In this activity, students analyze data maps of sea surface temperature anomalies for a 14-year interval and create an ENSO time line in a case study format. Based on their findings, students determine the recurrence interval of the ENSO system.

This teaching activity addresses regional variability as predicted in climate change models for the next century. Using real climatological data from climate models, students will obtain annual predictions for minimum temperature, maximum temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation for Minnesota and California to explore this regional variability. Students import the data into a spreadsheet application and analyze it to interpret regional differences. Finally, students download data for their state and compare them with other states to answer a series of questions about regional differences in climate change.

The goal of this laboratory is to help students understand that burning fossil fuels, which results in an increase in the acidity of ocean waters, has a detrimental impact on marine life (specifically coral but also other organisms that have calcium carbonate based shells).

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Students evaluate the energy sources used to generate electricity in their state, then consider ways in which their energy infrastructure is vulnerable to extreme weather and rising sea level. Students then consider ways that their local energy grid can be made more resilient.

This is a short activity that uses Google Earth to explore sea-level change as measured by tidal gauges around the world

In this activity, students examine global climate model output and consider the potential impact of global warming on tropical cyclone initiation and evolution. As a follow-up, students read two short articles on the connection between hurricanes and global warming and discuss these articles in context of what they have learned from model output.

Climate change and environmental justice class activity. Designed for students to understand the justice issues surrounding climate change on a global and domestic level.

The Extreme Events Game is an in-person role-playing game that allows participants the experience of building community resilience in the face of disaster. Players work together to make decisions and solve problems during a fast-paced disaster simulation.

This short video clip is part of a longer video series titled How Climate Effects Community Health. This clip focuses on human health risks from extreme heat events caused by increasing global temperatures.

In this activity, students investigate how scientists monitor changes in Earth's glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets. The activity is linked to 2009 PBS Nova program entitled Extreme Ice.

This video explores what scientists know about how changes in global climate and increasing temperatures affect different extreme weather events.

This video documents the scope of changes in the Arctic, focusing on the impacts of warming and climate change on the indigenous Inuit population.

This is the first of three short videos showcasing the dramatic changes in Alaska's marine ecosystems. This introduction to the impacts of climate change in Alaska includes interviews with Alaska Natives, commentary by scientists, and footage from Alaska's Arctic.

This video is the second of three short videos showcasing the dramatic changes in Alaska's marine ecosystems. The video highlights the marine mammals and birds and how they depend on Arctic sea ice, as well as questions about how these animals will cope in the face of climate change.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn about how climate change is affecting flood risk in New Jersey.

SCIENTIST NOTES: In this lesson, students will learn about the common causes of flooding, how towns and cities can mitigate the effects of flooding, and how climate change is partially impacting flooding. As a note, another way climate change will impact flooding is by increasing the rates of prolonged drought and heavy rainfall. The videos and articles included in this lesson are accurate. The final article touches a lot more on emotions and a teenager’s perspective but includes key facts with references on the side. This resource is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson creates a collaborative learning environment for students as they build model houses and test their flood mitigation tactics.
-Students will develop a strong connection to self and community through viewing the impact of increased flooding in New Jersey.
-This lesson allows for creativity, design, engineering, and free thinking.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Prior to the lesson, the teacher must have:
-Cardboard
-Scissors
-Tape/glue
-Modeling clay
-Sand
-Cement
-Sponges
-Plastic wrap
-Plastic tubs
-Pitchers of water
-These materials can be recycled or donated. Possible substitutions include Play-Doh instead of modeling clay, buckets/cups instead of pitchers, tinfoil instead of plastic wrap, etc. Materials are not set in stone and can be substituted with similar materials as needed.
-You can explain more about the causes of sea level rise prior to the lesson. This video may be helpful to show before teaching this lesson.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Groups of students with mixed abilities can collaborate on their section of the flood management article.
-Groups of students with mixed abilities can collaborate on their section of the flood management experiment.
-The flood management experiment could be done as a demonstration in front of the whole class if time, ability, or materials are limited. You can use different materials and flood the tub multiple times.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson encourages students to think critically about facts and opinions and how they relate to climate change.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson enables students to differentiate credible and non-credible opinions, identify a fact or an opinion in a video, and identify what they believe are the best solutions to addressing climate change. They would also be able to inform others about climate change using facts and opinions they gather for their projects. All materials in the lesson have been rigorously reviewed, and this lesson has passed our credibility review.

POSITIVES:
-Students think critically about facts and opinions before developing their opinions on climate change solutions.
-Students create a project that educates and inspires others using opinions supported by facts.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Teachers and students should understand that facts can be proven to be true, but often it depends on the context.
-Teachers and students should understand that not all opinions are credible. Respecting people’s opinions is important, but it is necessary for students to understand how to differentiate between credible and non-credible sources.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-This related SubjectToClimate lesson can support students in developing their opinion on the best solution to climate change.
-Teachers can modify the Climate Change Fact or Opinion Activity in the Inquire section by adding or removing statements.
-Students can come up with their own statements and have the rest of the class determine if they are facts or opinions.
-Teachers can opt for a more active Climate Change Fact or Opinion Activity by having students walk to one side of the room to identify a fact and another side to identify an opinion. Another option is to use one gesture for fact and another gesture for opinion.
-Projects can be completed individually, in groups, or as a whole class.
-Teachers may want to divide the lesson into three days, teaching the Inquire, Investigate, and Inspire sections each on separate days.

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, scientists in western Greenland explain how a glacier there is shrinking and moving faster due to increased melting.

This video from a 2005 NOVA program features scientists who study the Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier in western Greenland. The glacier is shrinking and moving faster due to increased melting in recent years. The video includes footage of scientists in the field explaining methods and animation of ice sheet dynamics leading to faster glacier movement.

In this video, several scientists identify and describe examples of increasing health problems that they believe are related to climate change.

In this activity, students learn about the urban heat island effect by investigating which areas of their schoolyard have higher temperatures - trees, grass, asphalt, and other materials. Based on their results, they hypothesize how concentrations of surfaces that absorb heat might affect the temperature in cities - the urban heat island effect. Then they analyze data about the history of Los Angeles heat waves and look for patterns in the Los Angeles climate data and explore patterns.