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Sea Urchins for Coral Recovery:

Hale Kulas 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 Image source: ryanphotographic.com health of Oahus 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.
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The Super Sucker

An underwater vacuum that sucks invasive algae right off the reef!

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Sea Urchins for Coral Recovery:

Hale Kulas Climate Stewards Program
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

Image source: c.weiner

Image source: hmbi.hawaii.edu

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Sea Urchins for Coral Recovery:

Hale Kulas Climate Stewards Program
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 Earths 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.
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Sea Urchins for Coral Recovery:

Hale Kulas 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.
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Sea Urchins for Coral Recovery:

Hale Kulas 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

Image source: hawaiiarmyweekly.com

Image source: ryanphotographic.com

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Sea Urchins for Coral Recovery:

Hale Kulas Climate Stewards Program
Project Goals Continued:
Increased control of invasive algae on the reefs of

Kaneohe Bay Continued participation of Hale Kula and addition of schools in the Scholfield/Wheeler Complex and then to other schools in Central Oahu and the Leeward Coast School and community adoption of project management after year five to sustain climate stewardship activities
Image source: ryanphotographic.com

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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 Development Opportunities for other Teachers

Education Conferences, Workshops, and Webinars

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

e.g. Climate Change Here and Now: Impacts on Pacific Islands, Coastlines, and Ocean NASAs Aquarius: Ocean concepts in the classroom Webinar Series

Stewardship in Action!

National Contacts
Peg Steffen

peg.steffen@noaa.gov NOAAs National Ocean Service Communications & Education Division bruce.moravchik@noaa.gov

Bruce Moravchik

NOAAs National Ocean Service Communications & Education Division

Richard Jones

Hawaii Contacts
rmjones7@hawaii.edu

University of Hawaii West Oahu Education Division

Maggie Prevenas

prevenas@hawaiiantel.net Kalama Intermediate School, Maui 7th Grade Science

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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