Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Signs of Change: Tree Rings

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students identify and experiment with dendrochronology (the study of tree rings to answer ecological questions about the recent past) and come up with conclusions as to what possible climatic conditions might affect tree growth in their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is Portland, Oregon Experiencing Global Warming?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students use data to determine if the climate in Portland has changed over the years.  In this weather lesson plan students complete line graphs and study long wave radiation. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is Grandpa Right, Were Winters Colder When He Was a Boy?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers compare current weather data to historic data to see if there is a temperature change.  In this weather activity students complete a lab activity and determine average changes in temperature, precipitation and cloud...
Activity
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NOAA

I Didn’t Do It…Did I?: Make Your Own Greenhouse Effect

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
How do greenhouse gases affect the climate on Earth?  Pupils explore the concept by first building their own apparatuses to model the greenhouse effect. Then, they record data to measure temperature change and determine...
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Ice Cores: Modeling Ice Sheets

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Ice cores provide scientists with knowledge of historic melt layers, air temperatures, greenhouse gases, and climate stability. Scholars work in groups to build layers representing snow and ice over thousands of years. Then, groups...
Activity
1
1
NOAA

Why Should I Care?: Show How Increased Carbon Dioxide Makes the Ocean More Acidic

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
How does a change in pH affect the ocean ecosystem? Scholars explore the idea by making an acid-base indicator in part seven of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. First, they explore impacts of carbon dioxide in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living in the Greenhouse

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learners discuss the different types of climate zones found throughout the world. They participate in activities which relate to real events. They make observations and the consequences of their actions on the environment.
Lesson Plan
Beyond Benign

The Big Melt: Arctic Ice Caps

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Are the Arctic ice caps really melting out of existence? Junior climatologists examine the statistics of ice decline through four math-based lessons. Each activity incorporates data, climate information, and environmental impact into an...
Lesson Plan
1
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NOAA

Exploring Potential Human Impacts

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Arctic sea ice reflects 80 percent of sunlight, striking it back into space; with sea ice melting, the world's oceans become warmer, which furthers global warming. These activities explore how humans are impacting ecosystems around the...
Lesson Plan
Global Oneness Project

Then and Now

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The devastating changes happening to the Native American inhabitants of an island off the coast of Louisiana are the topic of an informational lesson. After scholars break into groups to explore particular topics, they come back together...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Survival in Antarctica

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Explore the harsh climate of Antarctica and its wildlife. Participate in experiments to determine how humans survive in the continent's climate, and address the difficulties faced by scientists.
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Off Base

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How does carbon dioxide affect the world's oceans? The final installment in a series of six lessons has pupils research ocean acidification, then conduct an experiment to witness the delicate balance that exists in our seas. Materials...
Activity
Colorado State University

What Makes a Gas, a Greenhouse Gas?—The Carbon Dioxide Dance

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Investigate a heated topic in environmental science. Scholars team up to play the parts of gas molecules in the atmosphere. As the teacher moves about, acting as the electromagnetic wave, learners react as their molecules would to the...
Unit Plan
Radford University

A Change in the Weather

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
Explore the power of mathematics through this two-week statistics unit. Pupils learn about several climate-related issues and complete surveys that communicate their perceptions. They graph both univariate and bivariate data and use...
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Fizzy Balloons - C02 in School

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Carbon dioxide is a very important gas; it is present in the air, used in cooking, and supports plant and animal life. Scholars investigate the properties of carbon dioxide with three different activities. They experience a color change,...
Lesson Plan
NASA

Cloudy vs. Clear - Maps

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Find out the science of how clouds keep Earth cooler on hot days. Using guided discussions, investigators analyze and interpret maps of how much solar energy Earth receives at different times of the year. Participants draw conclusions...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Incoming Solar Radiation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Demonstrate how the spherical shape of the Earth contributes to unequal heating of its surface and results in varying climates at different latitudes. This would be an illuminating addition to your meteorology lessons, especially when...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Can I Do About Global Environmental Change?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students complete a unit to evaluate their impact on the environment and greenhouse gas emissions. They conduct Internet research, develop a list of their electrical and energy use, calculate their share of greenhouse gases, and identify...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Puzzle it Out

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study the Earth's climatic system and construct a puzzle that names all of the pieces of the  components involved.  In this Climate instructional activity, students draw a picture on a puzzle piece depicting a specific...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crafting a Fair Climate Agreement

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Evaluate the effectiveness of Kyoto Protocol in addressing the issue of global warming. In this global warming lesson, learners compare the pros and cons of the cap-and-trade system versus a carbon tax, as well as other possible...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Clues to Climate Change

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study topics related to global weather patterns and their local effects. They hone their research and presentation skills using online resources content specific tools, and graphing data. They create simple PowerPoint...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate And the Greenhouse Effect

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students demonstrate the greenhouse effect. They recognize that relatively small changes to our environment can stimulate significant climate changes. They determine that the "scientific method" is a process of testing hypotheses and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glacier Dynamics

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students create flubber glaciers. In this glacier dynamics lesson, students experiment factors that may affect glacier speed. Factors include slope, ice temperature, and basal conditions. Students develop hypothesis, conduct experiment,...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Understanding Climate Change

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Explore the causes and effects of a warming planet with your students.

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