Essential Standard:
EEn.2.5 Understand the structure within our atmosphere.
EEn.2.6 Analyze patterns of global climate change over time.
EEn.2.8 Evaluate human behaviors in terms of how likely they are to ensure the ability to live sustainably on Earth.
Clarifying objective:
EEn.2.5.1 Summarize the structure and composition of our atmosphere.
EEn.2.6.1 Differentiate between weather and climate.
EEn.2.6.2 Explain changes in global climate due to natural processes.
EEn.2.6.3 Analyze the impacts that human activities have on global climate change (such as burning hydrocarbons, greenhouse effect, and deforestation).
EEn.2.6.4 Attribute changes to Earth’s systems to global climate change (temperature change, changes in pH of ocean, sea level changes, etc.).
EEn.2.5.1 Summarize information from charts and graphs regarding layers of the atmosphere, temperature, chemical composition, and interaction with radiant energy.
EEn.2.6.1
• Explain major climate categories (Köppen climate classification system – temperate, tropical, and polar).
• Compare weather and climate.
EEn.2.6.2
• Summarize natural processes that can and have affected global climate (particularly El Niño/La Niña, volcanic eruptions, sunspots, shifts in Earth’s orbit, and carbon dioxide fluctuations).
• Explain the concept of the greenhouse effect including a list of specific greenhouse gases and why CO2 is most often the focus of public discussion.
EEn.2.6.3
• Outline how deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels (linked to increased industrialization) contribute to global climate change.
• Explain how large-scale development contributes to regional changes in climate (i.e. heat islands in large cities like NY, Chicago, Beijing, etc.).
• Analyze actions that can be taken by humans on a local level, as well as on a larger scale, to mitigate global climate change.
EEn.2.6.4
• Analyze how changes in global temperatures affect the biosphere (ex. agriculture, species diversity, ecosystem balance).
• Explain how changes in atmospheric composition contribute to ocean acidification. Analyze its effect on ocean life and its connection to global climate change.
• Explain how changes in global temperature have and will impact sea level.
• Analyze how sea level has been affected by other earth processes such as glaciations and tectonic movements. Consider long- and short-term changes.
EEn.2.5 Understand the structure within our atmosphere.
EEn.2.6 Analyze patterns of global climate change over time.
EEn.2.8 Evaluate human behaviors in terms of how likely they are to ensure the ability to live sustainably on Earth.
Clarifying objective:
EEn.2.5.1 Summarize the structure and composition of our atmosphere.
EEn.2.6.1 Differentiate between weather and climate.
EEn.2.6.2 Explain changes in global climate due to natural processes.
EEn.2.6.3 Analyze the impacts that human activities have on global climate change (such as burning hydrocarbons, greenhouse effect, and deforestation).
EEn.2.6.4 Attribute changes to Earth’s systems to global climate change (temperature change, changes in pH of ocean, sea level changes, etc.).
EEn.2.5.1 Summarize information from charts and graphs regarding layers of the atmosphere, temperature, chemical composition, and interaction with radiant energy.
EEn.2.6.1
• Explain major climate categories (Köppen climate classification system – temperate, tropical, and polar).
• Compare weather and climate.
EEn.2.6.2
• Summarize natural processes that can and have affected global climate (particularly El Niño/La Niña, volcanic eruptions, sunspots, shifts in Earth’s orbit, and carbon dioxide fluctuations).
• Explain the concept of the greenhouse effect including a list of specific greenhouse gases and why CO2 is most often the focus of public discussion.
EEn.2.6.3
• Outline how deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels (linked to increased industrialization) contribute to global climate change.
• Explain how large-scale development contributes to regional changes in climate (i.e. heat islands in large cities like NY, Chicago, Beijing, etc.).
• Analyze actions that can be taken by humans on a local level, as well as on a larger scale, to mitigate global climate change.
EEn.2.6.4
• Analyze how changes in global temperatures affect the biosphere (ex. agriculture, species diversity, ecosystem balance).
• Explain how changes in atmospheric composition contribute to ocean acidification. Analyze its effect on ocean life and its connection to global climate change.
• Explain how changes in global temperature have and will impact sea level.
• Analyze how sea level has been affected by other earth processes such as glaciations and tectonic movements. Consider long- and short-term changes.
Essential Question
1. What factors are most important in determining biomes?
2. How does El Nino affect local weather patterns? 3. What is climate change? What are some ways it can be mitigated? 4. How do my actions contribute to climate change? 5. What evidence is there of climate change? 6. How do volcanic eruptions and changes in solar intensity affect climate? 7. What determines the layers of the atmosphere? 8. Why do we need the ozone layer? How can we protect the ozone layer? |
Criteria for Success: "I will"
Create a climatogram and analyze how temperature and
precipitation vary regionally.
Infer weather conditions associated with El Nino by analyzing satellite data. Research climate issues, evaluate arguments, and support favored solutions with textual evidence. Identify ways to decrease my personal greenhouse gas emissions. Describe observed effects of climate change. Evaluate evidence to determine if the “year without a summer” was caused by volcanic eruption or solar activity. Use atmospheric temperature data to locate the boundaries between atmospheric layers. Distinguish between tropospheric and stratospheric ozone. |
Essential Vocabulary
Troposphere
Tropopause Stratosphere Stratopause Mesosphere Mesopause Thermosphere Ionosphere Magnetosphere Ozone Ozone Layer Sulfer Oxide Nitrogen Oxides Chloroflorocarbons Weather climate Köppen climate classification: Temperature, Precipitation Factors Affecting Climate: latitude, elevation/ altitude, Vegetation, water bodies, Topography, Atmospheric Circulation Natural Climate Change: El Niño/La Niña, volcanic eruptions, sunspot Milankovitch cycles (precession, nutation, and eccentricity—students need not know the name “Milankovitch”) Greenhouse effect/greenhouse gases: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane Carbon cycle: photosynthesis, respiration, deforestation, plankton, ocean acidification, coral reefs Albedo heat island green roof Anthropogenic mitigate Thermal expansion (of sea water)/sea level rise |
Writing Prompts
- How do humans impact climate change? After viewing one or more of the videos and taking part in class discussion on climate changes, write a persuasive essay that argues the causes of climate change and explains the effects on the planet. What implications can you draw? Support your discussion with evidence from the text resources from this unit. Be sure to use quantitative and graphical data in your analysis.
- After researching data tables, graphs and articles on Discovery Education and National Geographic related to climate change, write an editorial to the Charlotte Observer that addresses whether the American public is adequately informed about climate change. Support your position with evidence from your research on the causes and effects of climate change.
- How does climate affect ocean currents?
Performance Task
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