Teaching about Climate Change: Our Time Is Now
Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019, 8:00AM-3:00PM, Erie 1 BOCES, 355 Harlem, W. Seneca, NY
Breakout Session #2 Topics & Speakers:
All participants will have the opportunity to attend one breakout session from this section from 12:15-1:00PM.
Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019, 8:00AM-3:00PM, Erie 1 BOCES, 355 Harlem, W. Seneca, NY
Breakout Session #2 Topics & Speakers:
All participants will have the opportunity to attend one breakout session from this section from 12:15-1:00PM.
Climate Inquiry and Writing in the ELA Classroom, Mike Fisher
Our students are tasked with writing arguments focused on discipline-specific content. To do that well, we need to teach them how to develop and answer questions worth exploring that lead them to research topics around climate change that they helped design. This session will help provide these strategies and starting points for the ELA educator.
Our students are tasked with writing arguments focused on discipline-specific content. To do that well, we need to teach them how to develop and answer questions worth exploring that lead them to research topics around climate change that they helped design. This session will help provide these strategies and starting points for the ELA educator.

Michael Fisher is Professional Development Specialist for Orleans/Niagara BOCES. A former teacher who is now an instructional coach and writer, Mike works with schools around the country, helping to sustain curriculum upgrades, design curriculum, and modernize instruction with immersive technology. His last two books,The Quest for Learning: How to Maximize Student Engagement, and Hacking Instructional Design: 33 Extraordinary Ways to Create a Contemporary Curriculum, both have themes of authenticity, relevancy, and contemporary instructional practices. For more information, visit The Digigogy Collaborative (digigogy.com) or find Michael on Twitter (@fisher1000).
A Geologic Perspective on Climate Change, Kim Weborg-Benson
Perfect for science educators, this session will examine the important role that geology has in understanding climate change. In fact, a study of climate change over the past two million years emphasizes the role of CO2 and positive feedback mechanisms in major climate swings and provides a clear relationship between atmospheric CO2 and present day trends.
Perfect for science educators, this session will examine the important role that geology has in understanding climate change. In fact, a study of climate change over the past two million years emphasizes the role of CO2 and positive feedback mechanisms in major climate swings and provides a clear relationship between atmospheric CO2 and present day trends.

Kim Weborg-Benson has over 20 years of academic experience with a focus on developing quality science education and curriculum. She has been teaching in the Dept. of Geology and Environmental Sciences at SUNY Fredonia for over 15 years and has taught a multitude of diverse courses in Geology, Paleontology and Weather and Climate in the laboratory, classroom and field environments.
Kim advocates cross-disciplinary education that brings together a variety of educational experiences, skills and knowledge. In addition to teaching at the university level she has brought science programs to pre-school, elementary, middle and high school students.
Understanding Buffalo's Climate Future, Dr. Stephen Vermette
What will the effect of climate change be on Western New York? Join noted local climatologist Dr. Stephen Vermette for an understanding of the five climate zones of our region, learn how our regional climate is trending in a warming world, and consider strategies that the Buffalo area should be preparing to adapt to the changing climate.
What will the effect of climate change be on Western New York? Join noted local climatologist Dr. Stephen Vermette for an understanding of the five climate zones of our region, learn how our regional climate is trending in a warming world, and consider strategies that the Buffalo area should be preparing to adapt to the changing climate.

Dr. Stephen Vermette is a Professor of Geography at SUNY Buffalo State. His teaching interests are in physical geography and meteorology, with a focus on local meteorology and climate and, most recently, researching climate trends within Western New York.
Stephen has recently published a book entitled "The Faces of WNY's Weather" and is also involved with the Buffalo NGO “Designing to Live Sustainably” which helps characterize WNY’s climatic responses and non-responses in a warming world. https://d2ls.org
Stephen has recently published a book entitled "The Faces of WNY's Weather" and is also involved with the Buffalo NGO “Designing to Live Sustainably” which helps characterize WNY’s climatic responses and non-responses in a warming world. https://d2ls.org
The Importance of Climate Studies Education, Dr. Mike Jabot
This session will focus on the ways that Climate Studies can serve as an umbrella focus for teaching a number of topics in science and across other disciplines. Resources will be shared that highlight this process as well as strategies for building your own curricular pieces.
This session will focus on the ways that Climate Studies can serve as an umbrella focus for teaching a number of topics in science and across other disciplines. Resources will be shared that highlight this process as well as strategies for building your own curricular pieces.

Mike Jabot is Professor of Science Education at SUNY Fredonia and Director of the Institute for Research in Science Teaching and its Center for Earth Observations. He has been involved in science education research across the nation and internationally. His current research focuses on the use of Big Ideas in the shaping of learning progressions around Education for Sustainability (EfS) and how these curriculum interventions in classrooms help shape student actions.
Mike has received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research from the State University of New York; The William Hagan Young Scholars Award as well as being recognized for Excellence in Science Teaching and the Champion of Teacher Development awards by the Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS). He is also a member of NASA’s Educational outreach team serving as an Earth Ambassador as well as a Master Trainer for the NASA GLOBE Program.
Mike has received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research from the State University of New York; The William Hagan Young Scholars Award as well as being recognized for Excellence in Science Teaching and the Champion of Teacher Development awards by the Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS). He is also a member of NASA’s Educational outreach team serving as an Earth Ambassador as well as a Master Trainer for the NASA GLOBE Program.
Touring the Conference Climate Fair, Renee Sossong-Brady and Susan Cyruik
Designed by educators, for educators, this event is expected to sell out.
Click below to learn more. What you do matters, and our time, is now.
Click below to learn more. What you do matters, and our time, is now.