$400K Grant From NOAA To Support Climate Change Curriculum

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The Howard County Public School System will incorporate a new climate change curriculum unit for all 6th grade science classes, which is being supported by a nearly $400,000 grant to the Howard County Conservancy from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The new curriculum is considered unique among school systems in Maryland and the region, and will be piloted in three schools during 2021-2022 and incorporated through all HCPSS middle schools over the next three years.

Throughout the fall semester, students will learn about the impacts of climate change and how to take positive action to solve and avoid negative effects during lessons that investigate how and why some communities bear a greater brunt from severe weather, how the tree canopy helps to mitigate flooding and the impacts of different land surfaces and urban heat islands.

In addition to classroom learning, students will take part in real-world outdoor experiences on both school and conservancy grounds by using tools and mapping to measure tree canopy coverage, carbon sequestration and soil compaction and moisture; collecting and analyzing air and land temperatures and investigating solutions to mitigate temperature increases to reduce thermal pollution. The curriculum also will include a focus on environmental justice.

"This program could not be more timely or important. We are thrilled to be working with an amazing group of partners to educate and inspire our youth on the science of climate change, achievable solutions and the incredibly important intersection of climate change and social justice," Meg Boyd, executive director of the Howard County Conservancy, said.