Global Climate Change

Module 3 Lesson 1

LESSON 1: IS THE EARTHS CLIMATE CHANGING? OVERVIEW:

The main purpose of this lesson is to introduce the concept of climate change and to reexamine the earth as an energy system. The lesson begins by students watching short video clips with different perspectives on global climate change. The class then discusses whether or not they believe the climate is changing and what would count as evidence of climate change. Finally, the class analyzes temperature data from the past 120 years and then the past 1000 years that illustrates how the climate has become warmer over time. In the next lesson, students will explore why that climate change is occurring.

SUB-QUESTION:
Is the earths climate changing?

WAYS OF KNOWING URBAN ECOLOGY:

Understanding Students will understand that
the earth as a large energy system that consists of inputs and outputs with the sun being the major external source of energy climate change as a systematic change in the long-term characteristics of weather patterns (such as temperature, precipitation, pressure, or winds) sustained over several decades or longer. Students will write and present an argument using evidence for whether or not the earths climate has changed. Students will analyze data which illustrates that the global climate is becoming warmer because of changes that have occurred in the energy system. No specific goals connected with acting on urban ecology in this lesson.

Talking Doing Acting

SAFETY GUIDELINES
No specific safety issues are associated with this lesson.

PREPARATION:
Time: 1 -2 class periods Materials: Activity 1.1 1. computer with projector 2. Video clips from youtube.com either through internet or from cd If you use the clips on the CD, you may need to download VLC media player to watch them - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ 1

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Module 3 Lesson 1

3. Optional - Guide for Writing the Argument Activity 1.2 For each student: LCD Earth_Energy_System.ppt slide Activity 1.3: For each student: Student investigation sheets with global climate change data Reflections: Student notebooks

INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE
Activity 1.1: Discussion Is the earths climate changing? 1. Tell students that you are going to show them two short videos that provide different perspectives on whether or not the climate is changing. After watching the videos, the students are going to write their own argument for whether or not they believe the climate is changing. Before continuing, it may be necessary to review the basic elements of a scientific argument. A supplementary sheet has been provided to scaffold students in the process if they have not had sufficient practice writing in this type of genre. Teacher Background Information Scientific Argument. Science is about constructing arguments while considering and debating multiple explanations for phenomena. This is a core practice of what scientists do, but it is also important for students to learn. Students need to understand arguments that are presented in the mass media through text and video in order to make informed decisions. One way to help students become more critical of arguments presented to them is to have them write their own scientific arguments where they support the claim that they are making with appropriate evidence and reasoning that articulates why the evidence supports the claim. 2. Show students the following video clips about global warming from youtube.com: o Clip #1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJTDSEPSfhk (6:29 min stop at 3:10) created by an individual in England pulling from sources such as the Discovery channel and the Environmental Defense. o Clip #2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq_Bj-av3g0 (1:00min) created by the Competitive Enterprise Institute ***These videos are meant to stimulate discussion. They are not intended to be viewed as sources of factual information that students should memorize. Converting Youtube files www.Zamzar.com- In those schools where access to youtube is denied due to internet

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Module 3 Lesson 1

restrictions, teachers can convert these video files at this website. By pasting the youtube video http: address into the window and designating the new format to which it should be converted, zamar will convert and than email you the file. 3. Have students write their argument for whether or not they believe the climate is changing. o The purpose of this writing assignment is to get students thinking about this issue which they will be exploring over the module and to determine what they see as counting as evidence for this argument. Students should use information from their prior knowledge, personal experience and also the video clips, if they choose. 4. Have students share their arguments. You may have a couple of students read them for the class. While students are sharing their arguments, you may want to create a T-chart on the board with one side having evidence for climate change and the other side including evidence against climate change. Tossing back student responses for further comments by other students is important. Questions that might help discussion are o What do you think about what Maria said? o Do you think there are limitations to that evidence? o Is the evidence presented by Joe convincing? Why or why not? o Are there other reasons why that might be happening? This is a good point at which students can be encouraged to question the limitations of data and measurements in science. 5. After summarizing the overall points that students made during the discussion, ask students what other data they would want to build a stronger argument for whether or not climate change is occurring. 6. (Optional) At the end of this activity, you may also want to have students critically analyze the video clips in discussion. Key questions could be: What are the biases/ assumptions associated with these video clips? Who might be interested in producing these different types of media (individuals/organizations)? Teacher Background Information Critical Consumers of Media. There are different strategies for helping students to become critical consumers of information that they find on the web. This article provides three different strategies http://novemberlearning.com/default.aspx?tabid=159&type=art&site=19&parenti d=18 - 1. Purpose why was the website/video created? What is it trying to do? 2. Author Who created the webpage/video? What are their credentials? 3. Meta-Web Information Is the website sponsored by a particular institution? Who references the website? The article discussed each of these strategies in more detail. Activity 1.2: Climate Change and Energy 1. Ask students about the relationship between energy and climate change. Where does the energy come from? How does it impact the climate?

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Module 3 Lesson 1

o The sun is the major source of energy for the earth. o Some of the suns energy is radiated back into space while much of the energy is trapped by the gases in the atmosphere and warms the earths surface. 2. Show students the PowerPoint slide with the image of the sun and earths energy system. Ask students what would have to happen for the temperature of the earth to increase? (more energy from the sun or more gases in the atmosphere to trap the heat) What would have to happen for the temperature of the earth to decrease? (less energy from the sun or fewer gases in the atmosphere to trap heat). 3. Finally give students the following ideas relating to climate change. o Climate change is a systematic change in the long-term characteristics of weather patterns (such as temperature, precipitation, pressure, or winds) sustained over several decades or longer. o Evidence of climate change would be long term data such as temperature weather patterns or precipitation that shows change over time. Activity 1.3: Examining Global Climate Data 1. Introduce Activity 1.3 o Tell students they are going to analyze data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The data shows the temperature of the earth over different time spans. o You may want to go over each of the graphs as a class. 2. Students Complete Activity 1.3 o Have students work in groups using the student sheet as a guide to analyze the climate change data. Teacher Background Information More information about climate change can be found at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html 3. Discussion of Activity 1.3 o Discuss as a class students responses to the three questions about the NOAA data and what other data they would want to determine whether or not global warming is occurring. o You may want to discuss the differences between direct evidence, such as temperature and precipitation data that are characteristics of the climate, versus indirect evidence, such as snow cover and glacier recession data that are a result of the changes in climate.

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Concluding the Lesson o As an end of the class reflection, have students consider the following questions, in either discussion or writing: Why do students think climate change/global warming is such a contentious issue? Why can you find so many different videos, web pages, etc. that present climate change as either fact or fiction?

Global Climate Change Name: _________________________________ Date: _________

Module 3 Lesson 1 Class/Period:________

Lesson 1.1: Is the earths climate changing? 1. Write an argument for whether or not the earths climate is changing. Is global warming occurring? Provide evidence for your claim and provide your reasoning for why that evidence supports the claim. Your argument should contain three elements: Claim (State whether you believe climate change is or is not occurring.) Evidence (State the data or observations that you are supporting your claim.) Reasoning (Explain why your evidence supports your claim. Describe how those data or observations convince you that your claim is correct.)

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Lesson 1.3

Name: __________________________ Period/Class: __________________ Date:__________ Lesson 1.3: Is the earths climate changing? Purpose In this activity you will analyze data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to determine whether or not global warming is occurring.

Figure 1: Variation from Mean Temperature, 1880-2001

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globtemp.html

1. The zero line in Figure 1 above represents the long term mean temperature from 18802001. The bars show annual departures from the mean. What is the overall trend for temperature over time for land and ocean? Do you think this provides convincing evidence of global warming? Why or why not?

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Figure 2: Variation from Mean Temperature, 1000-1999

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/globalwarming/ipcc20.gif

2. Modern instrumentation has only been used to collect data since 1902. Many natural phenomena are influenced by the climate. By collecting data from glaciers, lake bottom sediments, tree rings and other phenomena, scientists can estimate the temperature of the earth. Examine Figure 2. What is the overall trend for temperature over time? Do you think this provides convincing evidence of global warming? Why or why not? Are there any other possible scientific explanations for this data?

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Lesson 1.3 3. Do you think these two graphs are convincing data that global warming is occurring? Is there other data that you think would be important to prove whether or not global warming is occurring? If yes, describe that data.

4. Many ecologists would consider global warming or climate change to be major drivers or forces that influence ecosystems. What relationship do you think climate change has to presses and pulses? Explain your answer.

Global Climate Change Name: _________Teacher_________________ Date: _________

Module 3 Lesson 1 Class/Period:________

Lesson 1.1: Is the earths climate changing? 1. Write an argument for whether or not the earths climate is changing. Is global warming occurring? Provide evidence for your claim and provide your reasoning for why that evidence supports the claim. Your argument should contain three elements: Claim (State whether you believe climate change is or is not occurring.) Evidence (State the data or observations that you are supporting your claim.) Reasoning (Explain why your evidence supports your claim. Describe how those data or observations convince you that your claim is correct.)

Student Examples: Based on the data presented in the two videos, below are examples of two different arguments that students could write: Argument #1 For Global Warming Global warming is occurring. There are multiple pieces of scientific evidence that support this. The 10 hottest years on record have all been within the last 25 years. Throughout the world, glaciers are melting and there is less ice than there was 50 or 100 years ago (e.g. Switzerland, U.S., Italy, Africa, Argentina). Artic ice has diminished by 40% in 40 years. The temperature increase and the other changes to the environment prove that the climate is changing. Argument #2 Against Global Warming Global warming is not occurring. The climate is not changing. Greenlands glaciers are growing. The Antarctic ice sheet is getting thicker. Carbon dioxide is a natural gas that is important for life. Since carbon dioxide is natural and the ice is not melting, that provides evidence that global warming is not occurring. Discussion Points You may want to talk to your class about how the evidence presented in the videos is different. The for global warming video provides both direct (e.g. 10 hottest years) and indirect evidence (e.g. glaciers melting, artic ice melting) for their claim. The video against global warming focuses more on providing rebuttals for why the indirect evidence for global warming is invalid and how carbon dioxide is natural (e.g. we breathe it out) suggesting that it then does not have a negative impact on the environment.

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Lesson 1.3

Name: __________________________ Period/Class: __________________ Date:__________ Lesson 1.3: Is the earths climate changing? Purpose In this activity you will analyze data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to determine whether or not global warming is occurring.

Figure 1: Variation from Mean Temperature, 1880-2001

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globtemp.html

1. The zero line in Figure 1 above represents the long term mean temperature from 18802001. The bars show annual departures from the mean. What is the overall trend for temperature over time for land and ocean? Do you think this provides convincing evidence of global warming? Why or why not?

The temperature over land and water has increased over the last 120 years. The hottest temperatures have all been in the last 25 years. This does provide evidence of global warming. While the temperature change is not large (about two degrees), the trend is clearly increasing.

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Figure 2: Variation from Mean Temperature, 1000-1999

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/globalwarming/ipcc20.gif

2. Modern instrumentation has only been used to collect data since 1902. Many natural phenomena are influenced by the climate. By collecting data from glaciers, lake bottom sediments, tree rings and other phenomena, scientists can estimate the temperature of the earth. Examine Figure 2. What is the overall trend for temperature over time? Do you think this provides convincing evidence of global warming? Why or why not? Are there any other possible scientific explanations for this data?

Over the past 1,000 years the temperature was relatively the same with a slight negative slope (Colder) until about 100 years ago. In the past 100 years, the temperature has been increasing. I do think this is convincing evidence, though there is some variation over time, the overall trend is that the temperature has increased in the last 100 years. For other possible explanations, this question can be used to address common misconceptions about the earth receiving more solar energy, seasonal fluctuations affecting overall temperature patterns, the ozone hole letting in more solar energy, or changes in the earths orbit.

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3. Do you think these two graphs are convincing data that global warming is occurring? Is there other data that you think would be important to prove whether or not global warming is occurring? If yes, describe that data. Answers may vary. Example: I do think these are convincing data. Having more data into the future would also be important to continue to watch what happens to the trend.

4. Many ecologists would consider global warming or climate change to be major drivers or forces that influence ecosystems. What relationship do you think climate change has to presses and pulses? Explain your answer. Students should refer back to the definitions of presses and pulses. A press is a long term force that influences ecosystems. Because climate change is occurring over many years, it can be viewed as a press if one considers that higher temperatures are being experienced by many ecosystems around the world. A pulse is a short term force that influences ecosystems. Because climate change is associated with more hurricanes and more droughts, it can also be seen within the context of pulses indirectly. The droughts and hurricanes last for a relatively short amount of time, however they can leave lasting consequences.