Download File - Mrs. Mongeon Science

We need our yellow
notebooks passed out.
Lesson 1: Weather vs. Climate
 Tape in the learning targets for our new lesson on
the back of the yellow divider (table of contents was
next to it).
 Self assess for the first learning target – in the
“Before Lesson” box. Tell me 1-2 things you already
know.
 Read through the table of contents when you are
finished.
 Write Focus Question #1 at the top of the page
opposite of page 1.
 Write the FQ and the first thoughts that come to mind.
Focus Question: What is the
difference between weather and
climate?
Write your initial thoughts to this
question.
 You completed a lesson on weather and water. You learned
about the water cycle, what causes weather, what causes
climate and the difference between the two.
 Today we will begin studying climate change. In order to
understand climate change, you need to understand
climate and how it is different than weather.
 Today we will review concepts from 6th grade before we
begin the new unit.
Each of you has a card that either has an
example of weather or climate on it. Move to
the side of the room – climate or weather,
based on where you think your card belongs.
Now justify your answer. I think my card is
weather/climate because…….
 Reading: Weather and Climate: What’s the Difference?
 Draw a Weather vs. Climate Box and T chart on page 4.
 Read the article, underlining or starring key points. Once you
have finished, begin to add key attributes to the concepts in the
T chart.
 We will now watch a 7 minute video on Climate vs. Weather.
 Continue to add to your T chart as you view the video.
 https://huzzaz.com/collection/climate-change-2?hzv=321448
Re-sort the cards that we worked with at the
beginning of class. Use knowledge you have
learned through the reading and video as
well as class discussion.
Remember – which cards represent a
statement about weather and which cards
represent a statement about climate?
CLIMATE:
A, C, D, I, J, L, M, O, Q
WEATHER:
B, E, F, G, H, K, N, P, R, S
Draw a line under your original focus
question answer. (Line of learning)
Now add new ideas to the original
question – What is the difference
between weather and climate?
Climate: the average weather conditions in a
place over many years (usually 30+ years to
account for natural variations from year to
year)
 Example: Minneapolis climate is cold and snowy
in the winter.
Weather: A specific event or condition that
happens over a period of hours or days.
 Example: thunderstorm, today’s temperature
Provide two differences between
weather and climate.
Reference your T-chart on page 4 of
your notebook.
Tell me about your Jelly Bean Lab climate
–
Location
Characteristics
Examples
Biotic organisms
Reading – What’s in the Air.
As you read, underline key vocab, points, or
things that you do not understand.`
Answer the questions that follow taped in on
page 8.
I will come around and check for
completion.
We will then review the answers to last
night’s homework.
Weather vs. climate exit slip to be
completed individually and
silently.
Use evidence from article and
video to support your answer –
site at least one piece from each.
1. Name the two main gases in our
atmosphere and their relative
percentages.
2. Why is the ozone important?
3. What is a variable gas?
Take notes on each group’s presentation using
the handout provided.
Look back at the climate graphs on pages 9
and 10 from yesterday. Summarize in 2-3
sentences the changes that had occurred from
1901-1930 to present day 1981-2010.
Climate: the average weather
conditions in a place over many years
(usually 30+ years to account for natural
variations from year to year)
 Examples:
 Minneapolis climate is cold and snowy in the
winter.
 Miami’s climate is hot and humid
Turn to your partner and answer the
following question –
How would you describe the climate
over a year where you live?
Do you think climates have always
been the same?
Write the following question and your
answer on the same page of your
notebook as focus question 1.
Focus Question #2: How have
climates changed over time?
 You have climate graphs for a sample of cities from two time periods:
1901-1930 and 1981-2010.
 Open your notebook to page 9.
 Take a look at Teacher Master TT – Climate graph A. We are focusing
on the Denver data only.
 Take 2-3 minutes to analyze the two graphs on Denver only.
Complete this silently.
 What are the differences you can see when you compare the 1901-
1030 climate data to the 1981-2010 climate data?
 There was about 0.5” more rain in May and July in the earlier time.
Average temperature seems slightly higher in recent decades.
 How could 0.5” more or less rain affect the Denver area?
 It might affect crop growth or the water supply.
 What are the differences you can see when you
compare the 1901-1030 climate data to the 19812010 climate data?
 Both rainfall and temperatures are now higher.
 Why have these changes occurred?
 Now we will look at LA and New York.
 LA – overall temps are higher, rainfall is lower
(winter/spring – except February)
 NY – temps and rainfall are higher
 What effect do these differences have on the
climate?
 Remember that weather refers to a set of conditions
in one place at one time, and climate refers to the
conditions over a longer period of time.
 We might have had a day or month with a lot of rain,
but that’s the difference from a climate with more
rain.
 When we measure changes over long periods of
time, that’s when we can tell how the climate is
changing.
 We just looked at two sets of data take about 50
years apart and saw some differences. What if we
looked over a longer period of time? Think
geological time – the beginning of Earth!
 What changes in climate do you think we might
see?
 Has the climate always been what it is now?
The study of ancient climates (put on page 2)
Paleo = ancient
Ology = study of
Open your notebook to PAGE 0 where the
focus questions are. Draw a line under your
focus question. Leave a little space and draw
another line.
As you watch the slide show, record 2-3 pieces
of evidence used to understand ancient
climate.
 Ice cores are some of the most important sources of
data we have for understanding past climate.
 Air bubbles trapped in ice provide information
about the atmosphere of the past.
 As you watch the video – think about today’s
atmosphere and climate in relation to what we can
learn about the past.
 Video – “CO2 in the Ice Core”
 This graph is a very important piece of evidence in the discussion
around climate change, which is also sometimes referred to as global
warming. (not the same thing)
 Climate change is a broader term (more factors than just
temperature)
 Global warming refers to an increase in Earth’s average
temperature (only on aspect of climate change in general)
 We are going to look at the relationship between CO2 in the
atmosphere and temperature, exploring why more CO2 results in
higher temperature, and why CO2 is rising in unprecedented ways.
 Climate is different than weather. Looking here – global climate is
warming but that does not mean every day in every place it is
warming. Weather still varies day by day.
Now flip back to page 0 of your notebook.
Add to your focus question #2 – how have
climates changed over time? Try to use
evidence from yesterday and today’s
activities.
 Climate Change: The change in our climate due to
increased greenhouse gases and energy usage.
 Global Warming: A warming trend on Earth that
affects evaporation and precipitation.
 Ice Core: A sample from deep, ancient ice near
Earth’s poles that provides information about the
gas content of the atmosphere in the past
Open your notebook to page 16
You will take notes on this page.
 Found in the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and
lithosphere.
 Found in living and non-living parts of earth – organisms,
atmospheric gases, water, rocks
 Found in your body, the food you eat, clothes you wear
 Carbon cycle – movement of carbon from one sphere to
another.
 Crucial in photosynthesis, respiration, fossil fuel formation,
climate
 Reservoirs (places where carbon is stored)
 Flows (movement between reservoirs)
 Fluctuations (changes) due to burning fossil fuels, deforestation,
cement manufacturing
FQ: How does carbon move
from one place to another?
 7 groups
 Role play card (atmosphere, water, algae, marine snail,
sediments & rocks, trees, caterpillars)
 2-4 washers per group – carbon atoms
 As a group, decide how your are going to move your
carbon.
 You can give to one group, or if you have plenty, multiple
groups but you must keep at least one carbon atom!
(Carbon exists in all things and only a portion is moving)
 You will read your script lines as your move your carbon.
We will move one group at a time.
The second time through, you will choose
a different route to transfer your carbon.
Now multiple groups will move their
carbon at the same time.
Although chaotic, this is realistic of the
carbon cycle, since in the real world
carbon moves between all these areas at
the same time.
 Why do we use models in class?
 What are the components of our model?
 What relationships does our model demonstrate?
 What are we using our model to describe? What science
concept are we connecting it to?
 What are some limitations to our human model today?
 Is there a way we could revise our model today to improve
it?
 Would our model still be effective if we changed a
variable? Give an example.
 You just acted out the carbon cycle without human
involvement, but humans greatly influence the carbon
cycle with some of their activities.
 Humans extract and burn fossil fuels for energy: carbon
from sediments & rocks  atmosphere
 Humans cut and burn trees to use land for farming,
ranching, building: carbon from land plants  atmosphere
 What other human activities might affect the carbon cycle?
Draw your line of learning and add to
your focus question.
 Atmosphere (gases surrounding the Earth)
 Biosphere (parts of the land, sea, and atmosphere
in which life exists)
 Hydrosphere (all of Earth’s water)
 Lithosphere (rocky outer layer of the Earth)
 Carbon: a nonmetal that has two main forms
(diamond and graphite) and that also occurs in
impure form in charcoal, soot, and coal; combines
with oxygen to form carbon dioxide
 Carbon Cycle: movement of carbon from one
sphere to another.
You will draw the next slide on the empty
bottom half.
Make sure the arrows are going in the correct
direction!!
Using page 16 – list three facts
about carbon.
Today you will model and then synthesize
the different pathways carbon can take in
the Earth and analyze how these
pathways have changed since the
industrial revolution.
You will have 15 minutes to complete.
Turn in your folder and test when you are
finished.
Open your notebook to page 11.
Read through the instructions on the top
of the page.
What did we model yesterday?
The carbon cycle
What were the components of the model?
Carbon atoms, 3 reservoirs (land, air, water)
Today we are going to model the carbon
cycle again but using a different model.
 The key to understanding the cycles of matter on Earth
begins with identifying the reservoirs (where matter is
stored), the residence times (how long matter staying in
one reservoir), and the fluxes (how matter moves from one
reservoir to the another).
 Today you will play a game to learn about the carbon cycle,
its reservoirs, residence times, and fluxes.
 At the end, you should be able to describe and explain how
the carbon cycle has changed in the last 250 years.
 Remember, in this activity YOU are the carbon atom!
>90% of the Earth’s carbon is in rocks
and sediments.
We are focusing only on the mobile
carbon in the carbon cycle.
The # of students at each reservoir is
based on the % of carbon in the
reservoir.
 You were assigned a specific reservoir so record this on page
11 in your chart.
 At your station, you will roll the die.
 You will then move to the next station and record that station.
 If you stay in your current station, RECORD that as your next
station.
 Make sure you record your FLUX mechanism – how you get
there.
 When you table is completed, return to your seat and create a
model of your journey on page 12 of your notebook.
 Flux mechanisms are represented by arrows and reservoirs
are represented by bubbles.
The Industrial Revolution was the
transition to new manufacturing
processes in the period from about
1760 to sometime between 1820 and
1840.
Define the carbon cycle.
Define reservoir.
Turn to page 11 of your notebook.
List two different fluxes for carbon. Start with
the starting reservoir. Draw an arrow to the
ending reservoir. Label the arrow with the
flux mechanism.
 The carbon cycle you just modeled represents how carbon
could have cycled through the Earth’s systems 250 years
ago, before the Industrial Revolution. Things have changed.
Now we are going to do the same exercise in the modern
carbon cycle.
 Go back to your original starting reservoir and wait for
instructions.
 Now repeat the same process. When finished, return to
your seat and complete the model on page 36 of your
notebook.
 Then complete the Box and T chart on page 37 of your
notebook – looking at how human impact has changed the
stability of the carbon cycle.
 Review the close reading strategies and annotating text strategies on
pages 17 and 18.
 You will be reading the article “Carbon…can’t live without it.”
 You will complete the following steps:
 Pencil down reading.
 Number the paragraphs.
 Chunk the text.
 Second read with annotation – summary for each chunk.
 Complete the text dependent questions on page 21. Make sure to
site the paragraph number as well as specific evidence.
Add another line of learning and put today’s
date. Add something new to focus question 3
based on today’s activities.
List one similarity that you found
between your models on pages 11
and 13.
List one difference that you found
between your models on pages 11
and 13.
Open your notebook to page 15
Write down one similarity.
Write down one difference.
Today you will model how carbon flows
between the biosphere, atmosphere,
geosphere, and hydrosphere as well as
explain how humans alter carbon flows
between the four spheres.
Over the past few days we have been using
different models to better understand the
carbon cycle and the impact that humans can
have on it. Today you will use all your
previous experiences to design your own
carbon cycle model which illustrates how
carbon moves between the four different
spheres (biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere,
atmosphere).
Turn to page 2 or page 24 of your notebook.
Add the following terms.
 Erosion: the carrying away of weathered materials by
water, wind, or ice.
 Weathering: the process by which larger rocks crack and
break apart over time to form smaller rocks.
 Diffusion: the movement of molecules from an area of
high concentration to low concentration
 Photosynthesis: plants and autotrophs take in CO2 and
release O2
 Respiration: organisms take in O2 and release CO2
 Sedimentation: the natural process in which material
(such as stones and sand) is carried to the bottom of a
body of water and forms a solid layer`
9 carbon flow arrows.
4 spheres – biosphere, atmosphere,
lithosphere, hydrosphere
Before taping, lay your model out first and
discuss as a group any changes that need to
be made.
Draw another line of learning under the
FQ and put today’s date. Add anything
new from today’s activities.
 Compare the three carbon cycle modeling
experiences by populating the 3
strengths/limitations T-chart below.
 You will analyze the following:
 Carbon cycle role playing
 Carbon cycle game and models
 Carbon cycle poster
 Turn in when completed.
 Will tape on page 38 of notebook.
 Using the Carbon cycle role play, carbon cycle
game, carbon cycle poster answer the following
questions:
 Which model did you find most effective in
explaining the carbon cycle? Why?
 Which model did you find most limiting? Why?
Define the following terms: (use page
2 of notebook or page 19)
Biosphere
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
hydrosphere
 Make sure to study vocab on pages 2/24 as well as
in the reading on page 19.
 Review the Carbon Cycle models.
 Review today’s activity.
 Carbon is sometimes a solid, liquid, or gas; the quantity of carbon
that moves through each arrow is not expressed.
 Now you will receive a human alteration card. Write your specific
human alteration on your arrow.
 Place the human alteration arrow on your poster to reflect how the
alteration would move carbon from sphere to sphere. How does it
impact the stability of the carbon cycle?
 Recognize that the initial impact of a human alteration to the carbon
cycle might be a flux from one sphere to another sphere, represented
by the big arrow, but that the initial flux may cause other movements
in the cycle too.
 Which of these human alterations have impacts on the
climate?
 ALL
 Six put carbon into the atmosphere, which is a component
of greenhouse gases and alters the climate by absorbing
and re-radiating heat.
 One takes carbon from the atmosphere and puts into tree
growth.
 One takes carbon from the lithosphere and injects back
into the lithosphere.
 Two (planting trees and capturing carbon emissions) are
examples of ways humans are trying to fight climate
change and reduce carbon emissions.
 Are humans adding more carbon to the carbon cycle?
 No – changing amount of carbon in certain spheres
 What are humans doing to change the carbon cycle?
 Burning fossil fuels, farming cattle, farming rice,
deforestation, manufacturing cement
 Why are these human alterations to the carbon cycle a
problem?
 They are increasing the amount of carbon dioxide and
methane in the atmosphere, both of which are
greenhouse gases. An increase in greenhouse gases
leads to global climate change, which has many effects.
Using a computer simulation, students explore
the effects of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
 Describe the relationship between CO2 and
temperature in this chart.
 They increase and decrease together.
 Notice present day.
 How would climate be affected by increases and
decreases in CO2?
 What is a greenhouse gas?
 Heats up earth
 Write the question and your initial thoughts.
How do greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere affect Earth’s
temperature?
 After your initial thoughts, draw a line, leave space for
your line of learning later on, and draw another line.
We are using this page for other activities as well.
 Blue arrows: incoming radiation (energy) from the
Sun in the form of visible light.
 Red arrows: infrared radiation (energy). Infrared
energy is radiated from particles in materials where
there is a lot of heat energy.
 Some infrared energy is radiated from the Sun and
some is radiated out from Earth.
 Rays enter Earth continuously.
 All infrared rays leaving Earth radiate through the
atmosphere out into space.
 This would be a very cold planet!!!!
 We could not survive!!!!!
 Thermometer shows temperature is below zero.
 What would life be like under these conditions?
 Now we are looking at a model that represents our current
atmosphere, which has some greenhouse gases.
 What differences do you notice in the blue and red arrows?
 Blue arrows still come straight in.
 Red arrows appear to be hitting things in the air and being
absorbed or going off in different directions.
 When infrared energy transfers to a greenhouse-gas particle in the
atmosphere, the particle absorbs the energy and then reradiates
infrared energy out in any direction.
 So does not go back to space so now warms Earth.
 Some bumps into other particles like N2 or O2 transferring heat
energy to these particles by conduction – entire atmosphere heats
up.
 Greenhouse gases are very important for keeping our climate
warm enough to live.
 Now we are looking at a simulation that represents an atmosphere
with a huge amount of greenhouse gases – far more than present day!
 Allow at least 10 seconds to pass on the new simulation setting.
 What differences do you notice in the blue or red arrows?
 Blue arrows still come straight in.
 Red arrows appear to be hitting things in the air much more
frequently and radiating off in different directions, including back
toward Earth.
 Temperature of the planet is rising (on right side simulation – let
simulation run at least 30 seconds for temp to change)
 The more greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, the more infrared
energy is radiated back to Earth instead of out to space. Scientists
believe that humans adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere will
increase temperatures all over Earth.
 Set greenhouse gases concentration to none and turn on show
greenhouse-gas particles.
 Here there are no greenhouse-gas particles in the atmosphere. As
we noted before, radiated heat energy from Earth can pass through
the atmosphere and exit to space.
 Pass simulation after one set of arrows strikes ground and next set
enters from top of screen.
 Students record the number of red arrows on the screen at that time
in “no greenhouse gases” row, global average surface temp, CO2
ppm.
 Switch greenhouse-gas concentration to levels in 1750. (visible grey
dots = greenhouse gases in atmosphere – red arrows radiate
differently)
 In 1750, industrial age of humans had not yet begun. Very few fossil
fuels burned for light and heat and no machines had been developed
needing fuel and electricity. There were no cars, planes, computers,
vacuums so lots less CO2 in atmosphere.
 Allow one set of arrows to strike ground and pause once new set
enters the atmosphere.
 Record number of red arrows, global average surface temperature,
CO2 ppm.
 Grey dots appear immediately in the atmosphere as
greenhouse gases increase and red arrows radiate.
 CO2 = #1 greenhouse gas of concern (significant increase
due to humans)
 Burning fossil fuels to run cars, planes, factories, generate
electricity on increase.
 Let a set of red arrows strike ground and pause when a new
set enter atmosphere.
 Students record number of red arrows, global temperature,
and CO2 ppm.
 Grey dots increase and red arrows radiate.
 Increase greenhouse gases  increase climate
temperatures
 Why do you think people are concerned about this?
 As human population increases, need for machines
that require fuel and electricity grows and increase
CO2 in atmosphere.
1. It increases.
2. It increases.
3. The heat energy is absorbed by the
particles of CO2, so the more CO2 there is,
the less chance that the energy can escape
the atmosphere into space.
 Take 2-3 notes on the video.
 What are some ways that CO2 enters the
atmosphere?
 Burning things, decomposition of dead things
 What are some ways that CO2 leaves the
atmosphere?
 Photosynthesis, absorbed in the ocean
 What are some ways that humans are changing the
amount of CO2 in the atmosphere?
 Burning fossil fuels, deforestation
 Let students direct you where to click.
Draw a line and add your thoughts to the
original focus question.
Look at page 22 - Why does more carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere lead to more heat
energy trapped in the atmosphere?
Look at page 20 of your notebook – what are
the largest sources of human-induced
changes of CO2 in the atmosphere?
Turn in folder, test, and graphs
Take the carbon cycle and greenhouse gas
coloring sheet.
Color each letter a different color on the
illustrations.
Make sure to color the bubble at the bottom
for each letter as well.
 Carbon dioxide: a greenhouse gas found in Earth’s
atmosphere. CO2 is created by natural and humanmade processes.
 Greenhouse gas: A gas that absorbs and radiates
heat energy in the atmosphere, effectively trapping
heat.
 Infrared: Radiant energy not visible to humans that
is found beyond the red end of the visible
spectrum.
 CER – Claim, Evidence, Reasoning Statement
 Analyze patterns in a set of 3 graphs to make a
claim about the relationship between temperature
and CO2.
 Claim is specific.
 Evidence: at least one piece from each graph
using specific numbers/dates/ etc
 Reasoning: connect evidence to claim and discuss
greenhouse gases
Earth’s temperature is rising several
degrees Celsius as a result of
increased carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere by natural and human
influences. (think if, then, because)
The Blue Hill Observatory data shows a rise
of about 2⁰C from 1831 to 2013. The global
land and ocean temperature has risen over 1
⁰C since 1880. Both of these graphs show a
clear trend of global warming. The Keeling
curve (graph #1) shows the increase in the
greenhouse gas carbon dioxide concentration
in the atmosphere from 315 ppm in 1958 to
about 400 ppm in 2014.
 The greenhouse effect is a natural process in which
greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, and water vapor) in
our atmosphere trap heat on Earth like a blanket so
that the planet is warm enough to support life. But
additional carbon dioxide traps extra heat on Earth.
The main sources of atmospheric CO2 are from
burning fossil fuels for electricity, transportation, and
factories. When we burn fossil fuels the chemical
reaction produces CO2, releasing it into the
atmosphere. With the increased use of fossil fuels, the
CO2 levels have risen, increasing global temperatures.
Define greenhouse gas and
carbon dioxide. (try without
looking)
What do global climate models
describe?
Reference pages 25-26
 In this lesson, students engage in a series of
visualizations (models) that show how some of the
key indicators of climate change, such as
temperature, sea ice extent, and carbon dioxide
concentrations, have changed in Earth’s recent
history.
Evidence: Earth could warm 3-5⁰C this
century if the current warming trend
continues.
What does a 5⁰ difference feel like?
What does this mean if the average global
temperature increases?
 Write the question and your initial thoughts on the
bottom of page 25 of your notebook.
FQ: What is the evidence/effect
of global climate change and how
will it impact humans and the
environment?
“What is A Climate Model” Reading (whole
class)
Now at your table, answer the three think
questions on page 26 of your notebook.
Answer in complete sentences.
Site the paragraph number as evidence.
Why do scientists use models?
 Paragraph 2
 Investigate objects or processes that happen too
slowly, too quickly, or on too small of a scale to
observe directly.
 Models explore phenomena that are too vast,
complex, or dangerous to study firsthand.
What do global climate models
describe?
 Paragraph 5
 Describe how the atmosphere, the ocean, the land, living
things, ice and energy from the Sun affect each other and
Earth’s climate.
 Help scientists better understand how global changes
such as increasing greenhouse gases or decreasing
Arctic sea ice will affect Earth.
What are some examples of models that we
have used earlier in the year? What was
their purpose?
Watershed models – everything upstream
ends up downstream
Food webs/chains – how energy is
transferred
Carbon cycle models – how carbon is
transferred through spheres
 Go to the following website:
 http://climate.nasa.gov/interactives/climate-time-machine
 Series of models to investigate four areas of data that illustrate information
around climate change events. You will control the setting by moving the
cursor along the x-axis of the picture which will show changes.
 Sea Ice, Sea Level, Carbon Emissions, Average Global Temperatures
 Read each short paragraph that occurs with each image to help orient with the
system and then answer the corresponding questions in your notebook.
As we learn about the evidence/effect of
climate change, you will be populating this
graphic organizer. Before we begin filling it
out today, we need to cut along the dotted
lines. We will add information under each tab.
Why is precipitation so
important to glaciers?
Climate Model: Use of math to
describe how the atmosphere, the
ocean, the land, living things, ice and
energy from the Sun affect each other
and Earth’s climate.
1. Actual data – satellites
2. Getting smaller as you move towards
present day.
3. Warming of atmosphere
4. What will happen to sea ice in another
50 years?
5. Potential data based on scientific evidence.
6. Amount of land covered in water increases
7. Ice continues to melt, sea level continues to
rise, and more land will be covered in water.
8. How do we reverse or slow down this
process?
9. Actual data captured by satellites
10.PPM – parts per million
11.Higher concentrations of CO2
12.Lower concentrations of CO2
13.Color changed from blue to red which
shows an increase of CO2
14.Humans, ships, factories, man-made items
15.How high of a concentration of CO2 will
exist in the year 2035
16.Cooler than average global surface temperatures
17.Warmer than average global surface
temperatures
18.Temperatures are increasing or getting warmer
19.Increase in greenhouse gases, causes increase in
CO2 and temperatures as well as global climate
change
20.If global temperatures continue to increase, what
will happen in 50 years?
Draw your line of learning.
Add to your initial thoughts.
Tell me in 2-3 sentences how melting
glaciers can explain global climate
change. This is a “what you think”
question so there is no right or wrong
answer.
Analyze the link between atmospheric
temperatures and carbon dioxide
concentrations by looking at ice core data
spanning hundreds of thousands of years.
What is the evidence/effect of global
climate change and how will it impact
humans and the environment?
.
http://www.nbclearn.com/changing-planet
We will watch the first time with your pencils
down.
We will watch a second time so that you are
able to answer the questions.
 What do ice cores tell us? (2:10)
 Composition of world’s atmosphere trapped in air bubbles frozen in ice core – CO2,
methane, etc
 What are some social, economic, and/or political impacts if glaciers were to continue to
disappear? (2:55)
 Communities dependent on tourism would struggle, those that rely on glacier water for
clean drinking water, hydroelectric power, irrigation would need a new source
 The video compares glaciers to canaries in a coal mine. What does the author mean by that?
(3:25)
 In coal mine, canaries were early detectors of dangerous gas buildup; glaciers are early
detectors of dangerous greenhouse gas buildup.
 Why is precipitation so important to glaciers? (4:35)
 High altitudes – thin air – solar radiation more intense; precipitation (snow) protects against
solar radiation. White snow reflects sun’s rays.
 Less snow  more exposure to solar radiation  increased melting & sublimation of
glaciers
What do ice cores tell us? (2:10)
Composition of world’s atmosphere
trapped in air bubbles frozen in ice
core – CO2, methane, etc
What are some social, economic, and/or
political impacts if glaciers were to continue
to disappear? (2:55)
Tourism/economy would struggle, less
clean drinking water, hydroelectric
power, irrigation
The video compares glaciers to canaries in a
coal mine. What does the author mean by
that? (3:25)
In coal mine, canaries were early
detectors of dangerous gas buildup;
glaciers are early detectors of dangerous
greenhouse gas buildup.
 Why is precipitation so important to glaciers? (4:35)
precipitation (snow) protects against
solar radiation. White snow reflects
sun’s rays.
Less snow  more exposure to solar
radiation  increased melting &
sublimation of glaciers
Today you will be using 400,000 years of ice
core data to find clues about climate change.
The data came from a research station called
Vostok Station in Antarctica.
http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/co2/ice_core_co
2.html
Remote research station – gather ice cores for
clues to past and present climate.
 3 columns – Year, Co2 concentration, and
Temperature anomaly
 Anomaly: departure from a long-term average
 Positive anomaly  warmer than average
 Negative anomaly  cooler than average
 For this activity  -56⁰C is average
 You will create two graphs: CO2 concentration, temperature anomaly
 Make sure to LABEL x and y axis, identify units of measure, as well as title the
graphs. You will graph on two different pages.
 Both graphs
 X-axis is years  start with 400,000 years BC on left and number to 0 on
right.
 Your increments are 10,000 years.
 Graph 1: page 39
 Y-axis on left side is CO2 concentration  start with 100 ppm to 400 ppm.
 Your increments are10 ppm.
 Graph 2: page 40
 Y-axis on left side is temperature anomaly  start with -10.0⁰C to 2.0 ⁰C.
 Your increments are 0.5 ⁰C.
What do ice cores tell us? (reference
page 35 if you need to)
 Sublimation: going directly from a solid to a vapor
(no liquid phase)
 Anomaly: departure from a long-term average
 Positive anomaly  greater/above average (+)
 Negative anomaly  cooler/below average (-)
 Temperature anomaly values in the first table (398,000 BC
to 400 BC) uses a different reference value from the
temperature anomaly values in the second table (1901 to
2011)
 Does choosing a different reference value change the
shape of the trend? Why or Why not?
 No, even if a new reference point is used, the shape and
direction of the trend or repeating pattern would stay the
same. The overall pattern would just shift up or down.
 What patterns do you notice on the graphs?
 A repeating cycle. When CO2 concentration increases,
temperature increases. When CO2 concentration decreases,
temperature decreases.
 How many peaks (top) can you identify? How many troughs
(bottom)?
 5 peaks, 4 troughs
 What is the approximate number of years in one complete cycle?
Hint: A cycle is the time between two peaks or two troughs.
 100,000 years
 Do peaks represent glacial (cold) periods or do troughs?
 Troughs – temperature is at its lowest
 Complete the top table on page 41 of your notebook, referencing
page 39.
 Complete the bottom table as well.
 How many years of data are shown in the 48,000 BC to 400 BC table?
 About 47,600 years
 How many years of data are shown in the 1901-2011 table?
 110 years
 Does either table show a warming trend?
 Both – CO2 concentrations increase and temperature anomaly
increases. Both increase at a greater rate more recently.
 What trend, upward or downward, are we currently experiencing?
 Upward for both
 What is the change in the temperature anomaly between
1901-2011?
 Approximately 0.67 ⁰C
 In 1971, the globally averaged CO2 concentration was
approximately 330 ppm. If the CO2 concentration in 2000
was about 384 ppm, calculate the average rate of increase
per year.
 Approximately 1.5 ppm/year
 What is happening to the rate of change for CO2
concentrations and temperature anomaly over time?
 The rate of change decreases. This is another way of
saying that if you graphed the results, the slope of the line
would become steeper over time.
 Explain in 2-3 sentences, the information the graphs
on page 39 and the data table on page 41 explain to
readers. (what is the important take aways)
The graphs shows temperature increases as
CO2 increases and temperature decreasing
as CO2 decreases.
The table shows that the rate of change is
significantly faster today.
1. Climate change: the change in our climate due to
2.
3.
4.
5.
increased greenhouse gases and energy usage.
Global warming: a warming trend on Earth that
affects evaporation and precipitation.
Greenhouse gas: a gas that absorbs and radiates
heat energy in the atmosphere, effectively
trapping heat.
Tree rings, layers of ice in glaciers, ocean
sediments, coral reefs, layers of sedimentary
rocks
800,000 years ago
6. Peaks = warm interglacial periods, troughs = ice
ages
7. True
8. False
9. 10 x
10.2-6 degrees C (about 20 times faster)
11.Example: driving cars – added greenhouse gases
that trap radiant energy increasing Earth’s
temperature – polluting the air we breath increasing
allergies – carpooling, buses, metros, walking,
riding bikes, solar power and electric cars
Find the rate of change for CO2 concentration in
the time period of 38,000 BC – 8,000 BC. Use
38,000 years as your starting point and 8,000 years
as your ending point. (SHOW ALL WORK AND
UNITS OF MEASURE)
 How much CO2 was there? What was the temp?
 What is the length of time?
 What is the change?
 What is the rate of change?
What is the CO2 concentration 28000 BC?
What is the CO2 concentration 400 BC?
How many years have passed?
What is the change in CO2 concentration?
Find the rate of change. (think CO2/year)
Turn in test.
Turn in folder.
Finish the activity from last Thursday
using the computers.
There is no talking.
If you talk I will warn you once.
If you talk again, I will give you a zero.
Do your best.
 Which type of ice (land ice or sea ice) poses a greater threat to sea level
rise if large-scale melting due to climate change occurs?
 Make a hypothesis on your notebook.
 Now we will get on a computer while we wait for the changes.
 www.pbslearningmedia.org/asset/ess05_int_icemelt/
 Serc.Carleton.edu/images/eslabs/cryosphere/areas_risks_from_sea.png
Tape in the Greenhouse Gas guided
notes sheet.
What is the cause of global
climate change?
Human expansion of greenhouse
gases such as CO2, methane, etc
Just title the tab – we will add information to
each effect as the week progresses.
Tab 1: Decreasing Sea Ice
Tab 2: Increasing Sea Level
Tab 3: Increase in Average Global
Temperature
 What effect did we learn about today?
 Decreasing sea ice
 Flip over that tab – title the tab “impact” and answer the
following question:
 What are the environmental or human impacts of
decreasing sea ice/melting glaciers?
 Communities that depend on tourism would be in trouble.
Communities that rely on glacier water for clean drinking
water, hydroelectric power, and irrigation would have to find
another source.
CLAIM: Answer your question with a statement…a
claim. Doesn’t have to be more than a sentence.
EVIDENCE: What specific evidence supports your
claim. (at least one piece from each graph using
specific numbers/dates/etc)
REASONING: What does your evidence prove?
What is your reasoning in light of information that
you know/have been given? Connect evidence to
claim and discuss greenhouse gases.
Draw a line of learning. Add to your
initial thoughts after today’s activities.
Today you will explore the relationship
between sea-level rise and climate
change.
What is the evidence/effect of global climate
change and how will it impact humans and the
environment?
 https://www.nbclearn.com/changing-planet
 Play video once watching, then play again answering the
questions.
 What is one impact of warming ocean water? (:40)
 Warming oceans create a large pool of warm water that
has a lot energy. That energy fuels stronger hurricanes.
 Where is the warming coming from? (4:00)
 The greenhouse effect due to changes in CO2 in the
atmosphere and warming of the ocean.
 https://www.nbclearn.com/changing-planet
 Show video just watching, then again answering the questions
 Why are summer temperatures increasing?
 Less winter ice, warmer air during the summer  shorter winters &
longer summers.
 What are the impacts of less ice cover? (2:00)
 More water evaporates & lake levels decrease. Warmer water 
increase in invasive species that feed on native fish. Increases algal
blooms  make lake toxic to fish.
 What is water stratification and why is it important? (3:30)
 When lake water heats up, separates into layers with warm water
on top and cool water on bottom. As temperature difference
increases, water layers don’t mix together; nutrients from the deep
water don’t cycle up to the surface. Those nutrients are food for
algae which is at the base of the food web.
 Today we will investigate the impact of increasing
ocean temperature on sea levels by going back to
6th grade.
 Bottle System:
 Who remembers this model?
 We are going to use this apparatus to model what
happens to water when it is heated.
 What happened when we placed our bottle system model
in hot water?
 The water level in the pipe went up.
 What caused the water to go up in the pipe?
 Water increased in volume when heated. As temperature
increased, the volume of water in the model increased
(expanded), which caused the water level in the vial to
rise.
 What is this process called?
 Thermal expansion
 How does this relate to rising sea levels?
 As water gets warmer, it takes up more space. Each drop
of water only expands a little bit, but when you multiply
this thermal expansion of water over the entire depth of
the ocean, it all adds up and causes sea level to rise.
 Increased thermal energy is ONE reason sea levels
are rising, but there is another that you are going to
explore in your groups.
 Where is there a lot of ice in the world?
 Giant ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica –
mountain ranges, Artic Ocean
 Is the ice on land or on water?
 Both – Greenland, Antarctica – land; Arctic Ocean
– water
 Does it matter whether the ice is on land or water if
it melts – will one or both cause sea levels to rise
when they melt?
 During class today, we are going to investigate the
following:
 Does it matter whether ice is on land or water if it
melts – will one or both cause sea levels to rise
when they melt?
 Open your notebook to page 71.
 Make a prediction (#2) in reference to the question
above. Write in a complete sentence and be
specific.
Two containers
Modeling clay
Ruler
Ice cubes
Water
Instructions (Read steps aloud)
 http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/students/expeditions
/sea-level/index.html
 Video activity –
 how climate change causes sea level to rise through
thermal expansion of water and melting of ice.
 How sea-level rise puts low-lying communities and
ecosystems around the world at risk
 Make sure a timer has been set for 15 minutes (will record
at 15, 30, and 45 minutes)
 In which model did the water level rise more?
 Ice on land container
 How do the results compare with your predictions?
 Why do you think this happened?
 When ice cubes sitting on the modeling clay melt, the water runs
off and adds to the volume of water in the ocean.
 Floating ice is already taking up space in the water – displacing a
mass of water that is equivalent to the mass of the ice. When the ice
melts, the water fills that existing space.
 What does this tell us about the impact of melting ice on land vs.
water?
 https://www.nbclearn.com/changing-planet
 What are the impacts of rising sea levels?
 Health, biological, socioeconomic and political stability
 What are the two main causes of rising sea levels?
 Warm air causing the ocean to expand, melting land based ice sheets
and glaciers
 What are two ways ice on Earth can be melted?
 From the top using the atmosphere and from the bottom by ocean
water.
 What do sediment cores tell us?
 By analyzing the sediment and the microscopic flora and fauna they
can notice changes in color which indicates changes in organic
material. Each one of those changes marks changes in sea level.
 History provides many examples of nature’s impact on
civilizations that developed too close to the water.
 Herakleion & Eastern Canopus: Egypt’s N. coast –
trade centers now under waters of a shallow bay
 Atlit-Yam: near Israel, lies hidden under
Mediterranean Sea
 Rising sea level is an ancient problem reoccurring due
to climate change.
 Maldives: President help a cabinet meeting
underwater to call attention to the low-lying island
nation in the Indian Ocean
 Close to 55% of the US lives within 50 miles of the
coast.
 What effect did we learn about today?
 Rising Sea level
 What are the environmental or human impacts of
rising sea levels?
 Health, biological, socioeconomic, and political
instability.
 Several cities in the US are very close to coast
lines and could find themselves underwater –
Miami, New Orleans….
Draw a line of learning under your last focus
question thought. Add a new idea based on
today’s activities.
Complete the half sheet with the 6
questions.
Explain why ice on land caused sea
levels to rise more than ice on water.
Explore how increased carbon dioxide
emissions are changing the acidity of the
ocean and affecting coral reefs and other
marine animals.
 The world’s oceans play a vital role in keeping the Earth’s carbon cycle in
balance.
 Increase burning fossil fuels  increase absorption of CO2 by oceans 
chemical reactions occur that reduce pH of seawater  water increases in
acidity
 Increase acidity  decreases available chemicals needed to make calcium
carbonate (corals, shellfish, plankton, other creatures rely on to for their
skeletons and shells0
 Coral reefs are created in shallow tropical waters by millions of coral  coral
makes skeleton from CACO2 and build up creates coral reef.
 Protecting coral reef important because
 they provide food and habitat for many fish and marine animals
 are natural breakwaters against storms and hurricanes
 provide fishing and recreational opportunities for millions of people
 What is the evidence/effect of global climate change and
how will it impact humans and the environment?
 Let’s share thoughts we have accumulated to this point.
 How are people adding CO2 to the atmosphere?
 Activities that burn fossil fuels – driving cars, using electricity,
manufacturing products
 Think back to the carbon models…how does the ocean
play a role in regulating the amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere?
 More CO2 added to atmosphere from burning fossil fuels
ocean absorbs more CO2 to stay in balance.
 Think water in a pool or fish in a tank – use of a
color chart
 pH scale is a way to measure whether the water is
acidic or basic
 Today you will perform an experiment to determine
whether the ocean is becoming more acidic or
more basic.
 3 large jars of cabbage juice – red cabbage has been boiled –
natural pH indicator – it changes color to indicate changes in pH
 Household Vinegar: acidic or basic?
 Acidic
 Household baking soda: acidic or basic?
 Basic
 Vinegar into one jar, baking soda into another jar, third jar is control
 Acids reduce the pH of cabbage juice, making it more pink/red.
 Bases increase the pH making it more blue/green.
 We are going to perform an experiment to mimic CO2
absorption by oceans by blowing air into a jar of
cabbage juice water.
 Why are we using cabbage juice water?
 Cabbage juice water is a pH indicator. It will tell us if
adding CO2 to water will make the water more acidic,
basic, or nothing.
 Open notebook to page 73 – Corals and Chemistry
 Develop a prediction to the investigation question. Write
your answer in a complete sentence.
Materials: 2 jars with cabbage juice, 4 straws
Instructions: Read aloud as a class
 What happened to the cabbage juice in the control jar?
 Control jar did not change color
 What happened to the cabbage juice in the experimental jar?
 Cabbage juice became pinkish
 Has the pH of the cabbage juice in the experimental jar changed?
 Yes – pH has decreased – become more acidic
 What are the components of this model? And what does each
component represent?
 Cabbage juice – ocean
 Exhaling CO2 – increase in amount of CO2 dissolving in ocean
 CO2 concentration increasing – water becomes more acidic
How do you think increasing the pH in the
ocean impacts aquatic ecosystems?
http://www.nbclearn.com/changing-planet
 What is making the oceans more acidic?
 The CO2 caused by the burning of fossil fuels
 What happens when the ocean becomes more
acidic?
 Makes it harder for marine animals to build their
shells out of calcium carbonate.
 Slows down growth and fertilization of marine life
 What two events are evidence that ocean
acidification has already arrived on western
shores?
 Surface water along the California coast shows
evidence of being more acidic.
 Millions of oyster larva are dying.
 Co2 is released during the burning of fossil fuels. As humans use more
fossil fuels, more CO2 is released into the atmosphere. Oceans naturally
absorb CO2. What do you think will happen to the pH of oceans if CO2
continues to be released into the atmosphere?
 As more CO2 is released into the atmosphere, more will be absorbed
into the oceans, which will lower the pH, causing the oceans to become
more acidic.
 What happens to coral reefs if ocean pH changes?
 Coral reefs made of calcium carbonate which degrades in acidic pH –
coral reefs will die.
 How do coral reefs benefit humans? How would a loss of coral reefs
impact humans?
 Coral reefs provide habitats for important food sources (fish)
 Protect shorelines from storms, erosion
 Source of medicines
 Loss – impacts food changes, compromise safety of seafood
 Humans have put 244 billion metric tons of CO2 in
Earth’s atmosphere.
 Burning fossil fuels, making cement
 Atmospheric CO2 pre-industrial 280 ppm to current
402.80 ppm
 Oceans are major sink in absorbing CO2 – over
50% of man-made CO2
 Can the oceans continue at this rate?
 What effect did we learn about today?
 Ocean acidification
 What are the environmental, or human impacts of ocean
acidification?
 Coral reefs provide habitat for important food sources
(fish)
 Protect shorelines from storms, erosions
 Source of medicine
 Loss of coral reefs impacts food chain and compromise
safety of seafood
Draw a line of learning and add an additional
thought to the original focus question based
on today’s activities.
List two ways in which excessive
CO2 can lead to the ocean’s
decline.
 http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/students/expeditions/temp-
acidity/index.html
 Interactive questions in video
 Other videos available on nbclearn.com/changing-planet
Students will read summaries of news stories
from the past decade, looking for evidence of
climate change and whether that change is
caused by humans
 What is the evidence/effect of global climate change and how will it impact
humans and the environment?
 Video – climate change basics (Fossweb)
 We have spent the past few weeks learning the basics of climate change and the effects of
climate change. Today’s focus will be a broad overview of the effects.
 Can you think of any additional effects of climate change that were not mentioned
in the video?
 If ice sheets and glaciers melt, what might happen to the sea level all over the
Earth?
 Increase causing problems for coastal towns
 What could happen to ocean currents if climate change causes ice sheets and
glaciers to melt?
 Cold water of ice melt entering the ocean might affect the convection currents
of the ocean, causing ocean currents to change which ultimately can affect
climate on land as it is affected by ocean currents.
 If weather patterns change, what might happen to storms like hurricanes?
 Stronger, more frequent  higher ocean temps fuel more hurricanes
 What would happen if some areas experience more drought and other areas
experience more rain?
 Organisms would not be adapted to the changes, crops could die, loss of fresh
water to drink, flooding could occur
 Climate change is one of the biggest environmental
issues facing us today. As a result there are many
issues that get reported in the news relating to new
research, evidence for climate change, and changes
in weather patterns.
 In this activity you are going to sort through a
number of different stories and organize them into
different categories.
 10-15 minutes
 Can use teacher handout XX which provides
category options for students.
 What is the relationship between Earth’s temperature and carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere?
 More CO2 results in higher temperatures
 How can climate change impact living things?
 Some species are losing their habitats and moving into new habitats; some
species are going extinct; some diseases are flourishing, which could be a
problem for other organisms
 How certain are scientists that climate change is happening?
 Very sure
 What are several effects of climate change?
 Heat waves, more severe weather, plants growing at different speeds,
permafrost and glaciers melting, sea levels rising, loss of forests, loss of
animal habitats, spread of diseases, changes in weather patterns that reduce
crop production
 Even as recently as the early 2000s, scientists didn’t
have enough evidence to make strong claims about
how fast climate change was happening or if it was
human-caused. In the past decade, additional data
have strengthened their understanding. Scientists
and international research communities agree that
climate change is happening and that much of it is
because of human activity.
 What can be done to slow climate change down?
 Less fossil fuels, contain CO2 being used, alternative fuels
 What can middle school students do to slow climate
change?
 Decrease energy (turn off computers, lights not in use),
unplug charges from walls, take public transportation,
bike, walk, carpool, increase recycling, be an advocate
for energy usage
 Climate change is happening and it is escalating.
 What can we do to change this? How do we create
fewer greenhouse gases?
 Global issue that everyone must make efforts to
change
 Alternative energy sources – wind, solar, hydro
power, biofuels
 Current fossil fuel usage is unattainable!!!!
Draw your line of learning and add a new
thought based on today’s activities.
 Fossweb
 Water Cycle simulation – Global Warming setting
 Effect of warm Earth on the water cycle
 Run regular vs global warming setting and then
write a few sentences comparing and contrasting
your findings.
Students use a cooperative approach to
investigate changes in the biotic and abiotic
resources of the Antarctic Peninsula due to the
rise in air temperature.
 Last week we analyzed data that helped us identify
what changes are happening in the Earth’s climate.
Over the next few weeks, we will be thinking like
scientists by exploring real time pieces of evidence
that exist to study what additional impacts climate
change has had.
Write the question and your initial thoughts
on page 60 of your notebook.
How has climate change impacted
different ecosystems?
 (Think about impacts from part 2)
Today’s focus: How a rise in AIR
TEMPERATURE has had a dramatic impact
on Antarctic ecosystems.
Most dramatic impact is shift in penguin
communities. Adelie penguins, which are
dependent on sea ice for survival, are rapidly
declining on the Antarctic Peninsula despite a
600 year colonization history.
 1 minute intro - Rest at end of investigation
 “Welcome! I’m a climatologist with the Palmer Station,
Antarctic Long-Term Ecological Research project. In other
words, I study long-term patterns in climate. My
colleagues and I have tracked changes in air temperatures
on the peninsula since 1947. We have observed that
although temperature cycles up and down, it has increased
overall (project temperature data). We think this is
occurring because of an increase in greenhouse gases, but
we are unsure of the impacts on the Antarctic ecosystem.
We need your help to describe the interconnected effects
of warming on Antarctica’s living and nonliving systems.”
 As a group, decide what your specialist will be.
 Now each specialist group will come together.
 You will open to the data set in your notebook that applies to
your specialist.
 You will also reference page 93 – specialist group report sheet.
 Each specialist group will now graph their data set on the page
next to their specialist page. Remember you need to label x
and y axis as well as title the graph and show units of measure.
 Then complete page 93 of your notebook using your completed
graph.
LT: I can explain how climate change has
impacted ecosystems.
WU:
Name 2 ways that climate change affects
the ecosystem.
LT: I can explain how climate change has
impacted ecosystems.
WU:
What does it look like to participate in
class appropriately?
Put all group member names on the paper.
Make note if there was anyone who did not
contribute (place star by their name)
 Each specialist will now make a brief presentation based
on the graph and group analysis sheet (NB p 93) that they
completed.
 Each group will get cause and effect cards: We have
multiple pieces of evidence of ecosystem-level changes in
the Antarctic Peninsula. But how do all these changes fit
together? How are they interconnected? Using the cards
that I just passed out and a piece of chart paper, see if you
can make a model for how these terms are connected. You
can add terms or symbols to your model if needed.
 Rotate around room to see other group’s models –
look for trends and patterns among the models.
 Think about the following questions:
 What are the components of the model?
 What relationships do the models demonstrate?
 What are we using models to describe?
 What science concept are we connecting it to?
Identify cause and effect relationships
exhibited.
Adelie penguin video completion
 Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring different
pieces of evidence for the impact climate change is having
on ecosystems. We will be charting these pieces of
evidence. What pieces of evidence have we explored
today?
 Sea ice decreasing
 Krill population decreasing
 Adelie Penguin population decreasing
 Chinstrap penguin population increasing
 Snow increasing
 Draw a line of learning.
 Add new ideas based on today’s activities.
Describe the ways in which climate change on
the Antarctic Peninsula has led to
interconnected, ecosystem-level effects.
 Students analyze data on polar bear populations and reflect
on their personal opinions about wildlife conservation and
the societal value of science.
How has climate change impacted
different ecosystems?
Follow along as I read the scenario aloud.
Short clip – Polar Bear Engage
 Decide who will be each role in your group:
 Reader: reads each e-mail aloud to the group
 Recorder: records the group’s responses to the
questions. The recorder may answer questions as a
bulleted list rather than complete sentences.
 Student representative: interacts with the teacher if
anyone in the group has a questions.
 Reporter: reports the group’s responses to the rest of the
class.
 Churchill is a town in northern Manitoba, Canada on the west shore of
the Hudson Bay. Churchill is situated at the estuary of the Churchill
River.
 Who can remind me what an estuary is?
 Where a river meets the open sea
 Churchill is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward
the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname “Polar
Bear Capital of the World.”
 Now read the email on pages 97-98 and answer the questions that
follow.
 If needed, provide groups the article “Problem Bears” to help them.
 Switch group roles – everyone takes a new role.
 Read page 99 and complete the questions on page
100.
 If students are struggling, provide them the reading
“Forest Fires.”
 1. When the climate gets warmer the area is drier
and more prone to fires caused by lightning strikes.
 2. Forest fires significantly alter tree cover around
the dens resulting in unstable den sites which
causes collapsing den roofs.
 Rotate group roles again.
 Read pages 101-102 then answer the questions on
page 103 of your notebook.
 You will graph the data for #3 on page 104.
 1. Thoughts?
 When the ice melts earlier that means that the on-ice
feeding period is shortened and the bears fasting period is
lengthened. This would cause a decrease in the mass of the
bears.
 3. Graph of data on page 104
 4. In Christy’s letter, she said that male heads are smaller
than their necks and the collars would slip right off.
LT: I can explain how climate change impacts
an ecosystem.
WU: Explain why ice melting can impact krill
and Adelie penguins.
 Rotate group roles one last time.
 Read page 105. Complete the questions on page
106.
 If needed, provide students “Polar Bears and
Climate Change” reading.
 2. sample answers: cub survival, data on drowning
 3. opinion – idea of laws protecting wildlife
 4. thoughts???
 Individually, everyone develop their own response to
question #1. Make a claim agreeing or disagreeing with
Christy’s worries and support the claim with evidence from
her emails.
Video
Turn back to page 80. Draw your line of
learning. Add a new thought based on lesson
2 activities.
What can we add to the Evidence of Climate
Change poster?
Small groups work cooperatively to examine
the effects of climate change on the
phenology (timing of life cycles) of pied
flycatchers.
How has climate change impacted
different ecosystems?
 Today we are going to examine support for the hypothesis that “High spring
temperatures reduce the breeding success of pied flycatchers.”
 Video clip – Pied Flycatchers
 Now let’s look at the Pied Food Chain
 Pied flycatchers use seasonal changes in day length and an internal
biological clock to initiate migration. Under the most optimal conditions,
chicks will hatch when caterpillars – which are high in protein and easy to
digest – are most abundant. In forests, where flycatchers nest, the hatching
of caterpillars is synchronized with the budding of Oak trees. The leaves of
the Oak trees become less palatable and nutritious as they mature, so there
is strong pressure for caterpillars to hatch at the same time tree buds break
open.
 Researchers in Spain studied the effects of climate change on flycatchers
over a period of 18 years. The study was observational, not experimental, so
the researchers collected several kinds of data in order to consider multiple
correlations (the relationship of things that happen or change together). We
will be looking at that data today, by putting ourselves in the shoes of those
researchers.
 What is happening in the first graph? What is the trend?
 As the years increased, the breeding success decreased.
 What is happening in the second graph? What is the trend?
 As the years increased, the mean temperature increased.
 Is there a common pattern in these two graphs?
 As temperature increases, the breeding success
decreases.
 On the concept map, connect two ideas to the central circle
of breeding success: time (year) and temperature.
 *** Increases in temperature and decreases in breeding
success are occurring at the same time – we cannot be sure
that temperature is causing the change in breeding
success.
 What other variables could be causing changes in
breeding success over time?
 More predators, more pollution, fewer suitable nesting
trees
 Note taker: records the group’s thoughts on each data set.
 Timekeeper: keeps track of the time and keeps groups on
task.
 Student representative: communicates with the teacher if
any members of the group has questions.
 Presenter: communicates the group’s responses to the rest
of the class (Note: although the entire group should
participate in preparing the presentation, the presenter will
take the lead)
 In your groups today you will be examining
different data sets or other possible variables. They
may or may not support our hypothesis. Can
someone remind me what our hypothesis is?
 High spring temperatures reduce the breeding
success of pied flycatchers.
 Folder with data set – use reporting form to
describe the trend in the data set and possible
explanations for why that trend has occurred.
 5-10 minutes to complete reporting. Place all back
in envelope and rotate groups
 Process will be repeated a total of 4 times – 4 of the
6 sets of data.
 Use a new reporting form for each rotation – do not
look at the completed forms.
 The last group will complete a consensus form
found on page 109 of your notebook.
 Consensus form
 Important features of the data set
 Discuss the consolidated/corrected interpretations
 As each group presents, we will add to our concept maps on page 107.
 Overall, did the balance of the evidence support or refute the hypothesis?
 What other data, if any, might be interesting to collect?
 Are high spring temperatures having an equal effect on all levels of this
sample food chain?
 What, if any, long term consequences might there be if spring temperatures
continue to increase in this ecosystem?
 Data set 3 (peak caterpillar abundance) shows data collected in The
Netherlands instead of central Spain (approximately 1000 miles away) by
different investigators. Does this difference change your conclusions at all?
Draw a line of learning.
Add a new thought based on today’s
activities.
Can we add anything to the Climate change
poster?
 Pollen allergies are becoming more prevalent globally, in
part because of the effect of climate change on pollenproducing plants. In this problem-based learning activity,
students assume the role of public relations specialist
contracted to communicate the link between climate
change and allergies.
How has climate change impacted
different ecosystems?
 Note-taker: record the group’s thoughts
 Timekeeper: keeps track of the time and keeps
groups on task
 Student representative: communicates with the
teacher if any members of the group has questions
 Presenter: communicates the group’s responses to
the rest of the class
 Over the next week, we will be wrapping up our
study of climate change with a problem based
learning activity. Your group will be taking on the
identity of a Public Relations firm.
 Follow along as I read aloud.
 Pollen and Climate change video clip – example of how media
presents information – a format that your PR group could use.
 Turn to notebook page 113.
 To help your group with your contract (designing a
communication product), I have broken the task up into
manageable chunks. Each day, your group will be having a
different “meeting” that is outlined on the next several days.
Today’s meeting is “Meeting 1 – Evaluate Data.” Work through
the steps outlined using student sheet 9.2. You will need to
reference student sheet 9.3 (notebook page 117) as well as
student sheet 9.5 (notebook page 119) during your work today.
Focus on notebook page 114.
 Each student receives a peer review form.
 Each group will be paired with another group today.
 Scientists (any many other professionals) use a process to improve
their work called peer review. Before a scientific document can be
published, it must be approved by a panel of fellow scientists. The
procedure you are about to follow incorporates elements of a
scientific peer review.
 Your team will present its work to another team to be evaluated using
the peer review form. Make sure your group name and intended
audience are filled in on the form you are about to give to the other
team.
 Each member of your team will provide individual review of the product by:
 Providing positive feedback on what worked well in the product
 Asking questions at unclear parts
 Suggesting changes that will help the product, pointing out any errors or
overlooked/misinterpreted data
 Thoroughly evaluating the product according to the Peer Review Form.
 Reviewers should be strict but fair in their assignment of points to each
category
 Each group will need to decide how they are going to present their product to
the review team. Remember, this is a practice run for the final presentation to
the class and for a grade. You will have 10-20 minutes to present.
 At the end of the presentations, you will return the peer review forms to the
groups for tomorrow’s work.
 Today you will use your peer review forms from
yesterday to make revisions to your product.
 One member of your group should keep record of
each suggestion you actually use.
 You will also need to practice your presentation for
tomorrow’s final product review.
 Today you will present your final product. You will
have 5-10 minutes to present your product to the
teacher and class. I will use a blank peer review
form to score your product as well as your
classmates.
Draw a line of learning.
Add new ideas/thoughts based on what
you have learned through presentations.
Any new information for the climate
poster?
 Examine supporting evidence that they have explored
throughout the climate change unit to construct a scientific
explanation answering the unit focus question.
 Review your thoughts to the question: How has
climate change impacted different ecosystems?
 Today we will be adding a few pieces of evidence
to our class chart. We have analyzed data sets to
come to a conclusion. Today, we will be watching a
video and analyzing the pieces of evidence
presented to determine if any additional items
should be added to our class chart.
 Title that page Video Evidence.
 Record 3 pieces of evidence discussed and the data
presented to support them.
 Changing Planet Videos
 Now we will view a video that outlines climate
change in 24 steps (NB page 123-124). We will
compare this to our class list.
 Reflection questions page 124
 You will answer the following question in a Claim-Evidence-
Reasoning statement:
 Has climate change impacted ecosystems?
 Claim: This is a concise statement written as a complete
sentence that asserts an answer to the question.
 Evidence: This is data that supports the claim. In this instance,
data could come from Part 2 lessons 2-5 and Part 3 Lessons 1-4.
(Note- not all data is evidence)
 Reasoning: This is an explanation of the scientific ideas that
connect your evidence to your claim. In this instance, the
scientific ideas can come from any Part 1 lessons or Part 2
lessons.
 This makes me wonder…..
 Did you consider….
 I like that you…..
 I agree with you when you say…..
 I disagree with you when you say….because….
 I would give you a grade of……
 You will create two graphs: CO2 concentration, temperature anomaly
 Make sure to LABEL x and y axis, identify units of measure, as well as title the
graphs. You will graph on two different pages.
 Both graphs
 X-axis is years  start with 400,000 years BC on left and number to 0 on
right.
 Your increments are 10,000 years.
 Graph 1: page 39
 Y-axis on left side is CO2 concentration  start with 100 ppm to 400 ppm.
 Your increments are10 ppm.
 Graph 2: page 40
 Y-axis on left side is temperature anomaly  start with -10.0⁰C to 2.0 ⁰C.
 Your increments are 0.5 ⁰C.
 You will create two graphs: CO2 concentration, temperature anomaly
 Make sure to LABEL x and y axis, identify units of measure, as well as title the
graphs. You will graph on two different pages.
 Both graphs
 X-axis is years  start with 400,000 years BC on left and number to 0 on
right.
 Your increments are 10,000 years.
 Graph 1: page 39
 Y-axis on left side is CO2 concentration  start with 100 ppm to 400 ppm.
 Your increments are10 ppm.
 Graph 2: page 40
 Y-axis on left side is temperature anomaly  start with -10.0⁰C to 2.0 ⁰C.
 Your increments are 0.5 ⁰C.
 You will create two graphs: CO2 concentration, temperature anomaly
 Make sure to LABEL x and y axis, identify units of measure, as well as title the
graphs. You will graph on two different pages.
 Both graphs
 X-axis is years  start with 400,000 years BC on left and number to 0 on
right.
 Your increments are 10,000 years.
 Graph 1: page 39
 Y-axis on left side is CO2 concentration  start with 100 ppm to 400 ppm.
 Your increments are10 ppm.
 Graph 2: page 40
 Y-axis on left side is temperature anomaly  start with -10.0⁰C to 2.0 ⁰C.
 Your increments are 0.5 ⁰C.
 You will create two graphs: CO2 concentration, temperature anomaly
 Make sure to LABEL x and y axis, identify units of measure, as well as title the
graphs. You will graph on two different pages.
 Both graphs
 X-axis is years  start with 400,000 years BC on left and number to 0 on
right.
 Your increments are 10,000 years.
 Graph 1: page 39
 Y-axis on left side is CO2 concentration  start with 100 ppm to 400 ppm.
 Your increments are10 ppm.
 Graph 2: page 40
 Y-axis on left side is temperature anomaly  start with -10.0⁰C to 2.0 ⁰C.
 Your increments are 0.5 ⁰C.