In layman’s language appropriate for kids as well as adults, discusses signs of climate change in different regions of South America, the role of the Amazon basin to the health of our planet, and environmental concerns such as deforestation that can have major impacts on the changing climate. (10:57)

The páramo is a high mountain ecosystem in South America’s Andes rich with biodiversity and an important source of water for millions of people. This video from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society discusses how climate change is impacting this fragile environment. (4:21)

A collection of nine short videos looking at the impacts of climate change in different parts of the world and on different animal species. Go to news.discovery.com to see the full collection.

Scientists at the world’s highest atmospheric monitoring station in Bolivia are studying the impact of climate change on the region. 2:04

A recent hour-long BBC documentary that explores the world’s leading climate scientists’ vision of the planet’s future. Fast-paced, engaging resource that is likely to elicit discussion among middle- and high-school-aged kids in particular. 59:22

British journalist Simeon Tegal outlines the environmental issues spanning Latin America due to climate change in the region. Video is recent, from August 2012. 4:41

Hosted by Matt Damon, this video is part of Journey To Planet Earth, a current PBS series that explores the fragile relationship between people and the world they inhabit. 1:59

A short video from the Nansen Conference on Climate Change and Displacement, the first large-scale conference on climate change and displacement, which took place in Oslo, Norway, June 5-7, 2011. 2:30

From February 2011. Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, Postdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany, explains that sea ice is melting faster and the sea level is rising faster than expected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) in 2007. He argues that we’re running out of time and that it’s necessary to limit global temperature warming to less than two degrees to prevent critical changes. 2:11

From March 2010. Clear explanations with graphics, appropriate for K-12 students. Over recent decades, the Arctic has been the fastest-warming region on the planet. This video tells the story of how it has been changing, as seen from satellites above, and submarines below, touring through years of hard research — in three minutes. Some of the key findings: sea ice is thinning even faster than it is shrinking in area, and Greenland has been shedding ice at an accelerating pace — with consequences for sea level. 3:06

Winner of a Webby Award for Best Science Site in 2011, this site provides climate change visualizations and statistics, news features, educator resources, and much more.

Interactive graphic that provides a guide to global warming, from science and politics to economics and technology.

Interactive map to explore some of the effects of global warming around the world. This site also includes information about the causes of global warming, the impacts of global warming on different ecosystems and on people worldwide, and suggested solutions, which can be viewed continent by continent.

Explore global warming issues using an interactive map that looks at how climate changes people and how people change climate around the world.

An interactive graphic on climate change through history.

Tracking international efforts to deal with climate change.

Developing an interactive web-based tool to assess climate change impacts and vulnerabilities for European nations.

SustainUS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of young people advancing sustainable development and youth empowerment in the United States.

A social networking site of sorts where individuals share recorded observations from the natural world (many captured via mobile devices). Thousands of species have been captured by camera and plotted with google maps on the website, creating a database that visitors can sort through by location, species, or observer. The “Species” and “Projects” links will probably be most of interest to schools.

Has resources for educators along with information about a variety of topics (climate change, energy, water, environment and society, etc.) geared toward students.

The mission of UNEP is “to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.”

This website includes encyclopedia-like entries with text, images, and links on many of the most popular environmental terms. The site also has news articles and blog entries about a variety of topics related to the environment.

Short introduction to some of the important natural resources and wonders of South America. (2:37)

This video has no narration, but presents a stunning series of images from across South America. (2:37)

Introduction to South America with a variety of educational resources centered on the continent and the countries located there.

Provides an introduction to the history, culture, and geography of seven South America countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela), including details about their major cities and geographical features.

An extensive site covering development in Latin America and the Caribbean, including educator resources.

Classroom resources based on Peace Corps volunteer experiences.

Running 4,000 miles from the Andes to the ocean, the Amazon carries a fifth of all the river water on the planet. 4:11

Brief introduction to the Amazon, with some beautiful footage. 1:42

NPR coverage of a transcontinental highway under construction in Peru and Brazil that is bringing the prospects of economic opportunity and environmental ruin to some of the most remote places on the planet. 4:51

National Geographic’s Wild Chronicles goes on expedition with the World Wildlife Fund to one of the most remote parts of the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, in order to find and stop a destructive gold mining operation hidden deep in the forest’s interior. 4:57

A beautiful and comprehensive guide to the Amazon basin from the World Wildlife Fund.

A detailed pdf map showing indigenous territories and protected national areas in the Amazon basin. Also includes text information about the Amazon region.

Winner of the 2012 Best Documentary at the National Geographic All Roads Film Festival, this film details the struggles of the Sarayaku indigenous community of Ecuador as they battled oil companies and the government of Ecuador starting in 2002. The Sarayaku won two major victories in 2012: “in April, for the first time in their history, the government of Ecuador acknowledged responsibility for illegally licensing an oil company to do business on indigenous territory without the community’s consent; and in July the Interamerican Court of Human Rights (ICHR) ruled that the government must consult with indigenous communities prior to such enterprises and to pay for physical and ‘moral’ damages to the community” (Kearns, 2012). This link goes to a trailer for the film. (2:31)

The International Museum of Cultures discusses South American Indigenous people, their culture, pottery, hunting methods using the Blow Gun, and furniture. The people specifically discussed are the Waorani people from Ecuador, previously known as the Auca. 7:26

The Ashaninka are one of the largest indigenous groups in South America, their ancestral homelands ranging from Brazil to Peru. Today, a large communal reserve set aside for the Ashaninka is under threat by the proposed Pakitzapango dam, which would displace some 10,000 Ashaninka. The dam is part of a large set of hydroelectric projects planned between the Brazilian and Peruvian governments – without any original consultation with the Ashaninka. Bowing to recent pressure from indigenous groups, development one other dam in the project, the Tambo-40, has already been halted. The Pakitzapango dam on Peru’s Ene River is currently on hold, though the project has not been withdrawn yet. Survival International has collected these images of the Ashaninka and their threatened homeland. 9:16

This video is in French, and presents a history of the Quechua people. Beautifully filmed. (6:39)

Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future is a UNESCO programme for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. It provides professional development for student teachers, teachers, curriculum developers, education policy makers, and authors of educational materials.

Green Education Foundation (GEF) offers online courses in sustainability to educators, students at the high school and undergraduate level, and professionals. In addition to courses, GEF offers a certificate in sustainability concepts for professional development or academic credit.