Science in the Classroom
One of MACH's key goals is training the next generation of leaders in transdisciplinary climate research and engagement. To bring MACH themes and research to a broader audience, MACH staff have developed educational materials that can be incorporated into classrooms and other learning environments. These resources are designed for a wide range of audiences, from K-12 students through undergraduate level learners, and can be adapted to meet different educational needs and experience levels. The resources on this page are designed to help educators, students, and community audiences engage with MACH research and climate-related topics.
Marine Field Station: The Retreat, Discussion Guide & Materials
To support classroom use of MACH's first documentary film, Marine Field Station: The Retreat, MACH staff developed a discussion guide and accompanying PowerPoint presentation for high school, undergraduate, and other adult learning settings. These materials help educators facilitate conversations about climate change, coastal resilience, adaptation, and science communication using themes and examples from the film. Learn more about the documentary on our dedicated Documentary Film page and access the classroom resources below.
Flooding & Our Community: A Coloring Activity About Compound Flooding
This educational coloring sheet introduces flooding and climate resilience concepts through the lens of New Brunswick, New Jersey, where Rutgers University is located. Featuring simple facts and interactive activities, it helps learners of all ages understand how heavy rainfall, river overflow, and coastal influences can contribute to flooding in their community and explores ways natural and built solutions can reduce flood impacts.
Community College Classroom Activities
Click to open. MACH Annual Meeting poster, "Buildng Connections to Climate Science & Translation".
To bring MACH research to into classrooms, MACH collaborates with community colleges to strengthen climate resilience education, learning, and action.
MACH’s community college partners include: Atlantic Cape Community College (Mays Landing, NJ), Bronx Community College (Bronx, NY), Brookdale Community College (Middletown, NJ), Raritan Valley Community College (Branchburg, NJ), Ocean County College (Toms River, NJ), Camden County College (Camden, NJ), and Community College of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA).
Consistent with the integrative nature of the MACH project, these regional community college partnerships support the interdisciplinary climate resilience interests of students, faculty, and instructors, including environmental, public health, engineering, economic, and social perspectives.
An overview of activities made possible through MACH's partnerships with community college faculty and staff are detailed below.
Fall 2023 – Spring 2024 activities:
- MACH held listening sessions with prospective community college partners.
- MACH’s first workshop with community college faculty and staff took place in June 2024. MACH students and community college faculty and staff worked collaboratively on the development of classroom activities that utilize publicly available climate science resources from the online NJAdapt.org and MyCoast NJ platforms.
Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 activities:
- 2 “Ask a Grad Student” panels & 1 Lunch and Learn reaching over 120 students.
- 4 Climate Art classroom projects which generated 24 pieces of art, videos, and written compositions (or “science communication materials”) inspired by MACH research/data.
Fall 2025 – Spring 2026 activities:
- 1 Science in Action presentation reaching approximately 60 students.
- 3 Climate Art classroom projects which generated 34 pieces of art, videos, and written compositions (or “science communication materials”) inspired by MACH research/data.
- 4 Climate Science/Ask A Grad Student Career Panels reaching approximately 60 students.