Increases in global carbon dioxide should be mirrored by decreases in atmospheric oxygen. Join Ralph Keeling to learn how his precise measurements have shown that the concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere is in fact decreasing slowly from year to year and discover how these data are allowing scientists to place constraints on the global carbon cycle. (57 minutes)

This collection of learning activities allows students to explore phenology, phenological changes over time, and how these changes fit into the larger context of climate change. Students explore patterns of solar radiation and seasons as well as phenological cycles and ecological affects of these patterns.

Students explore the life of pikas, tiny mammals that live in alpine areas, and how they are being impacted by climate change. After a brief introduction which includes a reading, a short video, and a story that includes a mathematical model, students engage in a kinesthetic simulation to gain first-hand experience of life as a pika and how the animals can be impacted by shrinking habitat. Students then create line graphs with data from the simulation and analyze them.

In this activity, students use measurement and area skills to learn about remote detection of wildfires from space. After detecting mock wildfires with mobile devices, students then study satellite-data visualizations to determine the start dates of actual California wildfires.

This video describes the foundation Plant for the Planet, a foundation created by a 9-year-old German boy, Felix. This foundation has planted more than 500,000 trees in Germany, which he says help sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The student rallies, first his community and then other children, to plant millions of trees to offset our energy-use emissions.

Using a combination of clickable 360 degree landscapes, 2D and 3D videos, animations, interviews with scientists, and mini-games, the Polar Lab takes players onto the glacier ice and into the lab in search of evidence to answer big questions about Earth's climateâpast, present, and future. They search for plant and animal fossils that can reveal what this Arctic and Antarctic environment was like 50 million years ago. Students examine two kinds of clues that act as time capsules for exploring the past: mud cores and ice cores. Finally, students examine the rapid retreat of the massive glaciers and sea ice to better understand how changing ice conditions affect animals.

In this video from the Polaris Project Website, American and Siberian university students describe their research on permafrost.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students use New Jersey precipitation data to create graphs and discuss climate change.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson has students working on their data analysis skills through the use of graphs which help students to interpret New Jersey’s precipitation data and how it relates to climate change. A class discussion encourages students to think critically about the raw data. Students then work independently to graph the precipitation over time, finding a line of best fit and the equation for the line. This is followed by a discussion of the relationship between time and precipitation. Data forecasting is touched upon when students are asked to think about what data they would need next and what is predictable about the data. Students then choose one of two choices that allow them to compare and contrast visually represented data. This is a well-rounded lesson that relays the information of climate change through graphing and data analysis and is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson can be used independently to practice application of math and reasoning skills or as ang point for longer research into data displays.
-Students can use graph paper or any digital platform schools and teachers are already familiar with.
-Students are given voice and choice in this lesson.
-Students learn to apply math skills to current situations to explore and explain relationships in nature.
-Students defend their chosen quantities and levels of accuracy in displaying data.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Students should have some basic understanding of graphing, plotting points, and the relationship between x & y-axes.
-Students should have a basic idea of an equation of a line, line of best fit, and slope.
-Students should have a basic understanding of other types and purposes of graphs and charts.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Teachers can adjust the degree of difficulty based on the math level of each class.
-If using a digital graphing platform, teachers and students can manipulate data to explore related questions.
-Teachers can explore deeper the purpose of different kinds of graphs in highlighting different parts of the same data set.
-Teachers can bring in a variety of graphs from scientific journals or magazines, such as National Geographic, as instructional tools.
-Teachers can extend this project to have students or classes graph the relationship between precipitation and time for all 50 states. Students can then display their graphs and conclusions. Teachers can moderate discussions comparing and contrasting various states and regions or make a conclusion as a whole.
-Using the same website resources, students can explore the average maximum and minimum temperature table. They can explore the relationship between temperature and precipitation using various graphs. Teachers can then use this to discuss causation and/or correlation.
-Teachers can use the lesson to introduce causation and correlation, asking students if there is a correlation between precipitation and climate change.

This short video explains how climate change can lead to more extreme precipitation events and more frequent flooding. Information from the CDC has succinct information about the health downsides of extreme precipitation events, including mental health impacts.

This activity in a case study format explores ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet by way of outlet glaciers that flow into the ocean. Students do basic calculations and learn about data trends, rates of change, uncertainty, and predictions.

This is an activity designed to allow students who have been exposed to the El NiÃo-Southern Oscillation to analyze the La NiÃa mechanism and predict its outcomes in a case study format.

In this activity, students investigate soil erosion and how a changing climate could influence erosion rates in agricultural areas. This activity is part of a larger InTeGrate module called Growing Concern.

As the number of ice-free days in the seas surrounding Alaska increases over time, so do opportunities. Oil and gas companies are ramping up offshore exploration and drilling in the Arctic and the shipping industry is increasing traffic around and through the region. As a result, Arctic residents may have new opportunities for jobs and development across the region. There’s also a downside to the increased activity. Oil and gas extraction operations occasionally have accidents—events that can result in massive oil spills.

In this exercise learners use statistics (T-test using Excel) to analyze an authentic dataset from Lake Mendota in Madison, WI that spans the last 150 years to explore ice on/ice off dates. In addition, students are asked to investigate the IPCC Likelihood Scale and apply it to their statistical results.

This resource provides an easy-to-read table summary of solutions to decrease anthropogenic releases of CO2 to the atmosphere. The sources in the data set are clickable for a deeper look into the emission source, references, and a list of additional resources.

This video presents predictions and solutions for range shifts (wildlife corridors) by an iconic species of North American wilderness: the wolverine.

This is an in-depth activity that focuses on Wisconsin ecosystem characteristics and energy flow within ecosystems. The activity is lengthy, but selected parts of it could be adapted to a variety of teaching situations.

As the threats of tsunami and sea level rise are joined by real and potential climate impacts, the Quinault community looks to move the lower village of Taholah to higher ground.

This 10-question quiz covers some of the major impacts to human health caused by climate change.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students identify the causes and consequences of climate change, explore the Indigenous cosmovision of El Buen Vivir, and reflect on the values needed to live within the ecological limits of the planet.

SCIENTIST NOTES: The lesson highlights the importance of protecting nature and recognizes the role played by Indigenous Peoples in protecting biodiversity and living well with nature. Students will find this lesson promising and insightful as it prepares them to be environmental stewards. All the materials are credible, and this lesson is recommended for teaching.

La lección destaca la importancia de proteger la naturaleza y reconoce el papel que juegan los pueblos indígenas en la protección de la biodiversidad y vivir bien con la naturaleza. Los estudiantes encontrarán esta lección prometedora y perspicaz, ya que los prepara para ser administradores ambientales. Todos los materiales tienen buenas fuentes y esta lección se recomienda para la enseñanza.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson integrates interpersonal and presentational speaking skills with listening and reading activities from authentic Spanish-language sources.
-Students make interdisciplinary connections to science and global challenges.
-Students explore the diversity of Indigenous cultures in Latin America and are exposed to women who are Indigenous leaders.
-Many activities are student-led and reinforce new vocabulary in multi-modal ways.
-Answer keys are provided for the listening activities.
-The teacher can leave the posters or artwork visible in the classroom to refer back to when discussing values related to other topics or units later in the year.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Students should have a minimum of novice-high proficiency to complete the activities in this lesson.
-Students should have a basic understanding of some natural cycles of the Earth in order to complete the activity in the Investigate section without teacher support.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Teachers can divide this lesson into two or more class periods as needed. For example, students can complete the Inquire and Investigate sections in one class period, complete the reading and video comprehension activities for homework, then complete the Inspire section in a second class period.
-Teachers can extend the Inspire section to two class periods to accommodate in-class presentations or ask students to record their presentations for homework.