Keeling Curve

Primary Project Category:

Secondary Project Category:

Project Summary / Description:

CATE‚ mission is to develop interdisciplinary, solutions-focused climate curricula for U.S. high schools that align with education standards and leverage MIT resources and research. CATE was formed in 2017 when our Faculty Lead came across a climate denial curriculum that was sent to 300,000 U.S. science teachers. Frustrated, he began this MIT-based program to provide an objective, teacher-driven, climate curriculum to the next generation of climate leaders ‚ high schoolers. Today we have a team of 5 practicing high school teachers (representing Language Arts, History, Science and Math) who are developing an interdisciplinary curriculum with 18+ labs/lessons/activities. We are also a licensed Professional Development Provider in Massachusetts. Our next project will reduce emissions by providing teachers with energy use/climate professional development and the CATE curriculum, to then measure surrounding household energy use before/after exposure.

Regions of Operations:

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

CATE empowers traditionally underrepresented youth and educators in the climate movement by providing objective, informative, solutions-focused climate curriculum resources and support at the high school level. Educators are empowered through their access to materials that are aligned with education standards to easily fit into existing curriculum and requirements. Educators may also be empowered by climate professional development materials and workshops to build their confidence and knowledge in teaching about, and understanding, climate. Knowledge is, after all, power. Students are likewise empowered as they gain critical understandings of the causes and consequences of current anthropogenic warming, while primarily considering and grappling with climate solutions to ensure the health of the planet for their future. The curriculum is designed to instill a sense of agency in students to inspire them as our next generation of leaders, and to inspire teachers to incorporate climate into their teaching wherever possible. Both youth and educators are key levers of societal change but are often underrepresented in the climate movement. Likewise, we prioritize sharing our resources and curriculum with teachers/students in underserved schools and areas, while ensuring that all of our materials are open-source and accessible to high school students at all levels. It is often these underserved areas, and the students/teachers living in them, who are disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental injustices. To face this head on, it is essential for these key players to have the resources, knowledge, and confidence to understand climate and the unlevel, unjust playing field.

Sub-Categories: