HOME | BE AN EYE-WITNESS TO GLOBAL WARMING | LESSON PLANS

Lesson One

Our Unique Atmosphere - Grade 6-12 Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans - Education

How does our atmosphere keep the earth warm?

Objectives: Students will be able to explain how heat-trapping gases work in the atmosphere, explain why carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases are necessary for life as we know it and post their ideas on the Global Warming 101 forum.

Download Lesson One: Our Unique Atmosphere

Time needed: at least forty minutes

Grade Level: middle school and high school

Lesson Two

Emissions of Heat-trapping Gasses - Grade 6-12 Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans - Education

Objectives: Students will be able to explain how increased atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping gases warm the atmosphere and predict what will happen to global temperatures if atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping gases increase. Students will be able to identify sources of heat-trapping emissions, calculate their carbon footprint and identify ways they can reduce their carbon footprint and post their ideas on the Global Warming 101 forum.

Download Lesson Two: Emissions of Heat-trapping Gasses

Time needed: at least forty minutes

Grade Level: middle school and high school

Lesson Three

Communities of Living Things - Grade 6-12 Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans - Education

Objectives: Students will be able to explain how changing weather patterns, a changing balance of competitors and changes in the availability of food and shelter can increase uncertainty for communities of living things. Students will also be able to give examples of these uncertainties and disruptions from the Arctic communities and predict how continued warming may affect communities of living things with which they are familiar and will post their ideas on the Global Warming 101 forum.

Download Lesson Three: Communities of Living Things

Time needed: at least forty minutes

Grade Level: middle school and high school

Lesson Four

Implications of Warming in the Arctic - Grade 6-12 Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans - Education

Besides being a “canary in the coal mine,” why should we learn about global warming in the Arctic?

Objectives: Students will be able to explain feedbacks including surface reflectivity (albedo), ocean circulation, melting permafrost releasing heat-trapping gases and melting ice contributing to rising sea levels. Students will also be able to explain how warming in the Arctic affects the rest of the world and students will post their ideas on the Global Warming 101 forum.

Download Lesson Four: Implications of Warming in the Arctic

Time needed: at least forty minutes

Grade Level: middle school and high school

Lesson Five

Regional Effects of Global Warming - Grade 6-12 Interdisciplinary

Although we may see the effects of global warming most dramatically in the Arctic, what effects might we see in the rest of the world?

Objectives: Students will be able to explain how global warming could cause droughts and floods from changing precipitation patterns combined with increased evaporation, more intense hurricanes fueled by warmer oceans, insect and disease outbreaks and other possible effects. Students will also be able to predict what might happen in their region and post their ideas on the Global Warming 101 forum.

Download Lesson Five: Regional Effects of Global Warming

Time needed: at least forty minutes

Grade Level: middle school and high school

Lesson Six

What now? - Grade 6-12 Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans - Education

Objectives: Students will brainstorm ideas of how to respond to global warming, think critically about the trade-offs between different possible courses of action and post their ideas on the Global Warming 101 forum.

Download Lesson Six: What now?

Time Needed: Forty minutes (minimum)

Grade Level: Middle school and high school

Q&A
With Polar Explorer Will Steger

This month, renowned explorer Will Steger leads a team of young adventurers to the Arctic to record the climate changes already taking place.

What first motivated you to raise awareness of global warming?
I’ve kept weather records since I was 8 years old and have always been attuned to climate patterns, but in 1988, we had a record warm summer... and then in 2002, buried on the eighth page in the paper, I saw a headline—part of the Larsen ice shelf had collapsed. It was like science fiction. It was shocking, and it was my call to action.

What’s the most alarming change you’ve personally witnessed?
The loss of pack ice. It used to cover an area the size of the United States and Mexico. Now, it’s half that. Rather than white ice reflecting back into the atmosphere, we have miles and miles of dark ocean absorbing heat. Being on the ground and actually seeing it is pretty alarming. It’s disrupting the heat balance of the globe.

What is the goal of the Ellesmere Island expedition?
To bring young people to the front lines of global warming, to send back dispatches so that students can be eyewitnesses to the changes happening now. We want to draw them in through the adventure, and inspire them to take action, to use their online social networks to organize, and to change the world in a positive way for the Earth.

What can educators do?
As educators, we are responsible for preparing young people for what’s coming with global warming. Young people are the ones who will inherit this problem and have to adapt. We need to bring out their curiosity, add the content, provide wisdom, and get them on the right track toward creating a clean environment and a secure world.

We’ll bring you new videos as the expedition progresses so you can follow along with the team.

Food Packing

The team organizes and packs their food supply for the expedition. Every meal needs to be weighed, packaged and sorted for each leg of the trip and resupply.

Click here to view the video.

Investigate global warming in your classroom with six interdisciplinary lesson plans for grades 6-12.

Click here for the lessons.

Share your stories about how you are educating and activating your students on global warming.