Objectives:
- students will understand what climate change is and how it affects our lives
- students will research the causes, evidence, and impacts associated with climate change including the greenhouse effect and what events are causing an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
- students will become aware of how their own actions are contributing to global climate change
Lessons:
Lesson 1 - What is Global Climate Change
- Show students the PBS video "Climate Change"
- Discuss the following questions
- What is the difference between weather and climate?
- How do scientists measure the average world temperature in past eons?
Lesson 2 - Greenhouse Gases
- Provide each lab group with the following: 3 thermometers, 2 glass jars that fit over the thermometers, paper towels
- Students should place the three thermometers next to each other in the sun, covering two of them with a glass jar. One of the glass jars should contain a wet paper towel (simulating water vapor, a greenhouse gas, in the atmosphere). Students should record the starting temperature and take temperature readings every five minutes.
- Have students compare the temperatures outside the jars with the temperatures inside of the jars
- Show students the video "Global Warming - The Physics of the Greenhouse Effect" and discuss the following questions
- What is the greenhouse effect?
- What are four naturally occurring greenhouse gases?
- What would Earth be like without the greenhouse effect?
- What are some manmade sources of greenhouse gases other than power plants and automobiles?
- What natural phenomena produce greenhouse gases?
Lesson 3 - The Greenhouse Effect
- Show students the video "Global Warming: Carbon Dioxide and the Greenhouse Effect" and discuss the following:
- Why does the image of the scientist fade after carbon dioxide has been turned on? How does this explain the greenhouse effect?
- What would the scientist feel like if he were inside the tube? How does this explain the effect of carbon dioxide on the temperature of the atmosphere?
- How long does it take for carbon dioxide to spread throughout Earth's atmosphere? How long does it take to be absorbed into the oceans?
Lesson 4 - Human Contribution to Global Warming
- Show students the "Snapshot of U.S. Energy Use" video and discuss the following:
- What are some of the energy sources used to meet humans' ever-increasing demand for power?
- What are some ways that we release CO2 into the atmosphere every day?
- On the average, each person in the United States produces over 20 tons of CO2 each year; collectively, this country produces 25 percent of all CO2 released into the atmosphere worldwide. Should the United States reduce its energy use? Why or why not? How much of the personal 20 tons per year is due to automobile usage?
- Have students complete the "Family CO2 Contribution worksheet" for homework with their parents and then answer the following questions
- How much CO2 does your family contribute to the atmosphere in a year? How does this compare to the 20 tons produced on average by each person in the U.S.? (Keep in mind that you are comparing family usage to individual usage. You may want to first calculate how much each person in your family uses on average, then compare it to the national figure.)
- How might you and your family reduce the amount of CO2 that you generate? Note: Students may focus on the type of car(s) that their family owns — a factor that is often out of their control. Help them move toward other ideas, such as carpooling (dividing the family mileage by the number of people in the carpool), making fewer trips to the grocery store, walking, etc.
- If time allows, asks students to calculate how much their ideas from (b) could reduce the amount of CO2 their family generates.
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