Innovative Strategies to Approach Climate Literacy in the Classroom: Fostering the Bond Between Academia and Educational Institutions

This chapter explores a collaborative initiative aimed at promoting climate literacy and community resilience through environmental education in a public high school on the southern coast of Jalisco, Mexico. Rooted in over two decades of research and outreach with local communities surrounding the Chamela Biological Station, the project engaged students and educators through a series of activities centered on a newly installed weather station. These included exploratory workshops, a science fair, and a multi-session workshop that introduced students to meteorological and climatic concepts while equipping them with the technical and research skills needed to use the weather station and interpret the data it produces. The activities were designed to foster student engagement with local meteorological phenomena and to support the development of context-based research projects that were meaningful and relevant to their experiences. The integration of the school into UNAM’s Programa de Estaciones Meteorológicas del Bachillerato Universitario (PEMBU) further positioned the station within a broader academic and institutional network. Drawing on these experiences, the chapter reflects on the importance of youth inclusion, context-specific pedagogical strategies, and the strengthening of ties between academic institutions and local schools as critical components for fostering climate awareness and community agency in the face of environmental change.