Title: Climate Change & Impact on Northern Indigenous

Communities
Subject: Grade 10 Science
Time: 60 minutes Strand: Earth & Space Science: Climate
Change

Desired Results
Lesson Description - Taylor
This lesson is delves into detail on the effects of climate change on
northern Indigenous populations and northern wildlife. An investigation of
the impacts of global warming on the polar bear population will be
explored through inquiry based learning. Group discussions/activities will
be facilitated on how climate change affects the local populations and what
can be done to help slow down climate change.

Ontario Curricular Overall Expectations - Irene

D.1 Relating science to technology, society and the environment

Ontario Curricular Specific Expectations - Irene

D2.1 use appropriate terminology related to climate change, including, but
not limited to: albedo, anthropogenic, atmosphere, cycles, heat sinks, and
hydrosphere

D2.4 investigate a popular hypothesis on a cause- and-effect relationship

having to do with climate change

D2.6 investigate, through laboratory inquiry or simulations, how water in

its various states influences climate patterns

D2.8 classify the climate of their local region using various tools or systems
(e.g., Ecoregions of Canada, bioclimate profiles), and compare their region
to other regions in Ontario, Canada, and the world

D3.8 identify and describe indicators of global climate change (e.g.,

changes in: glacial and polar ice, sea levels, wind patterns, global carbon
budget assessments)

Lesson Goals - Katie

Understand:
The critical effects climate change has on northern Indigenous
peoples way of life
The severity of rising sea levels: both on peoples and animals
 way of life.
The cause of rising sea levels
Produce innovative ways to sustain life in the North

Success Criteria - Taylor

By the end of the lesson, I will be able to identify some factors affecting
climate change
By the end of this lesson, I will be able to explain the effects of
climate change on wildlife, northern communities and their way of
life
By the end of this lesson, I will be able to identify some ways to
help sustain life in the North
By the end of this lesson, I will be able to identify ways that
climate change impacts the people in my community

Assessment - Taylor
Assessment Mode: oral/ performance/ written
Assessment Strategy: Formative assessment based on exit slip and through
facilitating group learning in small groups.

Materials
-smart board
-computer
-internet
-pencils
-worksheet for students to complete
-bucket
-water
-ice
-lamp
-black shirt (represents black polar bear skin)
-2 warm coats - represents fur
-white sheet- represent camouflage
-flippers
-bubble wrap
-ruler

Lesson Format : What Teachers Do/Say

Motivational Hook/engagement/introduction (10 min)
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/echo07.sci.life.coast.climate/arc
tic-climate-perspectives/
We will be starting off with a video on climate change: the impacts it has
on Inuit peoples way of life in the Arctic, in Alaska particularly. We will focus
on rising sea levels, and melting glaciers. (Katie)

Introduce the ongoing side experiment with the bucket and the ice+
lamp- what global warming does to the ice and ecosystem of the polar bear
(Katie)

Activity/Explanation - Person dress up like a polar bear activity (Irene)

Questions to ask the students:

Info for discussion:
https://phys.org/news/2015-10-climate-inuit-culture-thin-ice.html
(Taylor)

During /working on it/action (Hands on) (20 min)

-Split into groups

-Have groups follow a list of mathematical directions in order to find their
instructional sheets (Everyone)
-Break up into three groups to fill out table (compare and contrast the
effects climate change has on our environment in comparison with the one
from the video)
-create and propose a solution for rising sea level, or a new approach to
maintain a sustainable life for the Northern peoples. Different ways to
approach survival, as traditional ways are not coherent with climate
change. How might they hunt? etc.
Teacher will circulate and monitor each groups productivity and assist
wherever needed.
-Each group will have a specific focus:
1. Species shifts (Irene) - (Sheet and write up as well as package
for the station)
2. Fisheries effects (Katie)
3. Home/shelter construction (Taylor) (Sheet and write up as well
as package for the station)

Each group will be responsible for discussing/reflecting on these areas in

relation to climate change and the effects it has on Indigenous populations,
and possible solutions.

After: Consolidation : Reflect and Connect (25 min)

Ask the polar bear person how they feel + other questions
 (Irene)
Have groups share their thoughts with the other groups (class
discussion)
Check the ice bucket (Katie) - student measure the difference
Exit slip (Irene)
Graph (Taylor)

Extension Activities/Next Steps

Group presentation
Creative piece - compose a creative piece of art that informs
about the risks of climate change and impact on a species
Poster project

Special Education Notes: Differentiated Instruction

considerations/accommodations/ assessment
Auditory - Group discussions facilitated by oral communication
Multimedia - video component, descriptive english for accessibility
accommodations
Visual - powerpoint to follow along with lesson content
Group work & small group coaching with teachers
Kinesthetic activities - dynamic, hands on, multiple learning styles, if there
is a student with a physical disability, the navigational activity could be
adjusted to to meet the needs of the groups.

Cross Curricular Links: Oral, Reading, Writing, Media, Social Studies,

Science, Math, Visual Arts, Drama, Music, PE&H, (circle)
Geography: Navigation, working as a team to find task based on assigned
hints
Math: Navigation (angles), predictions, estimation, probability with the ice
bucket
Science: climate change
Drama: Polar bear costume

Lesson Reflection: Teacher and Lesson

See group debrief