In this lesson plan and video, students will explore various solutions by simulating different policies in a model and about how people have started to tackle climate change within their careers. 

Climate change is impacting the James River and there are different issues and solutions for different parts of the river. Travel down the James with Matt Scott of the James River Association to explore the watershed and learn about the impacts of sediment in Lynchburg, flooding in Richmond, and sea level rise and erosion in Hampton Roads. Learn about some of the solutions being used now to help tackle these problems. This video was developed to support the 6th grade Science SOLs in Virginia and associated lesson plans are available. A production of VPM in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education.

In the Swimming with the Fishes: How Changes in Temperature Impact Survival game, students explore how changing water temperatures impact the survival of different fish species over 100 years. Concepts addressed in the game include the difference between climate and weather, how cold-blooded vs. warm-blooded animals adapt to temperature, and environmental changes over time. There are two versions: a single-player version or a multiplayer version which is designed to be facilitated by a teacher while projecting the activity on a large screen in a whole class or small group setting so that all participants can simultaneously view the gameplay.

Students will make weather observations for one week utilizing the provided data sheet. After the week of weather observations, have the students tally each type of weather they observed and color in a bar graph. At the end of the week, students will make predictions about what the weather will be like next week. Ask the students to write a one-sentence summary of the normal, expected weather for their location.