Navigating the Yale Climate Opinion Maps

Lesson Plans

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10Science, Civics, English Language Arts

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Open Resource

What it is

This activity guides students through a series of questions related to the Yale Climate Opinion Maps, focusing on Louisiana data.
Students will also get to put themselves in the place of the governor of Louisiana and make several climate policy decisions based on their constituents' climate opinions.

Teaching tips

Positives

The Student Page is a fillable pdf, so students can type directly on the document.
The Educator Page has an answer key for the Student Page.

Additional Prerequisites

While the Student Page pdf is fillable, question #14 asks students to draw a picture, which students will need to do on paper.

Differentiation

Students can complete this activity individually, in pairs, or small groups.
Civics and government classes could use this activity to discuss how policy-makers identify and pursue policies they believe will pass.
Students could discuss why certain regions of the United States hold non-scientific opinions. The class could make a list of reasons why people might mistrust climate science.
Other resources on this topic include this ClimateScience course on climate politics, this lesson on fighting climate myths, and this lesson on researching the history of climate policies.

From the scientist review

Students can compare beliefs on climate awareness, etc. from Americans using opinion interactive maps at the state, national, and local levels. There is no contradiction in the datasets and this resource is recommended for teaching.

How we review resources

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Hosted on climatecommunication.yale.edu

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Subjects: Science, Civics, English Language Arts
Other types: Activity - Classroom, Worksheets, Interactive Media
Format: PDF
Language: English
Location: North America, North America > United States
Provider: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Authors: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Published: April 27, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.10.6-8 + 31 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

D2.Civ.10.6-8D2.Civ.10.6-8 Explain the relevance of personal interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when people address issues and problems in government and civil society.
D2.Civ.12.6-8D2.Civ.12.6-8 Assess specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed) as means of addressing public problems.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.7CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
HS-ETS1-1.HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
D2.Civ.11.9-12D2.Civ.11.9-12 Evaluate multiple procedures for making governmental decisions at the local, state, national, and international levels in terms of the civic purposes achieved.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.5CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.5 Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.

New Jersey Climate Education Hub

New Jersey Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HS-ETS1-1.HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
HSS.IC.B.5(+)HSS.IC.B.5(+) Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.
RI.MF.8.6RI.MF.8.6 Evaluate the choices made (by the authors, directors, or actors) when presenting an idea in different mediums and the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) to address a question or solve a problem.

Oregon Climate Education Hub

Oregon Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

8.RI.78.RI.7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums to present a particular topic or idea.
HS.DR.C.10HS.DR.C.10 Use data to compare two groups, describe sample variability, and decide if differences between parameters are significant based on the statistics.
HS.ETS1.1HS.ETS1.1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HS-ETS1-1.HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
R.8.7R.8.7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different media—print, audio, video, stage, or digital—to present a particular subject or idea and analyze the extent to which a production remains faithful to or departs from the written text. (RI&RL)
M.SP.IC.B.5M.SP.IC.B.5 Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.
SS.PS3.d.mSS.PS3.d.m Analyze how governments address and solve problems through the public policy process.

Maine Climate Education Hub

Maine Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HSS.IC.B.5HSS.IC.B.5 Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.
HS-ETS1-1HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
CivicsCivics & Government 1 (D2): Students understand the basic ideals, purposes, principles, structures, and processes of constitutional government in Maine and the United States as well as examples of other forms of government in the world by comparing how laws are made in Maine and at the federal level in the United States.

New York Climate Education Hub

New York Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HS-ETS1-1.HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

Connecticut Climate Education Hub

Connecticut Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.7CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.5CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.5 Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.
7.Civ.12.a.7.Civ.12.a. Evaluate the effectiveness of rules, laws, and agreements as a means of addressing regional and global problems (e.g., International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court, Paris Agreement, International Atomic Energy Agency).
HS-ETS1-1.HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

ECCLPs Climate Education Hub

ECCLPs Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.5CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.IC.B.5 Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.
HS-ETS1-1.HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

Michigan Climate Education Hub

Michigan Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

S.IC.5.S.IC.5. Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.
HS-ETS1-1HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
RI.8.7.RI.8.7. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

Illinois Climate Education

Illinois Climate Education Standards legacy

RI.8.7.RI.8.7. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
S-IC.5.S-IC.5. Use data from a randomized experiment to compare two treatments; use simulations to decide if differences between parameters are significant.
HS-ETS1-1.HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

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What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

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