Term: 1

Unit: 1
Grade: 6
Date: December 17, 2018.
Duration: 1 day
Subject: Science
Instructional Duration: 60mins
Unit Title: Environment
Focus question: (2) How do environmental problems affect us?
Theme: Living things, Life Processes and the Environment

Attainment Target: Recognize the variety of living things, their interdependence and
their inter-relationship with the environment.

Prerequisite knowledge: Students should have knowledge of:

 Understand what climate and weather is.

Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

 Provide specific examples of the differences between weather and climate in
a writing activity.
 Identify the condition as weather or climate.
 Formulate a simple working definition of climate change.
 Use evidence from everyday local/regional/international situations to explain
the effects of climate change on humans.
 Explore ways of reducing factors that cause climate change.

Attitude/Skills: Communicate, think critically (compare, define operationally),

collaborate, analyze, evaluate, Observe, Collaborate

Vocabulary: climate change, factors, reducing, effects, mitigate, adapt

Materials/Resources:
 Tablets
 Internet access
 Kahoot app
 MindMeister app
 speaker
 Articles- Effects of climate change seen across Jamaica
Get the Facts – Climate Change and its Effect on Jamaica
 Song- “Take Aim at Climate”
 Pictures for discussion
Content:

Climate is defined as an area's long-term weather patterns. The simplest way to

describe climate is to look at average temperature and precipitation over time.
Other useful elements for describing climate include the type and the timing of
precipitation, amount of sunshine, average wind speeds and directions, number of
days above freezing, weather extremes, and local geography.

Climate change affects more than just a change in the weather; it refers to seasonal
changes over a long period of time. These climate patterns play a fundamental role
in shaping natural ecosystems, and the human economies and cultures that
depend on them.

Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can affect many
related aspects of where and how people, plants and animals live, such as food
production, availability and use of water, and health risks.

For example, a change in the usual timing of rains or temperatures can affect when
plants bloom and set fruit, when insects hatch or when streams are their fullest. This
can affect historically synchronized pollination of crops, food for migrating birds,
spawning of fish, water supplies for drinking and irrigation, forest health, and more.

Source: Department of Ecology – State of Washington (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/whatis.htm)

Procedures/Activities:

Engage
Capture student attention, activate student prior knowledge, stimulate thinking, raise key questions, etc. 1
Activating Prior Knowledge-
 Display the following for the students: The British geographer Andrew John
Herbertson once wrote: “Climate is what on average we may expect. Weather is
what we actually get.”
 Have students turn and talk with a partner about what they think this quote means.
Tell them to be ready to share one of their thoughts with the class.
 Let a few students share out their thoughts.
 Exit Activity-students will work in groups of 4-5 to use their tablets and play a game on
Kahoot where they will identify whether statements refer to weather or climate.
https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/84f048f9-fc41-4dac-8675-83b8a046ad53

Explore
Allow students to observe, record data, isolate variables, design and plan investigations, create graphs, interpret results, develop hypotheses, and organize
their findings.
 Ask students to research and type some ideas they have for ways to help the
environment. After a few minutes, have them report their ideas to the class by
recording a video while doing a role play as a news cast team . Some ideas may
include:
 Walk or ride your bike when possible.
 Turn off the TV, radio, computer and other electronics when not in use.
 Recycle.
 Buy recycled products.
 Plant a tree.
  Avoid buying products with a lot of packaging.
 Turn the heat and air conditioning down; just a couple of degrees can make
a big difference.
 Replace light bulbs with energy efficient CFLs that use 60% less energy.
 Question/Answer: Ask the students a question and instruct them to raise their hands
to respond; discuss their answers as a class:
Can anyone think of other ways that a warmer planet may affect us besides just having
hotter temperatures? (Possible answers: More rainfall in some areas, drought in some
areas, heavier storms, higher sea levels, crops that no longer grow in certain locations,
changes in our ecosystems, etc.)
 Write on the board "Climate Change--Natural or Man Made?" students will then log
on to a website named “MindMeister” to have a discussion about what they think
about the question.
 In groups, students will brainstorm the term ‘climate change’. Write a simple
working definition of climate change and then share it on the website for other
groups to view it. (Teacher will guide students in formulating definition for climate
change)
(Climate change is a change in the pattern of weather, and related changes in oceans,
land surfaces and ice sheets, occurring over time scales of decades or longer.)
 In groups student will read the article Effects of climate change seen across Jamaica,
published on October 8, 2015 in the Jamaica Gleaner. The article will be divided into
parts which will be given to the different groups.
 Teacher will create a Kahoot with the following questions that are related to the
online article read and have students play a game to match the questions to the
answers about climate change.
1. What is climate change?
2. What is the ‘greenhouse effect?’
3. What is the evidence of global warming?
4. How will the weather change?
5. What is the international community doing?
6. How does life in Jamaica depend on climate?
7. How have we as humans impacted the earth’s climate?
8. What are the consequences of the earth’s changing climate?
9. What can we, as responsible citizens, do to help reduce the effects of the earth’s
changing climate?
Explain
Introduce laws, models, theories, and vocabulary. Guide students toward coherent generalizations, and help students understand and use scientific
vocabulary to explain the results of their explorations

Think-Pair-Share
 Students will be presented with the following pictures and will be asked to tell what
they believe is happening.
  Teacher Explanation
should include that
the Arctic sea ice is smallest every September, after warming and melting the ice all
summer (June to September). It is declining 13.3% per decade. The Arctic ice could
melt completely by 2080.
 Give students time to observe the two graphs. Ask the class to describe to their
partner what is happening over time in the two graphs. Then, discuss as a class.

 Teacher Explanation should include that there is a connection between increasing

carbon emissions and increasing global temperatures over time. Because carbon has
a warming effect, the global temperatures show a trend of increasing.
 Students will then create a mind map on MindMeister to express their
understanding of the images.
Elaborate/Extend
Provide students an opportunity to apply their knowledge to new domains, raise new questions, and explore new hypotheses. May also include related
problems for students to solve.
 Students will then view a video on the effects of climate change “Take Aim at
Climate” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08z-Hw7s54E).
 From the song student will get addition knowledge on climate change, the
implication of climate change and how we as a nation can reduce it.

Evaluate
Administer formative assessment (although checking for understanding should be done throughout the lesson)
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
 Complete exit activity identifying weather/climate and responses will show student
understanding.
 Cite evidence about how climate change affects us
 Apply the concept of climate change to explain its occurrence in other contexts
 Work in groups to provide support to varying learning levels.
 Develop an Informational Advertisement providing information climate change.
 Student will perform a skit, dub or song on how to reduce climate change
Informational Campaign Rubric

Trait Unacceptable Acceptable (1) Excellent (2) Score

(0)
Causes of Has a vague Identifies at Identifies more
Climate idea of what the least 1 cause of than 1 cause of
Change causes of climate change climate change
climate change but has little to and explains
are or does not no explanation details about
include in the of what the the causes of
campaign. cause means. climate change.
Preventing Has a vague Identifies at Identifies more
Climate idea of how to least 1 way to than 1 way to
Change prevent climate prevent climate prevent climate
change or does change but has change and
not include in little to no explains details
the campaign. explanation of about the
the preventative
preventative steps.
steps.
Effects of Has a vague Identifies at Identifies more
Climate idea of what the least 1 effect of than 1 effect of
Change effects of climate change climate change
climate change but has little to and explains
are or does not no explanation details about
include in the of what the the effects of
campaign. effect means. climate change.
Stays within the time limit? Total

Yes – (1)

No—(0)
out of 7
Get the Facts – Climate Change and its Effect on Jamaica
May 18, 2018
Climate change refers to the negative variation in the global atmospheric conditions caused
primarily by the burning of oil, coal and gas to produce energy for homes, businesses and
transportation. These activities produce greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane
and nitrous oxide. The gases trap heat and cause typical atmospheric conditions to become
extreme.

Within the last few years, the effects of climate change on Jamaica has become more apparent.
However, the Government of Jamaica, through its various Ministries and Departments, has
implemented measures to help with climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Below are some of the ways in which climate change has affected Jamaica:

• More severe hurricanes

• Increase in heavy rainfall
• Longer periods of drought
• Erosion of the shoreline

Some strategies that can assist in building resilience include:

• Better management of water resources

• Adopting sustainable farming practices
• Implementation of water harvesting resources
• Planting crops that can withstand erratic weather conditions
• Practising proper disposal of garbage

At the policy level the Government also:

• Signed to the Paris Agreement, which seeks to guide the treatment of climate change by
limiting the rise of the global temperature below 2 ̊ Celsius
• Became a party to the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change which seeks
to regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Implemented a Climate Change Focal Point Network (CCFPN) – a network which is comprised
of representatives of over 27 Ministries and Agencies who are tasked with mobilising resources
through the Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation

• Partnered with the agencies, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
the Japan- Climate Change Programme to create Mitigation Actions
• Supported the School Garden’s Pilot Project in the implementation of drip irrigation systems,
and the regeneration of school gardens
• Supported the rehabilitation of the Montego Bay Breakwater Structures.

Published on: Jamaica Information Service (JIS)

Source URL: https://jis.gov.jm/information/get-the-facts/get-the-facts-climate-change-and-its-

effect-on-jamaica/
Published on Jamaica Gleaner (http://jamaica-gleaner.com)
Home > Effects of climate change seen across Jamaica

Published:Thursday | October 8, 2015 | 12:00 AMJodi-Ann Gilpin [1]

As a child, Joan Buchanan always anticipated the summer holidays, when she would
accompany her parents to the farm to reap a range of crops which would be flourishing after
the May/June rains.

She still recalls the joy of going from tree to tree, sampling and reaping seasonal fruits and
ground provisions such as mango, Otaheite apple, plantain, cassava, and callaloo, among
others.

Now 59 years old, Joan has picked up where her parents left off and now uses the trade to
provide for her family. However, the trees have become frugal in their offerings and the
bountiful summer harvest she could anticipate is a thing of the past. This year was no normal
summer. In fact, the season hasn't been normal for the past two years.

In an interview with The Gleaner, the resident of Seaforth, St Thomas, lamented the
devastating effects a prolonged drought has been having on her livelihood. By extension, the
drought is one of several climate-change consequences being experienced by Jamaica.

"The water shortage and the drought have been taking a toll on me. Right now, there is
nothing much on my farm - just some plantains, which, for the most part, break in the middle
because they are not able to grow. I can hardly provide for my family. I have to be trying
really hard to survive," the mother of five disclosed.

"I remember the days when we didn't have to worry much about crops because we had
water and there was adequate rainfall. This (farming) is what my parents used to send me to
school and (as) an adult, I also do it full time and this is the worst I have seen it," Joan
admitted.

A number of small-island developing states, including Jamaica, have been reeling from what
has been described as the worst drought in five years. This has been largely linked to the
strong El Nino phenomenon (warming of surface waters). The last two years have also been
the hottest on record, the effects of which Joan and other farmers have been struggling to
cope with, as well as to understand.

"I don't know where this heat comes from, but the time is so hot! Sometimes I feel as if my
breath is going to stop. The heat is also very bad for some crops because at this time of the
year, I would be reaping sorrel to sell, but things have changed," she told The Gleaner.

As with other countries, the adverse effects of climate change are being manifested offshore
as well, and fisherman Donald Gayle has noted some drastic changes in his work
environment - the sea.

For more than 40 years, the 56-year-old resident of Endfield, St Mary, has earned his living
by spearfishing and, in addition to serious degradation of several beaches in the parish, the
veteran fisherman has seen some things which give him cause for concern.

"When I used to dive in the sea and see the beautiful reefs, it was literally a joy. There were
lots of fishes, too, and fishing was very viable. However, we had storm in the 1980s and
since that time, things went downhill. In my estimation, the sea now looks like when a house
is destroyed," he told The Gleaner.

"We have some reefs trying to grow now, but because it doesn't have the support of bigger
reefs, they eventually break, especially if the intensity of the wave is strong. The beaches
are also eroding rapidly. When I was growing up, the beaches were fun, recreational areas,
but that is no more," Gayle said.

NEEDTO ACT

Those changes on land and in the marine environment are indicators from nature about the
urgency with which Jamaican needs to act, to start remedying, even in part, the far-reaching
and devastating impact of climate change.

Professor Michael Taylor puts into perspective the need to act decisively and quickly to get
the process of building Jamaica's resilience to climate change in a structured, sustainable
way.

"As a country, we are at a critical point and we are seeing how climate-change impacts can
derail our quality of life, goals and our goals of becoming a First-World country. When
hurricanes reach the Caribbean, they are no less than category four and five," disclosed the
climate-change expert and head of the Climate Studies Group at the University of the West
Indies (UWI).

"We are seeing longer events as well, which means instead of two- to three-month droughts,
we are now battling with eight months or longer, and if nothing is done now, the magnitude
and frequency of these events will only increase," he warned, going on to highlight a number
of poor environmental practices which have been compounding the effects of climate
change.

"When we look at the number of persons building on riverbanks, how we deal (with) and
dispose of our waste, in addition to the destruction of watersheds, all of these practices can
be detrimental," he continued.

"We have to recognise that we are a resource-constrained country, which is why it is even
more important that urgent actions are taken. We don't have the resources to keep
recovering."

The issue of resource constraint was reflected in a study done by the Planning Institute of
Jamaica, which highlighted that between 2001 and 2012, Jamaica experienced 11 storms,
including five major hurricanes and flood events. The combined events resulted in loss and
damage amounting to J$122 billion. In addition, approximately 60 per cent of the population
reside in coastal towns and communities located within five kilometres of the coastline.

As such, the professor is pleading for urgent action.

Meanwhile, for director at the Mona GeoInformatics Institute at the UWI, Dr Parris Lyew
Ayee, Jamaica is ignoring the call to action at its own peril.

"This is the new normal, and we have to adapt to this," he charged.

"Will you ever go back to being four feet tall the way you were in third grade? Climate
change is not weather change, so what we call drought now will simply be a longer (period
of) what we used to call dry season," he said.

Continued inaction, he believes, will be costly.

"We will have to incorporate engineering designs that address sea level rise the same way
we incorporate designs in our construction to mitigate earthquakes and hurricanes," he
added.

Such action cannot come soon enough for farmers like Joan, whose livelihoods are under
serious threat.

"I didn't know much about climate change, but I have enough evidence to know that it is
real," she said.

jodi-ann.gilpin@gleanerjm.com [2]

Source URL: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20151008/effects-climate-change-

seen-across-jamaica

Links
[1] http://jamaica-gleaner.com/authors/jodi-ann-gilpin
[2] mailto:jodi-ann.gilpin@gleanerjm.com