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GREEN NINJA
TEACHER SUPPORT MATERIALS
NAME OF GREEN NINJA VIDEO: Clark’s Story
MAIN TOPIC OF VIDEO: How can we understand and then help reverse Global Warming?
Click HERE to watch this episode! (Link)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Frame:
1. When you feel cold, you put on another layer of clothing. Why does that make you
warmer?
2. What do you know about global warming?
3. In the video we’ll see a connection between people today and people about 100
years ago. How is our life today different than 100 years ago? What do we have
today that they didn’t have?
Focus:
1. The narrator is sharing his personal family history to talk about global climate
changes. Watch the video to see if this is an effective way to talk about a serious
problem.
2. How is putting on a coat like adding greenhouse gases to our atmosphere?
3. What are the two main greenhouse gases?
4. Why is the Keeling curve important?
5. While you’re watching the video, focus on the relationship between increased CO2
and the increase in global average temperatures.
Follow-up:
1. What are some actions that people can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
2. What can governments do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
3. What else do you want to learn about global warming? Where can you find that
information?
4. Why do some people still doubt that there is global warming and that it has been
caused by human activity? How could you convince them with facts? (More
advanced)
5. What are the current levels of carbon dioxide?
There are additional resources at the end of this video guide that lead students to
use other on-line resources to examine global warming in more detail.
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ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Frame:
1. When you feel cold, you put on another layer of clothing. Why does that make you
warmer?
a. Student answers may include: it makes me warmer.
b. Actually, your body produces heat, and the extra layer of material keeps the
warmed air closer to your body.
2. What do you know about global warming?
a. First, it’s important to know the difference between “climate” and “weather”
i. Variations in weather do not mean global warming. As the EPA says:
Climate helps you decide what clothes to buy, and weather
helps you decide what clothes to wear each day.
b. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency” has an excellent website for
students at:
i. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/students/basics/concepts.html
ii. Global warming is a long-term idea. So is today warmer than
yesterday? Why doesn’t that question make sense?
BIG IDEA: Variations in weather do not mean global warming.
Climate refers to the average weather conditions in a certain place over
many years. For example, the climate in Minnesota is cold and snowy in the
winter, and the climate in Honolulu, Hawaii, is warm and humid all year long.
The climate in one area, like the Midwest or Hawaii, is called a regional
climate. The average climate around the world is called global climate.
When scientists talk about global climate change, they're talking about the
global climate and a pattern of change that's happening over many years.
One of the most important trends that scientists look at is the average
temperature of the Earth, which has been increasing for many years.
This is called global warming.
Rising global temperatures lead to other changes around the world, such as
stronger hurricanes, melting glaciers, and the loss of wildlife habitats. That's
because the Earth's air, water, and land are all related to one another and to
the climate. This means a change in one place can lead to other changes
somewhere else. For example, when air temperatures rise, the oceans
absorb more heat from the atmosphere and become warmer. Warmer
oceans, in turn, can cause stronger storms.
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3. In the video we’ll see a connection between people today and people about 100
years ago. How is our life different today than 100 years ago? What do we have
today that they didn’t have?
a. Answers can include:
i. Cell phones, computers, central heat, internet, jets, fast cars, washing
machines, television…basically all the modern conveniences that
make life easier and more enjoyable today, but use a lot of energy
ii. All these use a lot of energy and are advanced technology. In the
“old” days, people did not have as many things because
transportation was slower. Food was limited to what was grown
locally. You couldn’t travel easily by car or plane. People took trains
or even rode horses…
For more information before or after the video: Energy sources
have changed throughout the history of the United States
If students want more information about inventions, here is one
resource:
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/timeline.html
There are many resources to help students understand the growth of
fossil fuels to support our technological advances. Here is one visual
that might be helpful to discuss. Notice that fossil fuels continue to be
the main supplier of energy in the United States.
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TEACHER SUPPORT MATERIALS
Energy Kids – General Resources to teach younger students about energy:
History of Energy – Resources for younger students to research different timelines
and uses for various energy sources.
Focus:
1. The narrator is sharing his personal family history to talk about global climate
changes. Watch the video to see if this is an effective way to talk about a serious
problem.
a. Possible discussion ideas:
i. Give students time to think, then pair-share, then share out with the
class.
ii. Answers may include:
1. Making it more personal makes it more real
2. My own family has a history that changed because of the
climate
3. There are a lot of problems that affect us. It’s good to think
about real people being affected.
4. It’s our job to help correct global warming, like the last frame—
we all need to join together and work together
2. How is putting on a coat like adding greenhouse gases to our atmosphere?
a. As the video illustrated, we keep warmer when we add layers that hold in
body heat.
b. Greenhouse gases hold in atmospheric heat, so our Earth’s surface,
atmosphere, and ocean are getting warmer.
3. What are the two main greenhouse gases?
a. Carbon Dioxide – CO2
b. Sulfur Dioxide—SO2
c. There are many other greenhouse gases that hold in more heat:
i. EPA Greenhouse Gases information—this includes personal
calculators
ii. EPA for younger students
4. Why is the Keeling curve important?
a. It forms the basis for scientists to track levels of carbon dioxide
Earth System Monitoring - NOAA
5. While you’re watching the video, focus on the relationship between increased CO2
and the increase in global average temperatures.
a. The higher the level of CO2, the higher the increase in temperatures -or—
b. The Earth has become warmer as the level of carbon dioxide rises.
Follow-up:
1. What are some actions that people can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
a. Discussion Suggestions:
i. There are excellent ideas in the Green Ninja videos.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
ii. Watch them as a class, or assign students to individual videos to
present practical ideas to the class
iii. Take a Green Ninja Pledge
iv. As a class, in small groups, or individual students, research other
ideas from a variety of resources. A small selection of resources
other than the Green Ninja:
1. What You Can Do
2. Suggestions on how to cut back energy use at home, at work,
etc. – Share at home?
What can governments do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
a. Students can research the United States, their own state, and their own city.
Some resources:
b. EPA website
c. United Nations Global Energy and Climate
d. Discussion in class could include ideas:
i. Governments can set standards for companies to generate fewer
greenhouse gases
ii. Governments can work with scientists to find ways to cut down on
emissions
iii. Governments could make citizens use fewer resources by putting a
tax on extra use
What else do you want to learn about global warming? Where can you find that
information?
a. Students may discuss in small groups, and do research.
b. Information is available through many reliable sources, besides the Green
Ninja!!!
c. National Climate Assessment Report – United States – complete report by
region of current situation and efforts to mitigate. Summary is available.
d. Cleanet.org – guide for teachers’ climate education
e. National Resources Defense Council Report
f. EPA Climate Change
(Advanced Topics) Why do some people still doubt that there is global warming and
that it has been caused by human activity? How could you convince them with facts?
a. Students may run into this sometimes. People will say that Earth has had
many variations over time. While that’s true, we have reliable evidence,
based on data that points that global climate change is caused by human
activity.
b. http://www.globalchange.gov/
c. http://www.skepticalscience.com/
d. National Center for Science Education –Berkeley-based organization shows
how scientists document their findings
What are the current levels of carbon dioxide?
NOAA Current Levels
For older students: 350.org
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ADDITIONAL NOTES AND RESOURCES
Alternate Viewing Guide
1. What two chemicals are responsible for the greenhouse effect?
2. Why do we need greenhouse gases?
3. Please fill in the following table as you watch the video:
Year
CO2
Average Global
Concentration Temperature
(ppm)
Increase
Influences
Farming
1860
283
Coal
1908
Oil, machinery
1959
Technological
advances
2011
2100??
4. What happened in 1866 and why was this important for human society?
5. Temperature had risen by ____________in 1908.
6. As our planet warms, how is life on earth affected? List 4 more examples that
have been studied in class or you have found using resources, such as Climate
and Biosphere Exploratorium
A. Polar Bear habitat diminishes and the polar bear could go extinct.
B. ___________________________________________________________
C. ___________________________________________________________
D. ___________________________________________________________
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Congressional Temperature Trends
Go to the following website: temperaturetrends.org
Find the graphs titled Global Mean Temperature and Ocean Heat Content at the bottom
of the main page and answer the questions below.
Part I: Reading the Global Graphs
1. What years does this graph show? From __________________ to
___________________.
2. What does each data point represent?
3. What does the black line between data points represent?
4. What is the general trend (shape) of the graph?
5. What kind of average is a “Mean” temperature?
6. What temperature was recorded for the year 1880? And for the year 1980?
7. Did the global mean temperature go up (warmer) or down (cooler)?
a. By how much?
Blue and Red Trend Lines
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The blue line represents the trend from ______________ to ______________, which is
____________________ per 100 years. (Look at the comment in blue letters.)
The red line represents the trend from ______________ to ______________, which
PROJECTS a rise of___________ per 100 years. (Look at the comment in red letters.)
What conclusion can you make from this data?
The __________(red/blue) line is rising steeper than the _________ (red/blue) line. This
means that the global mean temperature has been rising____________(faster/slower).
What does each black data point represent? __________________
What does the black line show? _________________________
What does the green line show? ____________________________
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What conclusion can you make from this graph?
The Ocean Heat Content graph shows that the average amount of heat held in the
ocean has been ___________________(rising/falling) over the past 50+ years.
Explanation:
Earth stays warm due to greenhouse gases, which keep some heat energy from the
Sun. The ocean naturally absorbs about 90% of this heat energy, but the amount it is
absorbing is increasing quickly. This means that global warming is increasing. Watch
this movie to learn more. Oceans Absorb Heat
Congressional Temperature Trends
Go to the following website: temperaturetrends.org
Part II: Interpreting Graphs in Your Congressional District
YOUR STATE
From the main page, click on your state and record the temperature trends.
(Find the trends at the bottom left and right of the chart.)
What
is
the
rate
1895?___________________________________
What
is
the
rate
1960?___________________________________
of
warming
since
of
warming
since
MAKING COMPARISONS
Next, fill in this table with information from the website:
1. Your congressional district*
2. Another second district in your state
3. A third district in your state
4. Your state
5. Congressional district in another state
6. United States
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7. World
Location of data
1
*Your
Congressional
District #______
2
Congressional
District #______
(In your state)
Congressional
District #______
(In your state)
Your state:
_______________
3
4
5
Congressional
District #______
(In ANOTHER
state)
6
United States
7
World
Degrees
Changed
Since 1895
Rate of
Warming
Since
1895
Degrees
Changed
Since 1960
Rate of
Warming
Since
1960
*If there is no data available for your district, choose one that is close to yours that has
data.
Using the data above, compare the rates of warming.
1. Is your congressional district warming at a faster rate than the two other districts?
(Compare data on lines 1, 2, and 3)___________________________________
2. Is your state warming at a faster rate the US? _________________________
3. Is your state warming at a faster rate than the world?
__________________________
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Explore other congressional districts and states around the country and look for the
following:
1. The temperature increase that is the highest since
1960_____________________________
2. The temperature increase that is the highest since
1895_____________________________
3. A district with a negative (cooling) temperature
trend______________________________
4. The state with the highest temperature change since
1960___________________________
5. The state with the highest temperature change since
1895___________________________
Compare your district with state and national trends. Then explain, in your own
words, why the temperature is rising in your congressional district.
Congressional Temperature Trends
Go to the following website: temperaturetrends.org
Sulfate Aerosols
When you compared the temperature trends of your congressional district to those of
the globe, you were given a short movie that describes sulfate aerosols (it is linked as
sulfate.mov). Or you may watch it through YouTube: YouTube Sulfate Aerosols Watch
that movie in its entirety and answer the questions below. You may need to watch it
more than once to answer the questions.
1. What is the relationship between CO2 emissions and economic activity?
2. The video states that CO2 emissions increased during the 1960’s. Based on the
Keeling plot below, by how much did CO2 increase from 1960-1970?
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
How are sulfate aerosols created?
What do sulfate aerosols do to our planet? Our lungs?
What were the events that led to the British Clean Air Act of 1956?
Who signed the US Clean Air Act into law in 1970?
After these acts were signed, what happened to global sulfate emissions and to
temperature trends?
Ocean Heat Content
When you compared the temperature trends of your congressional district to those of
the globe, you were given a short movie that describes total heat in the ocean (it is
linked as ocean.mov). Or you may watch it on YouTube: Oceans Watch that movie in
its entirety and answer the questions below. You may need to watch it more than once
to answer the questions.
1. How much of the trapped heat goes to the atmosphere? The oceans?
2. What happens to the ocean heat content during the brief periods of atmospheric
cooling?
3. What does the narrator mean when he says that the “800 pound gorilla is the
ocean”?
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Credit: This teacher resource has been adapted from content originally developed by
Elizabeth Brooking.
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