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March 12, 2025
Ximena Marquez, The Nature Conservancy’s associate director for education, shares resources for teaching students about winter wildlife and how species are impacted by climate change, as well as how conservation science is helping create solutions for the future.
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By Ximena Marquez
According to Punxsutawney Phil, winter’s here to stay—at least for six more weeks. But across the world, the long-term predictions for winter are changing. Warmer temperatures, less snowpack and earlier springs are changing rhythms that have been in place for thousands of years, affecting the species that have adapted their bodies and behavior to cope with snow, ice and freezing temperatures. The following videos and lesson plans not only provide a look at how wildlife survive in the winter, but also the ways climate change may impact them in the future, and what we can do to help.
Ask students to gather an old shoebox and some natural materials, such as twigs, straw, dried flowers, leaves, grass, feathers, bark or pine needles. Then, have them create a winter diorama that showcases a specific habitat in winter—such as a snowy northern forest—and the animals that call it home. Talk with students about wildlife survival strategies: Where do animals go to hibernate? What kind of shelters or dens do they build? How do they find food in the cold and snow? How do they know when it’s time to wake up for spring? Explore this and other activities in our winter activity guide.
While some wildlife species migrate to escape harsh winter conditions, others remain, coping with dropping temperatures in ways that have evolved over thousands of years. But climate change is affecting this delicate balance, meaning some animals are coming out of hibernation too soon, migrating too early or shedding their winter fur or feathers at the wrong time. This game gives young learners a chance to discover some of the amazing ways animals have adapted to cold temperatures, how climate change threatens their survival and what scientists are doing to make a difference.
The best part of winter is taking a trip to somewhere warm. Use this video to transport your students to Borneo, the third-largest island in the world and home to lush rainforests that are key to fighting climate change and protecting an incredible array of plants and animals. Learn how we can use science and acoustic technology to care for the land and protect the plants and animals in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
Whether you love winter or count down the days until spring, there’s no question that winter plays a key role in maintaining the health of plants, animals and habitats. Lessons that focus on how climate change is shifting seasonal cycles—and what we can do to mitigate these impacts—can help students find their own ways to protect the biodiversity we all rely on.
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Explore more resources for educators to find a wide-range of relevant preK-12 lessons on climate change or supporting young people as they continue to lead the conversation around the climate change crisis.
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