Download Webquest Directions

Global Warming Web Quest
One of NASA’s jobs is to measure changes to the atmosphere and climate. Go to the following NASA website
to find how the global climate is changing and what is causing this.
http://climatekids.nasa.gov/big-questions/#
Throughout this web-quest, you will click on the tabs clockwise on the question wheel to read information,
analyze data and find the answers to the questions below.
You may work in pairs to answer the following questions using the wheel on a separate
sheet of paper. You only need to write out and answer the 7 “big idea” questions (the ones
in bold and underlined). Use the small wheel questions to answer the 7 “big idea”
questions.
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1) What does global climate change mean?
a) Is the climate of the whole Earth really
changing?
b) What is climate?
c) What is Weather?
d) Do we care the Earth is getting
warmer?
e) Does what we do matter?
f) What is making Earth’s climate
warmer?
2) What is the big deal with carbon?
a) What are fossil fuels?
b) How does the carbon get into living
things?
c) How does the carbon get out of living
things
d) Is carbon good, bad, or just ugly?
3) What is the greenhouse effect?
a) What is a green house?
b) How is Earth a greenhouse?
c) Is it warm in here, or is it just me?
d) Why don’t we just plant more trees?
e) Don’t clouds keep Earth cooler?
f) Or do clouds make Earth warmer?
4) How do we know the climate is changing?
a) So what if the Earth gets a tiny bit
warmer?
b) Why is Earth getting warmer?
c) How do we know what Earth was like
long ago?
d) How can so little warming cause so much
melting?
e) Doesn’t rising sea level just bring us
closer to the beach?
f) How does climate change affect other
species?
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5) What is happening in the oceans?
a) Is the ocean important? After all, we
live on land.
b) How does the ocean soak up energy?
c) How does the ocean soak up CO2?
d) How does the ocean affect climate?
e) Does the salt in the ocean do anything?
6) What can we do you help?
a) How can we help nature to help us?
b) How can I reduce my “carbon
footprint”?
c) How can I reduce my pile of trash?
d) Do I need to save water too?
e) How can I make a real difference?
7) What else do we need to find out?
a) Can NASA help scientist answer all their
questions?
b) Do clouds make the Earth warmer or
cooler?
c) Do particles in the air make earth
warmer or cooler?
d) Do the Sun’s natural cycle affect our
climate?
e) How much of the CO2 that humans
produce can Earth clean out of the air?
f) How will melting ice sheets affect
ocean currents?
g) How will climate change affect rain and
snow?
h) How high and how fast will the sea
level rise?