The concepts that underlie the fourth essential principle of climate literacy ("Climate varies over space and time through both natural and man-made processes.") are too complex for students in early and upper-level elementary school, but the foundational knowledge can be taught within existing curriculums and standards. This foundational knowledge will lead to understanding in later years. The author shows the correlation to the national science education standards, identifies misconceptions among elementary school students, suggests formative assessment probes, and identifies lessons and activities to make curriculum connections. The free, online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle is based on the seven essential principles of the climate sciences.

This article profiles Linda Deegan, scientist with the Arctic Long-Term Ecological Research site in the Kuparuk River region of Alaska, as she counts and tags Arctic grayling as they migrate from streams to lakes in the fall.

This article introduces a free online collection of images, video clips, and animations that teachers can use in creating resources for use with students. The four steps in creating a video clip, an animation, or other resource are presented.

This article provides an overview of Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center that provides educators with free resources around the areas of equity, justice, and tolerance.

This article discusses how creating Readers Theater scripts from informational text can improve fluency and build comprehension.

This article discusses the importance of student feedback in creating a respectful, equitable classroom.

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing ultimately help to structure your thinking. This means, you know how to read for different purposes, and articulate and defend your views using support or evidence. These skills will enable you to join the wider academic community of knowledge-building, expansion, and credibility.

This article provides an overview of culturally responsive teaching and highlights resources for more information.

A book about writing (and reading) nonfiction with children in the elementary grades.

This article describes how curriculum compacting can be used to meet the needs of gifted students within the regular classroom.

This nonfiction article, written for students in grades 4-5, explores the life and seasonal migration of the sanderling bird. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.

This informational text introduce students to the life cycle and migration of the sanderling, a bird that winters on beaches in the Southern United States and South America but breeds in the Arctic during the summer months. The text is written at a grade four through grade five reading level. This is a PDF containing the informational text and a glossary.

In episode seven of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears podcast series, learn how scientists can get a first-hand look at changing polar icebergs and glaciers and what these changes can teach us about density.

This article describes the reading strategy of determining importance and provides templates and guidance for teaching this content area strategy to elementary students.

This article highlights lesson plans and activities that help elementary students develop map skills as they learn earth science concepts.

This article provides links to web sites that describe the Arctic and Antarctica in terms of geography, climate, and ecosystems.

This article provides an overview of differentiated instruction and resources for teachers looking to differentiate science and literacy content in the elementary classroom.

This article includes a menu of post-reading activities for use with any nonfiction text. Students spend $50 on their choice of activities.

This article recounts the events on the day in 1990 when Dr. David Elliot, an Ohio State geologist, found a dinosaur fossil high in the Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica.

This informational text introduces students to the dinosaurs found near the polar regions and discusses the adaptations that allowed these dinosaurs to survive in a dark and cold environment. The text is written at a grade two through grade three reading level. This version is a full-color PDF that can be printed, cut and folded to form a book. Each book contains color photographs and illustrations.