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Description
This lesson gives students first-hand experience in analyzing the link between atmospheric temperature and carbon dioxide by looking at ice core data spanning hundreds of thousands of years. It will help them understand the earth's carbon cycle, its relationship to the greenhouse effect and its role in regulating the earth's climate.
After class discussions describing ice cores, examining diagrams on the production of greenhouse gases, and watching a video on climate change, students graph ice core data collected at the Vostok Research Station in Antarctica . They draw graphs of carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature over time. They then answer questions based on the graphs.
As an extension activity, students watch a video of the science behind core sampling, and write a paragraph explaining how examining ice cores helps scientists to better understand today's climate.
General Assessment
What skills does this resource explicitly teach?
- Graphing techniques
- Analyzing and interpreting results
- Inferring and explaining relationships
- Making predictions from sets of data
- Represent relationships using graphs
- Working cooperatively with team members
Strengths
- Math outcomes for data management addressed
- Effectively links real world science and environmental problems
- Provides step by step instructions for drawing graphs, sample graphs, and a glossary of terms
- The video clip on global warming provides an excellent review of climate change basics, and includes the impact on our planet, and suggestions for individual action
- The extension video offers a real-life view of the process of ice core sampling
- Promotes student awareness
Weaknesses
- No authentic action opportunity provided
- Little attention to whole group or small group reflection
- Rubric not included for graphs or worksheet questions
Recommendation of how and where to use it
This resource supports the teaching of those learning outcomes in science associated with global warming, climate change, fossil fuels, and (green) energy. It could also be used in geography classes to emphasize the link between human activity and the economic and environmental problems caused by climate change. Those math outcomes involving graphic representation and interpretation of data are addressed by this resource. The cross-curricular approach makes it a very useful resource for launching Earth Day.
Relevant Curriculum Units
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
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- Alberta
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- Grade 9
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- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environment and Outdoor Education: Environmental Core
- Environment and Outdoor Education: Environmental Investigations
- Math
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- Knowlege And Employability: Statistics and Probability
- Grade 10
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- Science
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- Science 10-4 (Knowledge and Employability Science): Investigating Matter and Energy in Environmental Systems
- Science 14:Investigating Matter and Energy in the Environment
- Grade 11
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- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Mathematics 20-4:Statistics and Probability (Collecting and Analyzing Information)
- Science
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- Science 20-4 (Knowledge and Employability Science): Understanding Common Energy Conversion Systems
- Science 24:Understanding Common Energy Conversion Systems
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- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- World Geography 30: World Patterns of Physical Elements
- British Columbia
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- Grade 9
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- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Analyzing the validity, reliability, and representation of data enables us to compare and interpret.
- Continuous linear relationships can be identified and represented in many connected ways to identify regularities and make generalizations
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them.
- Grade 12
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- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 12: Human activities cause changes in the global climate system
- Science
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- Specialized Science 12: Climate change impacts biodiversity and ecosystem health
- Social Studies
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- Human Geography 12: Human activities alter landscapes in a variety of ways.
- Physical Geography 12: Interactions between human activities and the atmosphere affect local and global weather and climate
- Manitoba
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- Grade 9
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- Math
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- World Geography: A Human Perspective - World Resources, Energy, and Environment
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- Grade 9
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- Patterns and Relations
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- Science
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- Science 1206: Weather Dynamics
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- Science
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- Science 2200: Weather Dynamics
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- Geography
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- World Geography 3200/3202: World Climate Patterns
- Northwest Territories
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- Grade 9
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- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Analyzing the validity, reliability, and representation of data enables us to compare and interpret.
- Continuous linear relationships can be identified and represented in many connected ways to identify regularities and make generalizations
- Statistics and Probability
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them.
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Experiential Science 10, Terrestial Systems: Climatology and Meteorology
- Science 10-4 (Knowledge and Employability Science): Investigating Matter and Energy in Environmental Systems
- Science 10: Energy Flow in Global Systems
- Science 14:Investigating Matter and Energy in the Environment
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 20-4:Understanding Common Energy Conversion Systems
- Science 24: Understanding Common Energy Conversion Systems
- Grade 12
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 30: Energy and the Environment
- Nova Scotia
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- Statistics and Probability
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- Geography
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- Geography 10: Atmospheric Environment
- Geography 10: Data Collection
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- Geography 10: Data Processing and Representation
- Geography 10: Spaceship Earth
- Science
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- Science 10: Weather Dynamics
- Nunavut
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- Grade 9
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- Statistics and Probability
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Experiential Science 10, Terrestial Systems: Climatology and Meteorology
- Science 10-4 (Knowledge and Employability Science): Investigating Matter and Energy in Environmental Systems
- Science 10: Energy Flow in Global Systems
- Science 14: Investigating Matter and Energy in the Environment
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science24:Understanding Common Energy Conversion Systems
- Grade 12
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- Science
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- Science 30: Energy and the Environment
- Ontario
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- Grade 9
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- Math
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- Data
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- Science (Academic):Earth and Space Science: Climate Change
- Science (Applied)::Earth and Space Science: Earth's Dynamic Climate
- Grade 11
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- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science (Univ/College Prep.) Conservation of Energy
- Environmental Science (Univ/College Prep.) Scientific Solutions to Contemporary Environmental Challenges
- Environmental Science (Workplace Prep.) Human Impact on the Environment
- Geography
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- Introduction to Spacial Technologies: (Open):Using Spacial technologies to Support Sustainability and Stewardship
- Regional Geography (Univ./College Prep.): Sustainability and Stewardship
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- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Spatial Technologies in Action (Univ./College Prep.) Using Spatial Technologies to Support Sustainability
- The Environment & Resource Management (Univ./College Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship of Natural Resources
- World Issues: A Geographic Analysis (College Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship
- World Issues: A Geographic Analysis (Univ. Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Math 9: Statistics and Probability
- Math 9:Patterns and Relations
- Grade 10
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 20: Atmosphere and Human Health
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Analyzing the validity, reliability, and representation of data enables us to compare and interpret.
- Continuous linear relationships can be identified and represented in many connected ways to identify regularities and make generalizations
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them.
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 12: Human activities cause changes in the global climate system
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Specialized Science 12: Climate change impacts biodiversity and ecosystem health
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Human Geography 12: Human activities alter landscapes in a variety of ways.
- Physical Geography 12: Interactions between human activities and the atmosphere affect local and global weather and climate
Themes Addressed
Air, Atmosphere & Climate (2)
- Air Pollution
- Climate Change
Energy (1)
- Energy Generation
Sustainability Education Principles
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Satisfactory | Some background information is given on the reasons why the planet is warming, a video on climate change basics is shown, and students graph data on the earth's carbon dioxide levels and temperature changes over the past several hundred thousand years. Students will draw their own conclusions based on the interpretation of the graphs. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
| ||
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Satisfactory | The resource links human activity with the rise of carbon dioxide levels and global warming .This has many environmental consequences associated with sustainable ecosystems, and extreme weather. Choices to limit greenhouse gas production and implement green energy projects have economic implications. |
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
| ||
| Respects Complexity | Good | |
| Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
| Acting on Learning | Satisfactory | Although no authentic action plan is given, the resource does promote an awareness of planet stewardship and the video suggests several potential lifestyle changes which will be required to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
| ||
| Values Education | Satisfactory | Students have opportunities for some incidental discussion on their beliefs and values. |
| Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
| Empathy & Respect for Humans | Satisfactory | |
| Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
| Personal Affinity with Earth | Satisfactory | The underlying message is that the warming of the planet has many dangerous implications for the future. Students are asked to take a role in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
| ||
| Locally-Focused Learning | Good | Students, through guided inquiry, will see the link between their own energy consumption habits, the production of greenhouse gases, and the effect that these have on global warming. They will see that changes start with individual action in their own community. |
| Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
| ||
| Past, Present & Future | Good | Both the video clip and the ice core sample data give a good picture of the past and present. The future is seen as positive if action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, so current trends will not continue. |
| Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. | ||
Pedagogical Approaches
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Ended Instruction | Good | A combination of structured and guided inquiry is used. Students develop their own thoughts and opinions after interpreting real-life data. |
| Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
| Integrated Learning | Good | This is primarily a science and environmental science resource, but there are opportunities to address outcomes in math and geography. |
| Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
| ||
| Inquiry Learning | Satisfactory | |
| Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
| ||
| Differentiated Instruction | Satisfactory | Teacher-led class discussions, reading background information, watching videos and using data management skills to interpret and analyze real -life data are included in this lesson. |
| Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
| ||
| Experiential Learning | Good | Real-life ice core sample data is represented and interpreted. |
| Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
| ||
| Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | |
| Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
| ||
| Assessment & Evaluation | Satisfactory | Questions are included with the graphing exercise (with suggested answers), but there are no rubrics to evaluate student work, or for peer or self evaluation. |
| Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
| Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | |
| Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
| ||
| Case Studies | Good | Students are using real-life data stretching hundreds of thousands of years. This ice core sample data offers a case study in itself. |
| Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
| Locus of Control | Satisfactory | |
| Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. | ||
