UMaine Scientist Participates in Children’s Climate Change Book

Contact: Aimee L. Dolloff, (207) 581-3777

ORONO, Maine — Climate change is a difficult subject to explain to adults, but even more complicated to explain to children because of its magnitude.

In a new children’s book, “How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate,” University of Maine Professor Paul Mayewski and other scientists provided a glimpse of their research to author Lynne Cherry and author/photojournalist Gary Braasch, who in turn wrote the book to provide an educational platform to help today’s youth understand and effectively fight climate change.

Mayewski also is the director of UM’s Climate Change Institute.

The book is designed for children in grades four through nine, their teachers and parents, with the idea that these children will inherit a planet that is changing rapidly from the past.

“How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate” is based on Braasch’s coffee table book “Earth Under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the
World.” Braasch traveled around the world for eight years documenting evidence of climate change and following climate scientists. While working on the coffee table book, Braasch discovered that scientists are a lot like detectives and thought children would be interested in their work if it was correctly presented.

The book depicts scientists at work; teaches children the language, methods and process
of science; imparts knowledge of technological tools and data collection; provides
methods and ideas for school and home projects about weather and climate; describes and
encourages participation in citizen-science programs; shows how each child can
immediately reduce their carbon footprint and inspires them to do so by showing the
effects of many kids working together already influencing communities to change.

The book also includes a reference section and a companion Teacher Guide
with classroom ideas and even more information is available.

A preview of the book, additional resources, and purchasing information can be found at www.howweknowclimatechange.com.