By Emmett Biewald

A nonprofit organization based in Cambridge has been taking steps to change the way we learn about climate change. Climable was founded in 2012 with a goal of making climate science more understandable and actionable to a larger audience.

In 2022, Climable began developing a climate curriculum after receiving a grant from Mitsubishi. This curriculum includes lessons for middle school and high school students, covering topics such as climate solutions, renewable energy, and environmental justice. Something that makes Climable’s curriculum unique is the use of understandable, local examples for students to grasp more complex and big picture ideas.

Maisy Rohrer has been the program director for Climable since last year. When asked about the long-term goals for the curriculum project, Rohrer referred to the students, saying “Maybe they’ll go on to become climate leaders. That’s our goal, to inspire some kids in the future to take action or even right now.” Rohrer emphasized the fact that many young people don’t realize how much of a difference they can make on a small scale.

This past fall, Climable’s curriculum began implementation in schools across the Boston metro area, in Cambridge, Roxbury, and Brockton. The lessons are taught both during class time and during after school programs. Teachers outside the Boston area still have free access to the climate education courses through the Climable website.

Another future possibility for Climable’s curriculum could be an expansion into more schools in the Boston area. The program director implied that if the desire is there from teachers, the nonprofit is open to support a greater range of school districts in the classroom.

Climable’s lesson plans are meant to give students a foundation of understanding topics based around climate change. The underlying goal is more than that though. The curriculum is meant to help students realize their own role in making a difference. Rohrer noted once again, the sometimes overlooked but very important role that students play in causing change, saying “I think we’ve all seen examples of when youth come together in a collective and organized fashion, that they can really make a difference.”

Anyone who feels that their classroom or afterschool program is lacking in the climate education department is encouraged to reach out to Climable.