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Climate Emotions in K-12 Education

Elementary, Secondary, Middle

Description

The Climate Emotions in K-12 Education guide is a resource for Canadian educators that provides strategies to support students’ mental health and resilience while exploring the connections between climate change, mental health, and education. It equips teachers with background knowledge about the psychological and emotional impacts of climate change on students, including research on climate anxiety, as well as the challenges teachers face when integrating climate education into their classrooms. This context helps educators understand how climate-related emotions can influence learning, behavior, and social interactions, enabling them to approach climate topics thoughtfully and anticipate students’ emotional responses.

The guide helps teachers recognize and respond to the wide range of emotions students may experience—such as anxiety, grief, hope, anger, and guilt—while emphasizing the importance of acknowledging these feelings to promote well-being and build empathy and understanding for those affected by climate change. The resource provides a variety of age-appropriate strategies across all grade levels, from primary through high school, highlighting approaches such as nature-based learning, creative expression, mindfulness, and storytelling to help students process and channel their emotions. Educators are encouraged to create safe, supportive spaces; model honesty about their own feelings; balance difficult emotions with hope; and integrate emotional literacy into climate learning.

By building students’ socio-emotional skills and understanding of climate challenges, the guide aims to help create a generation of informed, resilient, and empowered young people who are prepared to view climate change through a community lens and take meaningful action both locally and globally.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This resource enriches conversations about climate change by highlighting an often-overlooked dimension—its impact on mental health. It also offers teachers in Health, Social Studies, Language Arts, and the Arts practical ways to integrate climate education into their classes.

The resource outlines a range of accessible strategies to address climate emotions and provides recommendations to guide classroom exploration. Tools such as the Climate Emotions Wheel, mindful breathing exercises, reflective journaling, connecting with nature, and channeling emotions through art help students navigate their feelings in ways that support well-being and inspire meaningful action. These approaches equip educators to create emotionally supportive learning environments where students can process their emotions constructively.

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

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  • Alberta
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    • Kindergarten
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      • Arts
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        • Oral Language: Listening and speaking form the foundation for literacy development and improve communication, collaboration, and respectful mutual understanding.
      • Health Education
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        • Developing and affirming identity contributes to well-being and understandings of self and one another
    • Grade 1
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      • Arts
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        • Visual Arts
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        • Oral Language: Listening and speaking form the foundation for literacy development and improve communication, collaboration, and respectful mutual understanding.
      • Health Education
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        • Developing and affirming identity contributes to well-being and understandings of self and one another
      • Social Studies
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        • Citizenship: Understanding local, national, and global issues empowers individual and collective action toward an inclusive society
    • Grade 2
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      • Arts
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        • Visual Arts
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Oral Language: Listening and speaking form the foundation for literacy development and improve communication, collaboration, and respectful mutual understanding
      • Health Education
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        • Developing and affirming identity contributes to well-being and understandings of self and one another
    • Grade 3
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      • Arts
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        • Visual Arts
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Oral Language: Listening and speaking form the foundation for literacy development and improve communication, collaboration, and respectful mutual understanding
      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Developing and affirming identity contributes to well-being and understandings of self and one another
        • Exploring connections strengthens our understandings of relationships to help us make meaning of the world.
    • Grade 4
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      • Arts
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        • Visual Arts
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        • Oral Language: Listening and speaking form the foundation for literacy development and improve communication, collaboration, and respectful mutual understanding.
      • Health Education
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        • Developing and affirming identity contributes to well-being and understandings of self and one another.
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Citizenship: Understanding local, national, and global issues empowers individual and collective action toward an inclusive society
    • Grade 5
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      • Health & Career Planning
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        • Health and Life Skills: Life Learning Choices
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    • Grade 6
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  • British Columbia
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    • Kindergarten
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        • Arts Education: People connect to others and share ideas through the arts.
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world
    • Grade 1
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      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: People create art to express who they are as individuals and community
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world.
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: People connect to the hearts and minds of others in a variety of places and times through the arts
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world
      • Social Studies
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        • Regional and Global Communities: Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences.
    • Grade 3
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      • Arts
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        • Arts Education: The mind and body work together when creating works of art.
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Using language in creative and playful ways helps us understand how language works
    • Grade 4
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      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music, and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
    • Grade 5
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      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
    • Grade 6
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      • Arts
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        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music, and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
  • Manitoba
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        • Language as Exploration and Design
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        • Visual Arts
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        • Language as Exploration and Design
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        • Visual Arts
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        • Arts: Visual Art
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      • Arts
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        • Arts: Visual Art
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Northwest Territories
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        • Arts Education: People connect to others and share ideas through the arts.
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world
      • Health Education
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        • Mental and Emotional Well Being
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        • Arts Education: People create art to express who they are as individuals and community
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world.
      • Health Education
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        • Mental & Emotional Help
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        • Arts Education 2 : Visual Art
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
      • Health Education
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        • Mental & Emotional well Being
      • Social Studies
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        • Regional and Global Communities: Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences.
    • Grade 3
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      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education 3: Visual Art
        • Arts Education: The mind and body work together when creating works of art.
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Using language in creative and playful ways helps us understand how language works
      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Mental and Emotional Well Being
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music, and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music, and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
    • Grade 7
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      • Health Education
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        • Mental and Emotional Well-Being
    • Grade 8
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      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Mental and Emotional Well-Being
  • Nova Scotia
  • Nunavut
  • Ontario
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    • Kindergarten
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        • Literacy Behaviours: Overall Expectations
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        • Belonging and Contributing -Overall Expectations
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        • Arts: Visual Arts
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        • Language: Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts
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      • Arts
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        • Arts: Visual Arts
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        • Language: Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts
        • Language: Foundations of Language
    • Grade 4
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      • Arts
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        • Arts: Visual Arts
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Language: Foundations of Language
    • Grade 5
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      • Arts
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        • Arts: Visual Arts
    • Grade 6
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      • Arts
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        • Arts: Visual Arts
    • Grade 11
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      • Health Education
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        • Health for Life (College Prep.) Wellness
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Quebec
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    • Grade 1
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      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • To use Language to communicate and learn
    • Grade 2
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      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • To represent her/his literacy in different media
    • Grade 3
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      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • To represent her/his literacy in different media
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • To represent her/his literacy in different media
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts: Visual Arts: To produce individual works in the visual arts
  • Saskatchewan
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Kindergarten
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education 1: Creative/Productive
      • English/Language Arts
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        • Comprehend and Respond
      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Building on What I Already Know: Informed Decisions
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education 2: Creative/Productive
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Assess and Reflect
      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Discovering Connections Between Self and Wellness: Action Planning
        • Discovering Connections Between Self and Wellness: Decision Making
        • Discovering Connections Between Self and Wellness: Understanding,Skills and Confidence
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Comprehend and Respond
      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Investigating Health Knowledge and Information: Apply Decisions
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education 4: Creative/Productive
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Assess and Reflect
      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Sharing What It Means to Be Healthy: Understanding, Skills and Confidences
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Health Education
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Health Education 6: Understanding, Skills and Confidences
  • Yukon Territory
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Kindergarten
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: People connect to others and share ideas through the arts.
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: People create art to express who they are as individuals and community
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world.
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: People connect to the hearts and minds of others in a variety of places and times through the arts
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
        • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Regional and Global Communities: Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences.
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: The mind and body work together when creating works of art.
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Using language in creative and playful ways helps us understand how language works
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music, and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arts Education: Dance, drama, music, and visual arts are each unique languages for creating and communicating.

Themes Addressed

Air, Atmosphere & Climate (1)

  • Climate Change

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