Climate Careers: Ethics & Decision-Making Lesson
Created by Teacher(s): Yen-Yen Chiu|Published on: May 19, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Lesson Plan
Subjects: English Language Arts
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Created by: New York Climate Education Hub teachers
Region: Global, New York
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
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This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
In this lesson, students step into climate-related careers and explore ethical dilemmas using five decision-making frameworks. Students balance competing priorities in real-life scenarios through a debate and advocate for specific climate solutions in a memo.
Inquire: Students discuss local climate scenarios to identify difficult trade-offs and values involved in environmental decisions
Investigate: Students apply five ethical frameworks to climate career dilemmas and develop claims based on different priorities and impacts.
Inspire: Students defend ethical positions in a structured debate and synthesize their reasoning into a memo recommendation.
Share: This lesson plan is licensed under Creative Commons.
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Teacher Writer
Yen-Yen Chiu
Director of Education
Yen-Yen Chiu holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of San Diego. She taught public school for 22 years, from 2001 to 2023, specializing in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Music for grades 6–12, including Advanced Placement courses. Yen-Yen is credentialed in English, Mathematics, and Introductory Music, and has extensive experience designing interdisciplinary curricula that foster student choice, meaningful assessment, and authentic learning experiences.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
