Download Climate - Discovery Education

Climate
from the Weather Smart Series
written and produced by...
Alan Sealls, Meteorologist
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Weather Smart: Climate
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Curriculum Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Program Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Series Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Teacher Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Instructional Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Pre-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Student Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Student Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Introducing the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Blackline Master Activities . . . . . . . . . . .7
Extended Learning Activities . . . . . . . . .7
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Reference Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Script of Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
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CLIMATE. This right is restricted only for use with this program.
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CLIMATE
from
the Weather Smart Series
INTRODUCTION
Weather Smart is a series comprised of 10 weather programs for grades 3-8. It is written and produced by Alan
Sealls, an award-winning meteorologist who has worked
for WGN-TV, and CNN. Each program is supported by
exercises, quizzes, Internet references, and hands-on
experiments to make the weather come alive to students.
The series is an entire "course" in the wonders of weather while each program stands alone in approaching the
various facets of meteorology. These delightful and entertaining programs are geared toward kids' fascination with
weather. Each program may be used as an introduction,
supplement, or follow-up to weather studies.
Weather Smart: Climate addresses some of the most
common questions about our environment in recent
years. What is climate and the Greenhouse Effect? Is
Global Warming really happening? Is El Niño new?
Students are taught how climate differs from weather as
they gain perspective of changes in Earth's history and
how humans may play a role.
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
Weather Smart: Climate correlates to the following science standards:
National Science Education Standards, grades K-4
Science as Inquiry
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understanding about scientific inquiry
Physical Science
CONTENT STANDARD B:
• Properties of objects and materials
• Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism
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Life Science
CONTENT STANDARD C:
• The characteristics of organisms
Earth and Space Science
CONTENT STANDARD D:
• Properties of earth materials
• Objects in the sky
• Changes in earth and sky
Science and Technology
CONTENT STANDARD E:
• Abilities of technological design
• Understanding about science and technology
• Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans
Science in Personal & Social Perspectives
CONTENT STANDARD F:
• Types of resources
• Changes in environments
• Science and technology in local challenges
History and Nature of Science
CONTENT STANDARD G:
• Science as a human endeavor
National Science Education Standards, grades 5-8
Science as Inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD A:
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understanding about scientific inquiry
Physical Science
CONTENT STANDARD B:
• Properties and changes of properties in matter
• Transfer of energy
Life Science
CONTENT STANDARD C:
• Populations and ecosystems
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Earth and Space Science
CONTENT STANDARD D:
• Structure of the earth system
• Earth's history
• Earth in the solar system
Science and Technology
CONTENT STANDARD E:
• Abilities of technological design
• Understanding about science and technology
Science in Personal & Social Perspectives
CONTENT STANDARD F:
• Natural hazards
• Risks and benefits
• Science and technology in society
History and Nature of Science
CONTENT STANDARD G:
• Science as a human endeavor
• Nature of science
PROGRAM SUMMARY
We define climate and look at its controlling factors.
Students see how climatologists determine what the climate was in centuries past, and how that is used to determine change. Climate change is shown to be a regular
cycle of the Earth; however, the ways in which humans
likely influence climate are also presented along with tips
for things each of us can do to not contribute to climate
change.
A portion of Climate examines El Niño and La Niña, and
presents both their positive and negative effects. Easy
experiments that students can duplicate are shown. At the
program conclusion, a true/false Video Quiz helps to
assess student learning.
SERIES GOALS
The Weather Smart series will give students the entire
scope of meteorology, fostering an appreciation for
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weather as a universal, ever-present aspect of life on
Earth.
• Varying combinations of heat, air, and water generate
weather.
• The sun is the driving force behind weather.
• Air and water have unique properties.
• Neither Earth nor life would exist as we know them without weather.
• Humans can affect weather or climate.
• Weather forecasts make our lives easier and safer.
• Tools and instruments help us to understand and predict
weather.
• Mathematics is needed to assess and forecast weather
and climate.
• Scientists do not fully know what makes weather and
climate change.
• Weather and climate are cyclical.
• There is beauty in the sky.
• Meteorology is a wide-reaching profession.
TEACHER PREPARATION
Duplicate a sufficient quantity of the Blackline Masters for
your students. In order to undertake all of the exercises in
this program, the following items are needed in appropriate amounts and quantities:
computer with Internet connection
light and dark construction paper
small stones
standard room thermometer
round dial thermometer with plastic face
zipper lock bag
child sleeping in bed!
INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES
Before presenting Weather Smart: Climate to your students, we suggest you preview the program and review
this guide and accompanying Blackline Master activities
in order to familiarize yourself with their content.
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As you review the materials presented in this guide, you
may find it necessary to make changes, additions, or
deletions to meet the specific needs of your class. We
encourage you to do so, for only by tailoring this program
to your students will they obtain the maximum instructional benefits afforded by the materials.
We also suggest that the program viewing take place
before the entire group under your supervision. The lesson activities grow out of the context of the program;
therefore, the presentation should be a common experience for all students.
PRE-TEST
To gauge student level of understanding of climate, you
may use any of several of the Blackline Masters as both
pre-test and post-test. Those most appropriate would be
Blackline Master 1, Video Quiz, Blackline Master 3,
Discussion Questions, and Blackline Master 5, Finish
the Sentence.
STUDENT PREPARATION
Have students query older relatives on what the weather
was like when they were kids. Invite students who may be
from other regions to describe typical weather where they
used to live. Relate any personal story you have of weather in another area or time that is unlike the weather that
the kids experience.
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
After viewing the program and participating in the followup activities, students should be able to:
• Describe the differences between weather and climate.
• List the factors that control climate.
• Identify different types of climate.
• List potential causes of climate change.
• Demonstrate how the Earth retains heat.
• Discuss the possible effects of climate change.
• List sources of pollution that might affect climate.
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• Discuss both the negative and positive consequences of
climate change.
• Identify El Niño and La Niña.
INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM
Any of the Blackline Master experiments (numbers 9
through 11) may be used to introduce the topic. Perform
one experiment in front of the class to pique curiosity and
bring about discussion of how it relates to climate. You
may also choose to have any one of these experiments
undertaken by the class, in small groups.
Present the program. Weather Smart: Climate runs 15
minutes. A video quiz corresponding to Blackline Master
1 is at the conclusion of the program. You may choose to
pause the program for a longer period between questions
to allow more time for answers or for discussion.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
As printed on Blackline Master 3, the answers are found
in the Answer Key on page 8.
1. What are the main things that control climate?
2. If the Earth does get warmer, what changes would you
predict?
3. What are some of the things on Earth that change very
slowly?
4. What things do people do that might cause climate to
change?
5. If climate changes, can you think of ways that it might
be good?
6. What do scientists think about the Earth getting
warmer?
7. What things tell us about what the climate was like hundreds of years ago?
8. What things in nature can make climate change quickly?
9. Why do some cities have cold, snowy winters while
other cities never get snow?
10. What would happen if all the ice in glaciers melted?
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BLACKLINE MASTER ACTIVITIES
1. Video Quiz may be used as a pre-test and post-test.
The actual quiz is at the conclusion of the program.
2. Climate Vocabulary Word Search is a fun way to
familiarize students with the words associated with climate and climate change. Students may work in groups
to find the hidden words.
3. Discussion Questions may be administered at any
time or given as a take home assignment.
4. Circle All the Things will get kids thinking about everyday activities that cause pollution and that may influence
climate.
5. Finish the Sentence can be used as a quiz or take
home assignment.
6. Compare the Climate is used with the Blackline
Master 7, Compare the Climate Questions.
7. Compare the Climate Questions makes kids think
through reasons why different regions have different climates.
8. Carbon Dioxide Levels is a graphing exercise showing past climate. The levels come from data recorded in
parts per million (ppm) at Mauna Loa, Hawaii.
9. Light or Dark? is an experiment to illustrate how
objects of differing colors absorb heat differently.
10. Greenhouse in a Bag is an experiment to illustrate
the principles behind a greenhouse. The analogy is to the
Earth's atmosphere trapping heat. It gives hints as to how
global warming may occur.
11. Sleeping Thermometer is an experiment to illustrate
the principles behind global warming.
12. Climate Fun Facts can be used in a quiz show format with the students competing against each other.
13. Internet Sites will keep interested students in the
know on the subjects of climate, El Niño, and La Niña.
EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Contact local businesses or professionals that your class
may be allowed to visit to gain a local perspective on climate. You might also assign students to contact and
arrange a visit or interview.
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• Meteorologists who work at a nearby office of the
National Weather Service or on TV or at a university can
discuss climate.
• Every state has at least one climatologist, typically located at a university. They may just be close enough to you
for a visit.
• Science or history museums may be able to show what
the past climate was for your region.
• Local insurance companies can explain how policies for
weather hazards are based on climate averages.
• City planners can illustrate how the environment may
change by human influences, or by natural changes such
as erosion.
• Farmers can explain how the long-term balance of sun
and rain affects what they grow, and what yields they
expect.
• Architects and construction companies can explain how
buildings are constructed to take advantage of local climate, and to mitigate recurring hazards associated with
your climate.
• Landfills or recycling centers are good places for kids to
see how much waste is generated, and how much we can
do to prevent pollution and climate change.
ANSWER KEY
Video Quiz
1. true
2. true
3. true
4. false
5. true
6. true
7. false
8. true
9. true
10. true
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Climate Vocabulary Word Search
Discussion Questions
1. Climate is controlled by the amount of heat received
from the sun, the proximity to water, and the prevailing
wind pattern. This may also be phrased as the average
angle of the sun, and average length of daylight, which is
defined by latitude.
2. If the Earth gets warmer, some areas will actually get
colder in order to maintain a global balance. Growing
zones would shift. Sea level would rise. Some portion of
glaciers would melt. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes would likely become more numerous and possibly
more intense. Places that are now uninhabitable might
become inhabitable but at a large expense to society.
3. Glaciers, ocean temperatures, the growth of trees, erosion of mountains and canyons, and climate are some of
the things that are slow to change on Earth.
4. People put pollutants in the air, and clear the land of
trees and vegetation, which upsets the balance of our
ecosystem.
5. If climate changes, there may be more freshwater
available if glaciers melt. Very dry regions might get rain
to help farming. Extremely cold places may moderate
some. Extremely hot regions might get more clouds to
keep the temperature cooler.
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6. Most scientists agree that the Earth has warmed in the
last century, and that some amount of the warming is due
to human activity. They believe this will continue in the
foreseeable future.
7. We learn of past climate from air trapped in glaciers,
caves, or in the bottom of swamps; the growth of very old
trees; types of fossils found; and by books, letters, and
diaries written centuries ago.
8. Climate can change quickly by a major volcanic eruption, or by a sudden change in the amount of heat that the
sun sends. It may also change fast if a large meteor
strikes the planet, and raises a lot of dust, or water vapor
into the air.
9. Some cities don't get snow in the winter because the air
does not get cold enough. This is common for cities closer to the Equator. Cities that are close to the North Pole
or South Pole may not get much snow because the air is
so dry that it holds little moisture, or because a mountain
range blocks the moisture from being carried in by the
wind.
10. If all the ice in glaciers melted, sea level would rise
significantly. Even a modest rise of a few feet would
require many people around the world to move out of
flood-prone areas. Erosion would take thousands of
square miles of coastal property. The lack of ice over the
Arctic and Antarctic might then affect weather patterns,
possibly reducing the speed and intensity of storms all
over the globe.
Circle All the Things
gas lawnmowers
burning leaves
factories
school buses
barbecue grills
trucks
burning trash
air conditioners
fueling a gasoline tank
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fireplaces
motorcycles
furnaces
airplanes
cars
using spray paints
motorboats
watching TV
Finish the Sentence
1. glacier
2. ecosystem
3. Niño
4. dioxide
5. energy
6. rainfall
7. fossil
8. ocean
9. prediction
10. recycle
Compare the Climate Questions
1. Miami is too warm for snow.
2. In July, the ocean keeps Miami from getting too hot,
while in Chicago, the air is drier and the days are relatively long, so it gets warm.
3. Even though both cities get about the same amount of
sunlight, Seattle is warmer than Chicago in January
because the air flowing from the Pacific Ocean is moderated by the water. The same ocean air keeps Seattle from
getting very hot in the summer.
4. In addition to being adjacent to a warm ocean, Miami is
warmest in July, and warm air holds more moisture than
cooler air. The prevailing wind produces moist ocean
breezes that carry rain to Miami.
5. Miami has the smallest change in temperature because
the Gulf Stream ocean current that passes Miami moderates the temperature.
6. Chicago has the largest change in temperature because
it is inland. Dry inland air can be very cold in winter and
very hot in summer.
7. Seattle and Chicago are farther north.
8. Miami is farther south.
9. Best climate is a matter of opinion and preference!
10. Miami might get hit by a hurricane.
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Carbon Dioxide Levels
These are values from Mauna Loa, Hawaii. This location
is regarded as a benchmark due to a long accurate record
of carbon dioxide measurements. The value for the year
2000 is estimated based on a trend, as the latest data
was not available as of this writing.
Light or Dark?
The dark paper should be hotter when in the sun since
dark objects absorb more heat from the sun than light
objects. This principle extends to the benefit of wearing
dark clothes in cold climates, and light clothes in warm climates. When in the shade, there should be little difference in temperature between the two pieces of paper
since neither is receiving direct sunlight.
Greenhouse in a Bag
The thermometer outside of the bag heats and cools
faster. The thermometer inside the bag is insulated by air,
which moderates the temperature changes. The principle
of insulation is seen in winter clothing, and in picnic coolers. This experiment tells us that without air, our days
would be blistering hot, and nights would be bitterly cold.
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Sleeping Thermometer
The thermometer under the blankets should have a much
higher reading. Heat generated by a sleeping person is
trapped by the blanket. This illustrates how our atmosphere keeps Earth from losing all of its heat.
Internet Activities
As listed on Blackline Master 13.
Environmental Protection Agency kids climate site
http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/
A fun page with lots of answers to your climate questions.
EPA Recycle City
http://www.epa.gov/kids/recyclecity.htm
Visit Recycle City to get more ideas on how you can help
the Earth's climate stay healthy.
National Climatic Data Center Global Warming FAQ
h t t p : / / w w w. n c d c . n o a a . g o v / o l / c l i m a t e / g l o b a l w a r ming.html
This website answers many questions about Global
Warming, the Greenhouse Effect, and climate change.
U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation
Measurement Program
http://www.arm.gov/docs/education/globwarm/globegin.html
Kids can learn more about Global Warming by meeting
"The Professor."
U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Network
http://www.eren.doe.gov/kids/
Learn ways to save energy from "Doctor E."
As Internet addresses can change, you may have to use
a search engine to find the title of the page or website that
you are seeking. You may also have luck by going to the
host website URL. For example, if you are looking for
http://www.alan.edu/weather/cloud.html and you get a
message that the page is no longer available, then try
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http://www.alan.edu/ and look or search for weather and
then cloud or something that sounds similar.
REFERENCE MATERIAL
Climate Prediction Center
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outreach/ed
ucation.html
Educational materials and fact sheets for teachers
include information on Global Warming and El Niño.
International Panel on Climate Change
http://www.ipcc.ch/
Gather information on current climate change research
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration El Niño
Page
h t t p : / / w w w. p m e l . n o a a . g o v / t o g a - t a o / e l - n i n o / n i n o home.html
Locate basic and advanced information on El Niño.
TOPEX El Niño/La Niña Update
http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/elnino.html
Pictures, movies, slide sets and posters covering El
Niño/La Niña.
National Geophysical Data Center
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/cgibin/wt/hqp/hqTeachers
+U
Teachers can select questions and answers from the
Natural Hazards Quiz Database, take a look at the
Natural Hazards Quiz reference list, and view NGDC
Hazards Photographs.
Comments, suggestions, or questions regarding this
Weather Smart program should be addressed to the producer, Alan Sealls ([email protected]).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sources for Climate Fun Facts include the National
Climatic Data Center (http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/). The
source of carbon dioxide levels is Charles D. Keeling and
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Timothy P. Whorf at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
(http://sio.ucsd.edu).
SCRIPT OF NARRATION
In most places, weather changes everyday and sometimes it changes fast. But there are some things about it
that usually stay the same. Near the North and South
Poles, the temperature is always cold. At the equator, the
temperature is always warm. Halfway in between, many
people live with four seasons where summer is hot, spring
is wet, fall is dry, and winter is cold.
This is called climate. Climate is the way weather usually
is. Scientists who study climate are called climatologists.
Two things tell us what kind of climate a place has: How
warm it is, and how wet it is. Deserts are dry places, glaciers stay cold and frozen, and rain forests are wet. It
doesn't mean that everyday the weather is like that, climate means that most of the time the weather is like that.
Wet climates are in parts of the world near oceans. Many
islands have wet climates because they are surrounded
by water. Cities on the seashore can have wet climates
too if the wind blows from the sea to the land. The wind
carries water vapor and clouds from the ocean. The
clouds move with the wind and drop rain or snow to make
the land wet.
Climatologists put climates into four groups: warm and
wet, warm and dry, cold and wet, cold and dry.
The sun controls climate because it sends heat to Earth.
Sunlight warms up the ground and the air. When air gets
warm it rises and moves around as wind. You can see on
a satellite movie how wind moves the clouds. Because
heat from the sun can move things, and makes things
work, it has energy. The sun gives the Earth energy.
Energy from the sun makes warm climates near the equator. That's where the sun is high in the sky.
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Away from the equator, when you go toward the North or
South Pole, the climate is colder. That's because the sun
stays lower in the sky, and those parts of Earth don't get
as much energy from it. The light from the sun hits the
ground on more of a slant, so it is not as strong.
The Sun's energy does not change a lot, but it does
change a little. Every once in a while, the sun might give
us a little less energy, but then it returns to normal. This is
called a sun cycle because it happens over and over. It
might happen every eight years, or every ten years. When
the sun gives off less energy it means all of the Earth
might get a little bit cooler.
The good thing for Earth is that the air and clouds help to
keep our warm temperatures from cooling down too
much. Without air, the Earth would be too cold for people,
animals, and plants to live. The air acts the way a blanket
does on you while you sleep. It helps to keep the Earth at
a steady temperature.
This is something you see if you visit a greenhouse.
People who grow plants know that if you build a house
and cover it with clear plastic, or glass, it helps to trap the
heat inside so when the sun goes down, the greenhouse
stays warm.
Some climatologists are worried that if we keep adding
pollution to the air, then the air would act more like a
greenhouse, and make the Earth warmer. This is called
the Greenhouse Effect, or global warming. The Greenhouse Effect and global warming tell us to be careful
about how we treat the air or else climates around the
world might change.
If global warming happens, many climates would be
warmer and maybe drier. A city that now has lakes and
trees might dry up and become a desert. Since warm air
helps storms to grow, we might get more thunderstorms,
tornadoes, and hurricanes. The oceans might rise a little,
so people along coastlines would have to move or move
their homes.
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Global warming wouldn't be bad for everyone. In cold climates the winters might be shorter and not as much snow
would fall. Some deserts might actually become wet
enough for farmers to grow food and for people to live
there.
Right now, climatologists are not totally sure that global
warming is happening but they do think that it is starting.
It is hard to be sure because we don't have very good
weather information from hundreds of years ago. Also,
the Earth is very old and nobody lives long enough to
know how climate changes all by itself.
Most of our planet is covered by ocean water, and climatologists do not know how much heat the oceans can
hold. Water in the oceans does a great job of storing heat.
The problem is we don't get enough weather reports and
temperature readings from the oceans. Satellites give us
some weather readings, and ocean buoys give us some
others. The buoys carry thermometers to measure how
warm the ocean is, and they carry other weather instruments to give us wind and humidity.
One of the tricky things about global warming is that a big
volcano can erupt, and change climate by sending ash
and smoke into the air. Wind could carry it around the
Earth to make a shield. This could block some sunlight,
and make the Earth colder for a little while.
The one thing climatologists do know is that the Earth is
a little warmer than it was 100 years ago. Many scientists
believe that Earth is warmer because of the pollution we
put into the air.
Many of the things we use everyday make pollution. Cars,
trucks, buses, and factories all make pollution when they
use fuel. Most of the fuels are oil, gas, or coal. These are
called fossil fuels. Whenever we burn fossil fuels, they
give off an invisible gas called carbon dioxide. A little carbon dioxide is not bad. It floats in the air but we can't see
or smell it. It has always been on Earth and that's what
plants use to grow. Too much carbon dioxide is a problem
because it traps heat on Earth like a greenhouse.
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Scientists do know that people put more carbon dioxide
pollution in the air, and that's why they think that we are
warming the Earth by mistake. Many climatologists make
a prediction that if we don't slow down putting carbon
dioxide and pollution into the air, that Global Warming will
happen.
Nobody knows for sure that it will happen but just to be
safe, there are many things you can do to help slow down
Global Warming.
Don't waste electricity. Turn off lights when you are not
using them. In many cities, electricity is made from power
plants that use coal for fuel. If you use more electricity
than you need, then the power plants burn more coal, and
that pollutes the air.
Recycle. Don't just throw things away. If we throw everything away, then we might run out of space at landfills,
and people have to use more energy, and fuel to run factories to make more of the same thing. We can all recycle
glass, cans, and paper.
Instead of asking for a ride somewhere, you can walk, or
ride your bike. It's good for the air, and it's good exercise
for you. Cars make carbon dioxide pollution.
Climate is tricky. It's even harder for climatologists to
make predictions about how it will change. The Earth is so
huge and we don't have a lot of good information about
how our climates used to be.
One of the ways that climatologists can learn about climates many years ago is to drill deep holes in glaciers.
Because glaciers don't melt, if you go down deep enough
you can find little bubbles of air that were trapped in the
ice hundreds of years ago. Scientists can study the air to
see what it was like.
When large old trees are cut down, climatologists can
look at the tree rings to see how much, and how fast, the
tree grew when it was young. This tells them if some
years were warm, and if some were wet.
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Every year we learn something new. Just like the sun has
cycles, there are cycles in parts of the Earth's climate.
One that we know more about now is called El Niño.
El Niño is when the water in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean gets much warmer than usual. Because the water
is so big, we learned that a small change in the ocean
temperature can make a big difference in weather patterns around the world.
When there is an El Niño, some countries get weather
that is stormier. They might get a lot of rain every week
that makes floods. Others countries get weather that is
drier. The dry weather is bad for farmers and bad for ski
resorts because they don't get a lot of snow, but dry
weather is good for construction workers building a
house, or for people who want to play sports outside.
Even in a single country, parts of it might be wetter, while
other parts would be warmer. Wet is not good if you want
to go outside, but it is good for the trees to grow. Warmer
is not good when there are fires, but warmer is good in the
winter.
La Niña is the opposite of El Niño. That's when the Pacific
Ocean gets colder than usual. La Niña also changes
weather around the world.
El Niño and La Niña are part of climate. When they
change the temperature of the Pacific Ocean, it's not
always a bad thing for everyone. Whenever there's bad
weather someplace, there's always good weather somewhere else. Remember that weather changes fast, almost
every day, but climate changes very slowly. It can take
hundreds of years for climate to change.
Climate tells us how warm or cold a place usually is and
if it is wet or dry. Climate will change by itself but scientists are still trying to figure out how much of it we might
be changing by mistake.
Without sunlight, air, and water, we would have a hard
time living in Earth's climate. Because wind moves heat
and water in the air to help us and other living things sur19
vive, we call all of it an ecosystem. Everything in the
Earth's ecosystem is connected in one way or another.
To keep our climate healthy we can all play a part, try not
to make pollution, and stay weather smart
Let's take a quiz. Answer these questions true or false.
Number one- Even without pollution, climate can change
by itself.
Number two- El Niño is when the Pacific Ocean is very
warm.
Number three- Pollution can change climate.
Number four- Scientists don't think that global warming is
happening.
Number five- Sunlight is important in determining climate.
Number six- Recycling can help reduce pollution.
Number seven- Climate can change every day.
Number eight- El Niño is a good thing for some places on
Earth.
Number nine- Volcanoes can change climate with their
smoke.
Number ten- Water is important in determining climate.
20
1
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Video Quiz
Directions: Answer either true or false.
1.
________
Even without pollution, climate can change by itself.
2.
________
El Niño is when the Pacific Ocean is much warmer than usual.
3.
________
Pollution can change climate.
4.
________
Scientists don't think that global warming is happening.
5.
________
Sunlight is important in making climate.
6.
________
Recycling helps to not change climate by mistake.
7.
________
Climates can change in a few weeks.
8.
________
El Niño is a good thing for some places on Earth.
9.
________
Volcanoes can change climate with their smoke.
10.
________
Water is important in making climate.
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
2
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Climate Vocabulary Word Search
Directions: Draw a line through each word that you find.
G
C
A
R
B
O
N
D
I
O
X
I
D
E
P
N
R
O
P
A
V
R
E
T
A
W
X
N
N
R
I
E
L
E
U
F
L
I
S
S
O
F
R
O
E
M
L
R
E
S
U
O
H
N
E
E
R
G
I
D
R
L
E
U
W
E
Q
C
S
O
O
A
E
T
I
A
A
I
A
T
W
C
U
L
N
S
L
H
U
C
W
F
C
Y
D
A
N
O
I
I
C
N
O
L
T
L
N
A
H
G
C
R
N
S
Y
M
C
X
L
I
A
I
L
S
Y
R
-
E
C
Y
E
A
Q
O
O
B
A
G
C
R
L
E
E
P
A
S
Z
T
P
N
O
R
L
D
E
A
R
N
N
M
O
T
P
E
A
L
E
V
E
L
A
E
S
E
P
E
K
E
G
C
G
N
O
I
T
A
I
D
A
R
W
T
J
M
L
L
A
-
N
I
N
A
F
A
R
M
I
N
G
O
D
E
S
E
R
T
F
O
R
E
S
T
R
X
V
Words are forward, backward, or diagonal.
carbon dioxide
climate
desert
ecosystem
El Niño
energy
farming
© 2001 Alan Sealls
forest
fossil fuel
gas
glacier
global warming
greenhouse
La Niña
ocean
pollution
prediction
radiation
rainfall
recycle
sea level
sun cycle
temperature
volcano
water vapor
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
3
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Discussion Questions
Directions: Answer the following questions as directed by your teacher.
1.
What are the main things that control climate?
2.
If the Earth does get warmer, what changes would you predict?
3.
What are some of the things on Earth that change very slowly?
4.
What things do people do that might cause climate to change?
5.
If climate changes, can you think of ways that it might be good?
6.
What do scientists think about the Earth getting warmer?
7.
What things tell us what the climate was like hundreds of years ago?
8.
What things in nature can make climate change quickly?
9.
Why do some cities have cold, snowy winters while other cities never get snow?
10.
What would happen if all the ice in glaciers melted?
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
4
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Circle All the Things
Directions: Circle all the things that cause pollution and might change climate.
gas lawnmowers
fireplaces
windmills
burning leaves
motorcycles
bicycles
sail boats
factories
walking
furnaces
school buses
airplanes
barbecue grills
scissors
cars
trucks
skiing
skating
writing a letter
using spray paints
burning trash
motorboats
air conditioners
watching TV
filling a gasoline tank
drying clothes outside
playing soccer
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
5
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Finish the Sentence
Directions: Write in the correct word from your vocabulary list to finish the sentence.
1. When snow never melts in a cold place, we call it a ____________ .
2. Land, air, water, plants, and people are all connected in Earth's ____________ .
3. El _______ can change weather in different parts of the world.
4. Carbon ___________ is a gas that might make our planet warmer.
5. Places near the equator are warm because they get more ___________ from the sun.
6. Cities closer to the North Pole can get snowfall or ____________ .
7. We are speeding up global warming when we burn __________ fuels.
8. Cities with wet climates are usually near a large lake or ____________ .
9. When climatologists forecast the future, they make a _______________ .
10. One way to not cause climate change with pollution is to not throw everything away and instead
_____________ .
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
6
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Compare the Climate
Seattle
Chicago
Miami
JANUARY
Seattle
Chicago
Miami
45o
31o
76o
Rain
5"
2"
2"
Snow
4"
10"
JULY
Seattle
Temperature
Temperature
Rain
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Chicago
0
Miami
76o
83o
89o
1"
4"
7"
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
7
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Compare the Climate Questions
All three cities are near water, but they have different climates. Remember that climate is controlled by
how much sunlight a city gets, which way the wind blows, and by how much water is nearby. Be a
weather detective and answer these questions.
1. In January, why is there no snow in Miami?
2. Chicago is much colder than Miami in January. How could their temperatures be so close together
in July?
3. Why is Seattle warmer than Chicago in January but cooler than Chicago in July?
4. Why is Miami the wettest city in July?
5. Which city has the smallest change in temperature between January and July?
6. Which city has the largest change in temperature between January and July?
7. Which cities are farther north, closer to the North Pole?
8. Which city or cities are farther south, closer to the equator?
9. Which city do you think has the best climate?
10. Which city might get hit by a hurricane?
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
8
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
How Have Carbon Dioxide Levels Changed?
Use these numbers to make a graph to
show how levels of carbon dioxide
have changed since 1960.
For each year, make a dot on the line
closest to the reading. Then connect
all the dots with a line.
How do you think carbon dioxide levels
might change in the future?
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
9
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Light or Dark?
You need:
a sheet of light-colored construction paper
a sheet of dark-colored construction paper
a handful of small stones
Place both sheets of paper outside in the sun.
Put stones along the edges of the paper to
keep them from blowing away. After a few minutes, use your hands to see which paper is
warmer. Why would one paper be warmer than
the other?
Repeat the experiment in the shade. Do you
notice any difference?
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
10
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Greenhouse in a Bag
You need:
two thermometers
clear zipper lock bags
Place one thermometer inside one or two bags and zip the bags. Put both thermometers in
the sun for a few minutes and read the temperature. Take them in the shade and wait a few
minutes to read the temperature again. Put them in a refrigerator for a few minutes and read
the temperatures again.
Which thermometer heats faster? Which one cools faster? Why is there any difference?
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
11
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Sleeping Thermometer
You need:
two round dial thermometers without glass
a bed
Read the temperature on both thermometers and write
them down. Take one of the thermometers and put it
under the covers in bed with you when you go to
sleep but be careful to not put it so close that you roll
on top of it. When you wake up, read the thermometer
quickly after you take it out of the bed. Then read the
other one, and write both temperatures down. Have
the temperatures changed? How? Why?
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
12
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Climate Fun Facts
For half the year the sun does not shine at the North Pole.
The hottest temperature recorded on Earth was in El Azizia, Libya, in 1922. The temperature rose to
136oF, or 58 oC.
The coldest temperature recorded was in Vostok, Antarctica, in 1983. The temperature was all the
way down to -129oF, or -89 oC.
Climatologists believe that at one time New York City was covered with glaciers.
The South Pole is really a cold desert. Each year less than one inch of precipitation falls as snow.
One of the driest places on Earth is Arica, Chile, in South America, where it takes more than 30
years to get a full inch, or 25 millimeters, of rainfall.
South America also has one of the snowiest places in Lloro, Colombia. More than 500 inches, or 13
meters, of snow falls each year.
Big cities are usually a little warmer than the towns around them because more people, cars, and
buildings make heat.
Old refrigerators and other old appliances use much more energy than newer ones, and this might
speed up climate change.
Most climate change is so slow that people don't notice it.
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
13
Name ___________________
Weather Smart: Climate
Internet Sites for Climate and Climate Change
Environmental Protection Agency kids climate site
http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/
A fun page with lots of answers to your climate questions, from the EPA.
Environmental Protection Agency Recycle City
http://www.epa.gov/kids/recyclecity.htm
Visit Recycle City to get more ideas on how you can help the Earth's climate stay healthy.
National Climatic Data Center Global Warming FAQ
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ol/climate/globalwarming.html
This website answers many questions about global warming, the Greenhouse Effect, and climate
change.
U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program
http://www.arm.gov/docs/education/globwarm/globegin.html
Kids can learn more about global warming by meeting "The Professor."
U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network
http://www.eren.doe.gov/kids/
Learn ways to save energy from "Doctor E."
Sometimes the address for a website changes. When that happens you can usually find it again by
doing an Internet search for the title of the page.
© 2001 Alan Sealls
Published and Distributed by United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.