A systematic review on research studies about formal science climate change curricula: Insights and implications for elementary contexts

Climate change presents a global emergency, and formal education plays a crucial role in building students’ understanding of climate science. When climate change is integrated into a coherent curriculum, even elementary-aged students can deepen their scientific knowledge and become motivated to engage in community action and activism. Though there is a growing attention to this potential, research in elementary grades remains relatively limited, and there is a need to compare research related to coherent curriculum at the elementary or primary grades across the globe. This systematic review examined research on K-12 climate change curricula, through a constructivist lens, with a particular focus on elementary learning environments. Analysis of 56 peer-reviewed articles from various countries identified three major trends in climate change education research: 1) significantly fewer studies involve elementary grades compared with secondary levels; 2) most research is conducted in high-income countries; and 3) students in elementary grades can develop climate change understanding through locally-informed, student-centered instructional strategies. This review discusses implications for research related to constructivist climate change elementary science curricula, especially in low income and lower-middle income countries.