Carnegie Mellon University
Renewables Workshop
Youngsters examine resource maps to find out which states are using solar and wind power and discuss as a class various other renewable energy sources. They use a provided data table to record pros and cons to each technology, build and...
Curated OER
Air Pollution: The Issue of Global Warming
Here is an outstanding 10-page lesson plan on global warming. Learners discover that there is a lot of controversy surrounding this topic in that the science behind global warming is difficult to prove. The best thing about this plan is...
Curated OER
Diurnal Temperature Changes and Water Vapor Content
High schoolers examine the greenhouse effect, as they determine how moisture in the air affects the diurnal temperature range. Their investigation help them to explain different climatological regimes of both the Southern Great Plains...
Curated OER
Case Study of Local Trends in the Carbon Cycle
Students examine the relationship between chlorophyll and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this investigative lesson students study the local effects of climate change.
Space Awareness
Oceans as a Heat Reservoir
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
WK Kellogg Biological Station
N2O: It’s No Laughing Matter!
While the layout of the lesson plan is not very detailed and the link to the PowerPoint is no longer valid, there are some great exercises to examine the role of nitrous oxide in the environment. For middle level learners, the resource...
Curated OER
Greenhouse Effect
Students identify greenhouse gases. They explain why perfluorocarbons are a bad alternative to chlorofluorcarbons. They determine both the least and most influential greenhouse gases.
Population Connection
The Carbon Crunch
Carbon is in the air; should we care? Teach the class why it is important to pay attention to carbon levels and how the world population and various countries across the globe affect the carbon levels in the atmosphere. High schoolers...
Curated OER
Environment: Climate Change
Students explore climate change and the greenhouse effect. Using provided definitions, they assess local weather conditions and analyze long term climatic data for their areas. Once they explore the concept of and connection between...
Curated OER
Climate Change
Students compare weather data and draw conclusions. In this climate change lesson plan, students determine whether data collected over a period of ninety years shows a warming trend.
Curated OER
Getting to the Core of Climate Change
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
Curated OER
Global Climate Change
Second graders investigate the effect of melting glaciers to sea level. In this earth science instructional activity, 2nd graders simulate the process in the lab by conducting an experiment using ice cubes and clay. They explain the...
Curated OER
Turn off your Engines!
Young scholars explore how idling vehicles contribute to the greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. They conduct a survey of idling in their community. Students calculate and develop corresponding graphs of the carbon dioxide...
Curated OER
Campus Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
Students brainstorm the campus links to global warming. Students pick topics for individual or group research. Students develop a research plan. Students keep good records and report their progress. Students report findings both...
Curated OER
Personal Emissions Calculator
Students complete the personal emissions grid and review information on carbon footprints. Using directions, they create their own emissions calculator and determine how much carbon dioxide they emit in a given period of time. They...
Wild BC
Bearly Any Ice
After reviewing food chains, your class members participate in an arctic predator-prey game that exemplifies the impact of climate change of food availability. If you are in a hurry, skip this lesson, but if you have the time to...
Curated OER
Annotated Example of Socratic Questioning: Climate: Global Warming
Students compare and discuss short-term and longer-term global temperature data. They evaluate data from three sets of graphs and then participate in a structured whole class Socratic discussion on the possible causes of climate change.
Curated OER
Climate change in Canada
Students investigate the impact of human activity on the environment. In this secondary math/science lesson, students analyze and interpret information from data and graphs as they investigate trends in climate change and the reasons...
PHET
Planet Designer: Kelvin Climb
It's time to get those creative juices flowing! This second lesson in a series of five continues allowing pupils to design their own planets. It the same format as the first, but, this time, allows students to alter greenhouse gases to...
Curated OER
Structure of the Earth
Seventh graders study the cause of climate change, and how clouds form and affect weather. They define condensation and precipitation, the greenhouse effect and the water cycle.
Curated OER
Topics in Environmental Science
Students discover topics in environmental science. In this science lesson plan, students build a model to simulate the greenhouse effect and analyze and interpret data, especially the results of introducing pollutants into nature.
Curated OER
Human Activity and the Environment
Students review and analyze graphs and tables as a group. They develop their graph and data analysis skills by converting data tables from Human Activity and the Environment into graphs.
Curated OER
Writing about the climate
Students research the contributing factors to the Earth's paleoclimate. They determine the relevant climate data and use it to construct a science argument. In the process, they access data, capture images of the data plots, and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Personal Choices and the Planet
The last activity in the series of four has individuals determine steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprints and then analyze their schools' recycling programs. Through a sustainability audit, they identify how and where their...