"How to Incorporate Climate Change into your “Astro 101” Class"
Do you teach introductory astronomy at the high school or college level? Your class is an excellent opportunity to help students learn the science content and perspective they'll need to understand and respond to the threat of climate change. In this workshop we'll discuss how many of the topics we teach (e.g., exoplanets, planetary atmospheres, and astronomical scales) lay the foundations for understanding climate science, and how they develop the "astronomical perspective" to climate change. We'll also talk about how teaching climate change is distinct from astronomy. It is a contentious and emotionally difficult topic that requires a different approach. We'll present strategies on how to prepare students to leave your class feeling informed, hopeful, and ready to address the problem. If you have them please bring the syllabi and schedules for your classes as we'll devote time to working in groups on how to best incorporate climate change into your teaching setting.
