Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Education, Assessment and Research (MADE CLEAR) Program

The Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Education, Assessment and Research (MADE CLEAR) program brings together scientists and educators to provide teachers with tools and resources on climate change science and impacts so that they are more prepared to teach these complex subjects in the classrooms. The program’s main focus is on providing a support system for middle and high school teachers, but it also engages universities, state departments of education, and educators from natural resource agencies, museums, and aquariums.

The program was developed to address needs identified by teachers in Maryland and Delaware, who lacked resources to educate students on climate change science and impacts. Teachers can apply to receive training through MADE CLEAR Climate Science Academies, which provide them with knowledge on the science and impacts, as well as effective teaching methods for these topics. One focus area in training is adaptation to climate change impacts in the Maryland-Delaware region.

The program also provides an online teaching resource center that includes information about impacts in the Mid-Atlantic region such as sea-level rise, extreme weather, and urban heat, and information and tips for teaching climate literacy. Users can also search the resources available by audience type (e.g. grade level), resource type (e.g. lesson plans and activities), region, and climate literacy topics (e.g. agriculture, endangered species, and human health).

MADE CLEAR is led by the University System of Maryland and the University of Delaware and funded by the National Science Foundation. Other partners include the Delaware Department of Education, the Maryland State Department of Education, Delaware Sea Grant, and other universities and organizations.