Trees: Recorders of Climate Change

The warm-up is not relevant, since by the time you reach the end of a unit on climate change, most will not feel that it is good for humans. The thought-provoking questions, however, make a poignant class discussion about its effects. A...

Open with a discussion on weather and climate and then explain how tree rings can provide scientists with information about the earth's past climate. Pupils analyze graphics of simulated tree rings from various US locations for the...

Climate change is a hot topic in the news. Class members examine carbon dioxide data to analyze trends of our atmospheric makeup over time. They also discuss climate and climate change, and determine how these changes are affecting life...

Combine math and science by having your middle schoolers calculate standard deviations using Earth's annual average temperatures from 1970 to 2004. In the process, learners get to examine trends as well. If computers are available, they...

Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance.  For this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for global...

Earth naturally creates carbon dioxide, so how do we know the atmospheric increase is related to humans? The fourth video in a seven-part series explains the evidence that points to humans as a reason for this increase. The factors that...

After reviewing the causes and effects of climate change, students become observers for "Plant Watch," a program to monitor the effects of climate change on plants. Students record blooming and leafing dates for selected local species...

Resource links to a video, satellite images, data, and photographs of glaciers provide emerging earth scientists the opportunity to examine how the ice has been retreating over the years. A data table is included for pupils to record...

A one-degree change in the earth's climate does not seem like a problem, but the rate at which our climate is changing is frightening. Of all the recorded temperature changes, our planet is currently warmer than it has ever been. If the...

Young scholars question each other to access prior knowledge of climate change. In this climate change lesson, students read about climate change and develop a list of vocabulary words. Young scholars create a journal to record...