Student-Produced Short Films About Impacts of Climate Change on Local Communities: An Effective Approach That Combines Art and Place-Based Learning

The here-described approach to combining art and science learning provides diverse students with access to opportunities, experiences, and skills that prepare them to participate in the digital world (Watkins, 2012; Vickery, 2014). Program Description The LOCC program supports students in their science learning through the production of a short film about local impacts of climate or environmental change and exposes them to creative science and technology career opportunities. The program design as described here is facilitated by a university-based project team; however, the project components can be (and have been) adapted for implementation by informal educators and classroom teachers as part of their regular teaching, using existing resources and basic technological equipment (Figure 1). [...]students who select the impact of drought on agriculture could research precipitation and air temperature over the last several decades, as well as the impact of limited water or the types of crops that farmers plant.