Are We Really Doomed?
Articles/Websites
Grades9, 10, 11, 12Civics
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Provided by Talking Climate
What it is
- This article features climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe examining the rise of climate doomerism, which she describes as the conviction that nothing can be done paired with the desire to spread that message, and explaining why giving up would guarantee failure.
- Readers learn that most people around the world want more climate action but rarely talk about it, and that talking about why we care, sharing solutions, and advocating for change can build collective action.
Teaching tips
Prerequisites:
This reading assumes that students are familiar with climate change.
Classroom Implementation:
Use this reading to round out a unit on climate change to generate hope in students.
Use this reading to introduce a student action project to organize a climate change education campaign.
Extensions:
Have students explore the examples of sources of good news and write a brief summary of their favorite good news story to share.
Use the head, heart, and hands framework described in the article as a reflection prompt, asking students to write about what is happening, why it matters to them, and what they can do.
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