Lesson 4: International Climate Accords vs. Grassroots Resistance
Duration of Days: 1
Lesson Objective
Students will analyze why top-down global climate accords struggle to meet targets and contrast them with grassroots civic actions.
Can international diplomacy fix climate change, or must solutions start with local grassroots activism?
CT Civics/Gov (Dimension 4 - INQ 9–12.12); MBL Standard 5D.
1. Hook: Share a clip of a youth climate strike or activist speech.
2. Instruction: Outline the structural goals and failures of the Paris Accord or Kyoto Protocol.
3. Debate: Group discussion contrasting international treaties with municipal bans (e.g., plastic bag bans).
Purpose & DOK Level: Evaluating efficacy of civic scales; DOK Level 3.
Discussion prompt cards; strategic seating to support collaborative input.
Written reflection assessing which civic scale (global or local) yields faster policy outcomes.